Dinosaurs MTG Card

Type	Card
Released	2020-06-18
Set symbol
Set name	Jumpstart Front Cards
Set code	FJMP
Number	8
Frame	2015
Layout	Token
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jesper Ejsing

Key Takeaways

Dinosaurs in MTG can significantly tip card advantage in your favor, often through enrage effects or damage triggers.
They allow for rapid mana acceleration, aiding in the deployment of high-cost creatures much earlier in the game.
Several dinosaur cards offer instant speed interactions, adding a layer of complexity and surprise to gameplay.

Text of card

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dinosaurs MTG cards often boast the ability to generate significant card advantage. Many have enrage mechanics or effects that trigger on dealing damage, allowing you to draw extra cards and maintain a hand that can consistently deploy threats.

Resource Acceleration: Resource acceleration is another pro where Dinosaur cards shine. They support strategies that ramp up your mana base rapidly, enabling you to cast high-cost dinosaurs much earlier than usual. Cards like ‘Thunderherd Migration’ exemplify this by searching your library for a basic land card, ensuring a smoother and more powerful game progression.

Instant Speed: While dinosaurs are typically associated with brute force at sorcery speeds, several cards like ‘Savage Stomp’ allow for instant speed interactions, giving you the versatility to surprise opponents with sudden buffs or removal during their turn or in response to their actions, often altering the battlefield dynamics in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Some dinosaur cards may necessitate discarding another card from your hand, reducing your hand advantage and potentially disrupting your game plan, especially if your deck lacks sufficient card draw mechanisms.

Specific Mana Cost: Dinosaurs often require a heavy commitment to specific colors of mana, usually green and red, which can pose a challenge when crafting a well-balanced mana base and might restrict the variety of decks they can be optimally included in.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Numerous dinosaur cards come with lofty mana requirements, making them a challenge to cast in the early game and potentially leaving players vulnerable to faster, more aggressive strategies.

Reasons to Include Dinosaurs in Your Collection

Versatility: Dinosaurs can be incredibly versatile, with abilities that offer ramp, enrage mechanics, and substantial board presence. Their sizes and powers allow them to adapt to various playstyles, from aggressive stomps to more control-focused game plans.

Combo Potential: Many dinosaurs carry enrage abilities that enable combative interactions with cards designed to deal damage across the board. This can lead to powerful synergies and combos that can completely swing the momentum of a game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: Dinosaurs have shown their teeth within the MTG meta, particularly with the support from the Ixalan block sets. Their raw power and the support provided by cards like ‘Gishath, Sun’s Avatar’ make them a formidable choice in a range of competitive environments.

How to Beat

Dinosaurs card strategies often involve large, intimidating creatures that can quickly turn the tide of a game in Magic: The Gathering. The key to overcoming these prehistoric behemoths is to prevent them from establishing board presence. Early game removal spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can effectively deal with smaller dinosaurs and disrupt the ramp up to bigger threats. Board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation are particularly potent as they can clear out multiple dinosaurs regardless of size, undercutting a central pillar of dinosaur-based decks.

Another effective strategy is to use counter spells like Counterspell or Mana Leak to prevent powerful dinosaurs or key enablers like Commune with Dinosaurs from hitting the field in the first place. Enchantment-based removals such as Pacifism or Cast Out can neutralize dinosaur threats without having to destroy them, thus circumventing abilities that trigger upon death. Lastly, focusing on a quick, aggressive deck that outpaces the slower, albeit more powerful, dinosaur setup could keep your opponent on the defensive and unable to properly utilize their dinosaur cards to their fullest potential.

Every MTG player knows dinosaurs bring raw power to the table, but with the right approach and a well-built deck, these ancient titans can be rendered extinct in the modern strategic landscape of Magic: The Gathering.

Cards like Dinosaurs

The allure of Dinosaur MTG cards is in their formidable presence on the battlefield, reminiscent of the colossal creatures from ancient history. Comparable to the Dinosaur card theme are creatures such as the iconic Beast cards, which, although diverse, share the common trait of typically offering high power and toughness. Where Dinosaur cards stand out is in their synergistic abilities, often complimenting one another and proving formidable when working together.

For instance, the Ripjaw Raptor is reminiscent of other four-drop powerhouses like the Beast card Obstinate Baloth, but it has the added bonus of the enrage mechanic — a definitive Dinosaur trait. This ability allows for card advantage whenever the creature is dealt damage. Another similar card, Loxodon Smiter, boasts a solid body immune to discard which shows up in Beast forms too, though it lacks the tribal benefits Dinosaurs often capitalize on.

In assessing their place in MTG, Dinosaurs are more than just sizeable creatures; they’re part of a robust and interconnected lineage that often supports mechanics like ‘enrage.’ This synergy enhances their individual potency and makes the Dinosaur theme particularly powerful when cards are played in tandem, creating an edge that similar big creature cards in other tribes may lack.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dinosaurs MTG card by a specific set like Jumpstart Front Cards, 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 Dinosaurs and other MTG cards: