Tradewind Rider MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Spirit
Abilities Flying
Power 1
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Tradewind Rider excels in card advantage, resource acceleration, and offers instant-speed flexibility.
  2. Setbacks include a mandatory self-bounce mechanic and specific blue mana requirements.
  3. Versatility, combo potential, and meta-relevance are compelling reasons for collection inclusion.

Text of card

Flying oc T, Tap two creatures you control: Return target permanent to owner's hand.

It is said that the wind will blow the world past if you wait long enough.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tradewind Rider allows a player to return one of their own permanents to their hand, enabling reutilization of enter-the-battlefield effects or saving a valuable asset from removal. It can also disrupt opponents by returning their non-land permanents, effectively negating their plays and setting them back.

Resource Acceleration: By untapping up to three creatures, Tradewind Rider doesn’t just contribute to resource acceleration but also synergizes with creatures that have tap abilities or those that benefit each time a creature is tapped. This can lead to a snowballing board state where the player gains increasing advantage each turn.

Instant Speed: The ability to activate Tradewind Rider at instant speed gives players substantial flexibility. They can decide to use the ability after their opponent’s actions during the end step, ensuring that mana and creatures are efficiently utilized and that the path is clear for impactful plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downfall that comes with Tradewind Rider’s utility is the need to return a permanent you control to your hand as part of activating its ability. This self-bounce mechanic can sometimes backfire, putting you at a disadvantage by disrupting your own board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Another aspect to be considered is the specific mana requirements for casting Tradewind Rider. Requiring both generic and blue mana, this card is primarily constrained to blue-focused or blue-inclusive decks, potentially limiting its versatility across a broader range of deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Tradewind Rider’s activation cost, though not exorbitant, is still relatively high. It comes on the field for three mana which might stretch your resources in the early game. Other creatures or spells at a similar mana cost can provide immediate impact without the need for further investment or setup.


Reasons to Include Tradewind Rider in Your Collection

Versatility: Tradewind Rider offers a high degree of flexibility, easily fitting into control decks or any strategy emphasizing board manipulation. Its ability to return permanents to owners’ hands can disrupt opponents and provide advantageous board states.

Combo Potential: The synergies with cards that have enter-the-battlefield effects or those that benefit from being recast give Tradewind Rider a spot in combo-centric decks, enabling powerful, repeatable interactions.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where permanents with significant activated abilities or troublesome creatures are common, Tradewind Rider shines by providing consistent control over the battlefield, making it a worthwhile addition to adapt to shifting competitive environments.


How to Beat

Tradewind Rider presents a dynamic challenge for any MTG player with its ability to return both your own and your opponent’s permanents to hand. Its mastery lies in manipulating the state of the board to one’s advantage. To overpower this control strategy, focus on maintaining a lower curve of spells. This approach ensures that your strategy remains unhindered by setbacks and makes every cast impactful, even if it’s returned to your hand.

Applying pressure by rapidly redeploying threats after a Tradewind Rider activation is key. Removal spells also offer a clear pathway to eliminating this airborne threat. It’s crucial to prioritize threats that can withstand or evade its bounce mechanics or use removals like Murder or Path to Exile to handle this card effectively. Furthermore, take advantage of the times when your opponent is unable to maintain the creatures necessary to tap alongside Tradewind Rider, rendering its ability inert.

Your ability to adapt and the choice to run efficient, impactful spells can render Tradewind Rider a manageable adversary. An informed strategy can mitigate its influence, allowing you to maintain control of the game and eventually outmaneuver the opposition relying on this card’s tempo-gaining aspect.


Cards like Tradewind Rider

Tradewind Rider is a unique card in MTG that offers a blend of control and tactical advantages. Much like Capsize, which allows players to return permanents to their owner’s hand for a repeatable buyback cost, Tradewind Rider requires setup with tapping creatures but does not incur additional mana costs each use. This distinct difference places a greater emphasis on creature presence over raw mana availability.

Evacuation is another card often brought into comparison, as it clears the battlefield of creatures. Whilst Tradewind Rider offers targeted bouncing, Evacuation acts as a broader reset tool, indiscriminately affecting every creature on the field. The similarities lie in disrupting opponents, but Tradewind Rider provides more surgical precision and reusability at the potential cost of speed and immediate impact.

It’s also comparable to Venser, Shaper Savant, who can return a spell or permanent to its owner’s hand upon entering the battlefield. Although Venser’s effect is a one-time occurrence, it can deal with on-the-stack scenarios, something the Tradewind Rider can’t match. Considering these factors, Tradewind Rider holds a special place, offering repeated utility that can be advantageous in decks built around creature synergy and control.

Capsize - MTG Card versions
Evacuation - MTG Card versions
Venser, Shaper Savant - MTG Card versions
Capsize - Tempest (TMP)
Evacuation - Stronghold (STH)
Venser, Shaper Savant - Future Sight (FUT)

Cards similar to Tradewind Rider by color, type and mana cost

Phantasmal Forces - MTG Card versions
Wall of Vapor - MTG Card versions
Archivist - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Inga Rune-Eyes - MTG Card versions
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
Laboratory Drudge - MTG Card versions
Johnny, Combo Player - MTG Card versions
Dream Prowler - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Turtleshell Changeling - MTG Card versions
Glen Elendra Archmage - MTG Card versions
Fatestitcher - MTG Card versions
Argent Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Lumengrid Drake - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Infuser - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Dragon - MTG Card versions
Havengul Runebinder - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Forces - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Wall of Vapor - Chronicles (CHR)
Archivist - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Thieving Magpie - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Inga Rune-Eyes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Laboratory Drudge - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Johnny, Combo Player - Unhinged (UNH)
Dream Prowler - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Clone - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Cytoplast Manipulator - Dissension (DIS)
Crookclaw Transmuter - Time Spiral (TSP)
Turtleshell Changeling - Lorwyn (LRW)
Glen Elendra Archmage - Eventide (EVE)
Fatestitcher - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Argent Sphinx - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Lumengrid Drake - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Vedalken Infuser - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Phantasmal Dragon - Magic 2012 (M12)
Havengul Runebinder - Dark Ascension (DKA)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tradewind Rider MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and World Championship Decks 1998, 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 Tradewind Rider and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tradewind Rider Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2022-11-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-10-14TempestTMP 981997normalblackJohn Matson
21998-08-12World Championship Decks 1998WC98 bs981997normalgoldJohn Matson
32002-01-01Judge Gift Cards 2002G02 21997normalblackJohn Matson
42002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 360481997normalblackJohn Matson
52014-06-16Vintage MastersVMA 982015normalblackJohn Matson
62015-05-06Tempest RemasteredTPR 752015normalblackJohn Matson
72020-09-26The ListPLST TMP-981997normalblackJohn Matson
82022-11-02Secret Lair 30th Anniversary Countdown KitSLC 19972015normalborderlessBrooklynSnobs

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tradewind Rider has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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