Inspiring Leader MTG Card


Encourages robust card quality and a stronger battlefield presence through simultaneous card drawing and creature buffs. Demands thoughtful hand management to maximize its benefits, potentially sacrificing crucial reactive plays. Perfect for decks prioritizing creature performance, despite its specific mana cost potentially challenging deck synergy.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Enchantment — Background

Text of card

Commander creatures you own have "Creature tokens you control get +2/+2."

Your family needed a farmer, so you tilled. Your town needed a fighter, so you trained. When your people needed a leader, you knew what you had to do.


Cards like Inspiring Leader

When reviewing Inspiring Leader, a noteworthy piece within the wide array of supportive characters in MTG, it reminds us of other influential options in the deck-builder’s toolkit. Its closest relatives in terms of functionality could be considered cards like Mentor of the Meek, which provides a draw mechanism for creature-based decks, although it doesn’t offer the same direct stat boosts to creatures.

The comparison extends to leaders like Mikaeus, the Lunarch – this card similarly permits you to place +1/+1 counters on your creatures, enhancing their combat capabilities, but it lacks the versatility of targeting multiple creatures like Inspiring Leader. Then, there’s always the classic, Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, which certainly represents a higher power level by providing a static increase to your creatures’ stats and simultaneously weakening your opponent’s board. While it overshadows Inspiring Leader in terms of sheer impact, it demands a more significant mana investment.

In the spectrum of creature support and team buffing cards, Inspiring Leader has a distinctive appeal due to its ability to selectively bolster your forces’ offensive and defensive stats. It occupies a unique space offering versatility and strategic depth, enhancing its appeal within certain MTG deck archetypes.

Mentor of the Meek - MTG Card versions
Mikaeus, the Lunarch - MTG Card versions
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite - MTG Card versions
Mentor of the Meek - MTG Card versions
Mikaeus, the Lunarch - MTG Card versions
Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Inspiring Leader by color, type and mana cost

Damping Field - MTG Card versions
Farmstead - MTG Card versions
Cooperation - MTG Card versions
Noble Steeds - MTG Card versions
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Glorious Anthem - MTG Card versions
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Shielded by Faith - MTG Card versions
The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration - MTG Card versions
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Cage of Hands - MTG Card versions
Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence - MTG Card versions
Guardian's Magemark - MTG Card versions
Celestial Dawn - MTG Card versions
Damping Field - MTG Card versions
Farmstead - MTG Card versions
Cooperation - MTG Card versions
Noble Steeds - MTG Card versions
Aura of Silence - MTG Card versions
Empyrial Armor - MTG Card versions
Pariah - MTG Card versions
Cessation - MTG Card versions
Arrest - MTG Card versions
Glorious Anthem - MTG Card versions
Samite Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Tattoo Ward - MTG Card versions
Sparring Regimen - MTG Card versions
Shielded by Faith - MTG Card versions
The Restoration of Eiganjo // Architect of Restoration - MTG Card versions
Oblivion Ring - MTG Card versions
Cage of Hands - MTG Card versions
Rune-Tail, Kitsune Ascendant // Rune-Tail's Essence - MTG Card versions
Guardian's Magemark - MTG Card versions
Celestial Dawn - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Inspiring Leader offers an uptick in card quality by allowing you to rally your forces while also replenishing your hand, potentially swinging the momentum in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: By boosting your creature’s strength, Inspiring Leader effectively multiplies your battlefield presence and resource effectiveness without the need for additional mana investment.

Instant Speed: The card’s capability to affect combat at instant speed provides a tactical advantage, allowing for surprise buffs that can turn the tides of battle or disrupt an opponent’s calculations.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Inspiring Leader demands a card discard to activate its key abilities. This can deplete a player’s hand quickly, particularly detrimental when options are needed for reacting to an opponent’s strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a distinct mana combination to cast. For decks not tailored to generate white mana efficiently, incorporating Inspiring Leader could disrupt the mana curve and overall deck synergy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that may be considered steep for its benefits, some players might find that Inspiring Leader doesn’t quite match the impact of other cards at similar cost points. Alternative cards might offer more immediate or impactful board presence.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Inspiring Leader offers a unique boon to any deck aiming to gain an edge through enhanced creature performance. This card’s ability to bolster your creatures’ power makes it a solid addition for various deck builds that rely on creature-based strategies.

Combo Potential: The card’s feature of empowering your other creatures with additional strength presents abundant opportunities for synergy with cards that capitalize on boosted attack power, enabling devastating combo plays that can swiftly turn the tide of play to your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where board presence and creature advantages are critical, Inspiring Leader carves a niche for itself. Its inclusion can be the decisive factor in matchups, especially when facing off against decks that struggle to handle multiple enhanced threats simultaneously.


How to beat

Inspiring Leader presents a dynamic challenge on the battlefield, with its steadfast abilities that bolster both morale and strength among other creatures in your opponent’s army. This card provides a significant power increase by boosting fellow creatures’ toughness, turning even the most modest of allies into formidable adversaries. To effectively neutralize the advantage the Inspiring Leader offers, one must prioritize removal spells or effects. Direct damage spells or those that force a sacrifice, such as board wipes, are highly effective countermeasures against such a lynchpin of an opponent’s strategy.

It’s also worth considering the use of counter spells to prevent the Inspiring Leader from ever entering the battlefield if you’re playing in a format that allows for such interactions. Another strategy includes taking control of the Inspiring Leader itself, thereby hijacking the benefits it provides. In the end, the key to outmaneuvering this card lies in swiftly eliminating the source of the inspiration before it can rally the troops and dominate the game terrain.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG involves more than understanding single cards; it’s about the synergies between them. Inspiring Leader might have its drawbacks, but integrated wisely, it becomes a formidable asset. Boosting creatures in a strategically built deck can be a game-changer, making Inspiring Leader a potential linchpin in your arsenal. If you’re considering adding this card to your collection or looking for ways to optimize its use, we’re here to help. Dive deeper with us as we explore strategies, deck builds, and provide insights to turn this card’s potential into victorious reality. Enhance your gameplay – join BurnMana to unlock the full power of Inspiring Leader.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Inspiring Leader MTG card by a specific set like Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate and Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Inspiring Leader and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Inspiring Leader Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-06-10 and 2022-06-10. Illustrated by Stephen Stark.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 4752015NormalBlackStephen Stark
22022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 282015NormalBlackStephen Stark

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Inspiring Leader has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Inspiring Leader card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2022-06-10 An effect that checks whether you control your commander is satisfied if you control one or both of your two commanders.
2022-06-10 Both commanders start in the command zone, and the remaining 98 cards (or 58 cards in a Commander Draft game) of your deck are shuffled to become your library.
2022-06-10 Choose a Background is a variant of the partner ability. You may have two commanders if one of them is a legendary creature with the choose a background ability and the other is a legendary Background enchantment. Backgrounds and cards with choose a Background do not interact with cards which have any other partner ability.
2022-06-10 If a card refers to a commander creature you own, a Background won't usually be counted or included for that effect. If another spell or ability causes your Background to become a creature, however, it will be included. Any effect that refers to your commander or a commander you own or control without specifying creature will apply to a Background that is your commander, as appropriate.
2022-06-10 If something refers to your commander while you have two commanders, it refers to one of them of your choice. If you are instructed to perform an action on your commander (e.g. put it from the command zone into your hand due to Command Beacon), you choose one of your commanders at the time the effect happens.
2022-06-10 If you control a Background that grants an ability to commander creatures you own, and you own more than one commander creature, each of them will have that ability.
2022-06-10 If your Commander deck has two commanders, you can include only cards whose own color identities are also found in your commanders’ combined color identities.
2022-06-10 If your commander loses the choose a Background ability or stops being a Background during the game, as appropriate, it is still your commander.
2022-06-10 Once the game begins, your two commanders are tracked separately. If you cast one, you won’t have to pay an additional the first time you cast the other. A player loses the game after having been dealt 21 combat damage from any one of them, not from both of them combined (although your Background won’t usually be a creature anyway).
2022-06-10 You can choose two commanders that are the same color or colors.