Leshrac's Rite MTG Card
1995-06-03 - Number 143
1997-03-24 - Number 173
1999-04-21 - Number 141
2001-04-11 - Number 144
2001-04-11 - Number 144★
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
Target creature gains swampwalk.
"Bind me to thee, my soul to thine. I am your servant and your slave. I shall hunger for your word and thirst for your blessing. Blood for blood, flesh for flesh, Leshrac, my lord." —Lim-Dûl, the Necromancer
Cards like Leshrac's Rite
Leshrac’s Rite is a unique enchantment card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, providing an intriguing benefit of granting any creature the ability to avoid being blocked save by black creatures and artifact creatures. This attribute is somewhat similar to Fear, a characteristic found on cards such as Fear itself and Ghostly Flicker. However, Leshrac’s Rite is enchantment-based, which offers a more permanent edge unless dealt with directly.
In comparing it to other cards, Unholy Strength springs to mind. Although Unholy Strength doesn’t offer unblockable status, it does give a solid power and toughness boost to a creature for a single black mana. Then we encounter Shade’s Form, which not only provides a power boost but also grants regeneration. It’s a defensive measure that Leshrac’s Rite lacks. While Shade’s Form is more flexible, the strategic advantage of creating an almost unblockable creature with Leshrac’s Rite often shifts the tide of battle significantly.
Assessing cards offering creature enhancements in Magic: The Gathering, Leshrac’s Rite stands out for its singular purpose. It carves a niche for itself, especially in decks looking to bypass traditional defenses, proving its worth on the battlefield through its focused design.
Cards similar to Leshrac's Rite by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Leshrac’s Rite grants an essential ability to a creature that could potentially lead to an overwhelming board presence. It transforms a single card into a persistent threat on the battlefield, effectively increasing your card’s impact beyond its initial play.
Resource Acceleration: Although Leshrac’s Rite does not directly produce additional mana or tokens, it ensures your key creatures survive to accelerate your game plan. By granting swampwalk, it can ensure your creature is unblockable by opponents controlling swamps, thereby maintaining your offensive resources unhindered.
Instant Speed: While Leshrac’s Rite itself is not an instant, it can be pivotal in strategic deployment during your main phases. Being able to dodge commonly played sorcery-speed removal spells or evade blockers can give you a tempo advantage when timing is crucial.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Leshrac’s Rite obliges players to sacrifice a creature to enchant a target one. This requirement could be inconvenient, especially when your battlefield presence is scant or each creature is pivotal to your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Casting Leshrac’s Rite demands one black mana. This necessity may not align seamlessly with multicolored decks that don’t prioritize black mana or those running a tight mana base with minimal room for particular colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Allocating one black and one generic mana might be steep for an enchantment that solely grants swampwalk. Players may prefer investing in spells that offer superior versatility or protection at a similar, or potentially lower, mana expenditure.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Leshrac’s Rite offers a unique enchantment option for any collection. Able to grant any creature the ability to regenerate, it creates opportunities for your important creatures to survive potential threats.
Combo Potential: This card can be used in conjunction with creatures that benefit from being targeted by spells or that have effects when they’re regenerated. It can also enable risky plays, knowing that your key creatures can return unscathed.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where removal spells are rampant, Leshrac’s Rite provides an affordable protection method. It’s particularly useful in metas dominated by control decks, allowing for your threats to persist through board wipes and targeted removal.
How to beat
Leshrac’s Rite is a niche enchantment within the vast selection of Magic: The Gathering cards. It allows a creature to gain swampwalk, potentially making it unblockable as long as the opponent controls a swamp. This ability can be a game-changer in matches against decks heavily reliant on swamps or those utilizing a black mana base.
To effectively counter Leshrac’s Rite, consider adjusting your mana base if possible, phasing out swamps for non-basic lands when anticipating an encounter with this enchantment. If you’re already in the midst of a game, enchantment removal spells like Disenchant or Naturalize emerge as direct solutions. They efficiently deal with Leshrac’s Rite by removing it from the battlefield, nullifying its effect instantaneously.
Alternately, you can focus on strategic blocking tactics. Since Leshrac’s Rite applies to only one creature, controlling multiple blockers can limit the impact of the enchanted creature’s attacks. Additionally, spells that can change a creature’s landwalk abilities or remove abilities altogether, such as Turn to Frog or Humble, can neutralize the enhanced creature, turning the tide of the match back in your favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Leshrac's Rite MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Fifth Edition, 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 Leshrac's Rite and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Leshrac's Rite Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2001-04-11. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1995-06-03 | Ice Age | ICE | 143 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 2 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 173 | 1997 | Normal | White | Mike Raabe | |
| 3 | 1999-04-21 | Classic Sixth Edition | 6ED | 141 | 1997 | Normal | White | Mike Raabe | |
| 4 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 144 | 1997 | Normal | White | rk post | |
| 5 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 144★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | rk post |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Leshrac's Rite has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |