Keldon Raider MTG Card

Keldon Raider offers strategic hand sculpting through its rummaging ability, beneficial in red decks. Requires a card discard upon casting, which can be a drawback when resources are low. Despite its mana cost, the Raider’s versatility and 4/3 body can add value to red strategies.

Dominaria (DOM)
2018-04-27 - Number 135

Core Set 2020 (M20)
2019-07-12 - Number 146

Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
2022-12-02 - Number 563

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Warrior
Power	4
Toughness	3

Text of card

When Keldon Raider enters the battlefield, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.

Keldon raiders' spoils are limited to what their colos can carry. No matter the value, the rest goes up in smoke.

Cards like Keldon Raider

Keldon Raider is a versatile creature card in Magic: The Gathering that follows in the footsteps of utility red creatures. This card allows you to discard a card and draw a card upon entering the battlefield. When sizing it up against other red creature cards, the comparison with Tormenting Voice is immediate. Tormenting Voice is a red spell that also lets you discard a card to draw two cards. While Keldon Raider doesn’t draw as many, it compensates by putting a solid 4/3 body into play.

Another card that shares the Raider’s rummaging ability is the Merchant of the Vale. The Merchant offers more flexibility with its adventure ability, allowing you to discard and draw at instant speed before even casting the creature. However, Keldon Raider boasts a higher power and toughness. Finally, consider the similarities to Faithless Looting, a powerful spell that draws two cards and then discards two, unlike the one-for-one trade with Keldon Raider. Despite the differences, each has its unique advantages, situating Keldon Raider as a reliable choice within red deck strategies.

Comparing these options highlights Keldon Raider’s role as both a creature and a value engine, making it a respectable and flexible choice for red decks seeking to balance creature presence with card flow options.

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Keldon Raider provides a degree of card selection, enhancing your draw by discarding unnecessary cards and replacing them with potentially a better one.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, the ability to sculpt your hand can indirectly lead to better resource use, making sure you play the most efficient cards at the right time.

Instant Speed: Though Keldon Raider operates at sorcery speed, its strength lies in providing immediate board presence. This allows players to plan their strategy around its deployment, leveraging its card selection upon casting.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Keldon Raider demands that a card be discarded upon casting. This effect can hinder your hand advantage, especially when you’re already behind on cards.

Specific Mana Cost: Deploying Keldon Raider requires a precise mana arrangement, including both red and generic mana. This specificity can pose a challenge in multicolored decks where mana flexibility is crucial.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that might be considered steep given its 4/3 stats, the Raider’s efficiency pales in comparison to other creatures that can potentially provide a greater impact on the game for the same or lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Keldon Raider is a flexible card that can fit in a variety of Red-based decks. Its ability to discard and draw makes it an excellent choice for cycling through your deck and finding the cards you need when you need them.

Combo Potential: The discard and draw ability of this card provides synergy with strategies revolving around graveyard play and madness mechanics. This allows for intricate combos that exploit the use of both your hand and graveyard as resources.

Meta-Relevance: With the game often leaning towards faster-paced matches, having a card that can perform well against a range of threats is crucial. Keldon Raider stands strong against a variety of decks by offering a decently sized body and card selection in one package.

How to Beat Keldon Raider

The Keldon Raider is a versatile creature within the MTG realm, well-regarded for its ability to filter a player’s hand by discarding an unneeded card in exchange for a fresh draw. This can be quite the advantage in red-based aggressive decks, as maintaining card velocity to apply pressure is pivotal. Its 4/3 stat line for four mana makes it a solid mid-game play as well.

When confronting a Keldon Raider, strategists should consider removal options that bypass its ability, such as instant speed spells that can take it down before the discard and draw comes into effect. It’s also susceptible to smaller burn spells due to its 3 toughness, making it a prime target for a Lightning Strike or similar effects. Moreover, trading with creatures in combat is another effective tactic as its toughness doesn’t make it exceedingly durable. For control decks, counterspells remain the cleanest solution, ensuring that the Raider’s ability never triggers.

In essence, while Keldon Raider can provide card advantage and present a decent threat on the board, it’s counteracted without much hassle through timely removal or combat strategies, ensuring the card’s impact remains manageable. Consequently, players with a proactive response plan need not worry excessively about this fiery combatant’s presence.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Keldon Raider MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria and Core Set 2020, 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 Keldon Raider and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Keldon Raider Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2018-04-27 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Chris Seaman.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2018-04-27	Dominaria	DOM	135	2015	Normal	Black	Chris Seaman
2	2019-07-12	Core Set 2020	M20	146	2015	Normal	Black	Chris Seaman
3	2022-12-02	Jumpstart 2022	J22	563	2015	Normal	Black	Chris Seaman

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Keldon Raider has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal