Kyren Legate MTG Card

Kyren Legate accelerates play, allowing for faster strategy execution and surprise moves. Its conditional landwalk makes it an unblockable threat in the right deck context. Requires careful play to balance its discard cost with strategic advantages gained.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Goblin
Abilities	Haste
Released	1999-10-04
Set symbol
Set name	Mercadian Masques
Set code	MMQ
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	197
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dave Dorman

Text of card

If an opponent controls a plains and you control a mountain, you may play Kyren Legate without paying its mana cost. Haste (This creature may attack and oc T the turn it comes under your control.)

Cards like Kyren Legate

Kyren Legate is a unique piece in the vast puzzle of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. When put side by side with counterparts, this card distinguishes itself with its conditional landwalk ability allowing it to be unblockable as long as an opponent controls a Mountain. Comparing it to other landwalk creatures, like the Aquastrand Spider that has forestwalk, Kyren Legate requires specific deck building to maximize its ability.

Likewise, we can look at the card Bog Tatters which boasts swampwalk. While it offers a higher power, it lacks the strategic flexibility found in Kyren Legate that can be played for free if your opponent controls a Mountain. Kyren’s low mana cost gives it a considerable edge in a game where tempo can be decisive. Then there’s Zoetic Cavern, a land that morphs into a creature, providing a degree of surprise but without the specialized evasion Kyren Legate offers.

Ultimately, Kyren Legate finds its place in MTG as a nimble and situational threat. It is especially potent in formats where Mountain-heavy decks are common, underscoring its niche effectiveness and the importance of understanding the meta when considering its inclusion in your deck.

Cards similar to Kyren Legate by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kyren Legate is well-suited for decks that leverage the number of creatures for overwhelming strategies. Dependent on the board state, playing this card could mean placing an additional and unexpected blocker, or an agile attacker, allowing you to maintain or tip the scale of card advantage in your favor during a match.

Resource Acceleration: In a deck centered around the Goblins or Mercenaries theme, Kyren Legate can be a swift addition to your battlefield without tapping lands, effectively accelerating your resource deployment. This can lead to earlier execution of your strategy, catching opponents off-guard before they have established a formidable defense.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Kyren Legate’s ability to hit the battlefield at instant speed during your turn—should you control any other goblin or the appropriate lands—increases the surprise factor and can drastically alter combat calculations or serve as an immediate reaction to unexpected plays from your opponents.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the challenges when playing Kyren Legate is the necessity to discard another card to unleash its potential. This can be a strategic setback, especially in tight scenarios where every card in hand is crucial for your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: Kyren Legate demands a blend of red and other mana to be summoned onto the battlefield. This can hamper your deck’s flexibility as it necessitates a firm commitment to red mana sources, potentially restricting its incorporation into multi-colored deck strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that might be considered steep for its stat line and abilities, Kyren Legate faces competition from a surplus of lower-cost creatures or others that offer more impactful abilities for a similar investment, potentially relegating it to a less favored position in deck building considerations.

Reasons to Include Kyren Legate in Your Collection

Versatility: Kyren Legate shines in decks that capitalize on the Goblin tribal theme or those that need a quick, aggressive red creature. Its ability to potentially come into the battlefield without a cost makes it versatile, fitting into fast-paced, mana-efficient strategies.

Combo Potential: This card can be a key piece in combo plays, especially in conjunction with cards that benefit from having multiple goblins on the field. When paired with cards like “Goblin Warchief” or “Skirk Prospector,” the potential for explosive turns increases significantly.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where speed is critical, the cost-reducing condition of Kyren Legate can give you the upper hand. It’s particularly relevant in environments where goblin decks are competitive, adding to the threat density and keeping your opponents on their toes.

How to beat

Kyren Legate presents a tactical challenge due to its ability to bypass traditional defenses. Aiming to topple this swift attacker yields a better chance with strategies that employ targeted removal spells or rely on broad yet effective board wipes. A key move is to take action before its reduced casting cost ability becomes relevant, which means controlling the number of lands your opponent has. This could involve land destruction or countering land-fetching abilities.

Decks that run a suite of instant-speed removal give players a vital edge. The objective is to disrupt your opponent’s aggression by removing Kyren Legate from the battlefield swiftly. Considering cards like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can prove invaluable in maintaining the pace of the game in your favor. Furthermore, ensure you have a robust defense, such as creatures with enough blocking power, to absorb the potential onslaught should the Legate slip past your removal spells.

In essence, overcoming Kyren Legate means being proactive, maintaining control, and being ready to dispatch threats immediately. By doing so, you keep the battlefield clear and diminish the advantage that this card could bestow upon your opponent in the MTG arena.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kyren Legate MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Kyren Legate and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kyren Legate has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal