Library of Leng MTG Card
Card sets | Released in 14 setsSee all |
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 1 |
Rarity | Uncommon |
Type | Artifact |
Text of card
There is no limit to size of your hand. If a card forces you to discard, you may choose to discard to top of your library rather than to graveyard. If discard is random, you may look at card before deciding where to discard it.
Cards like Library of Leng
The Library of Leng offers a unique spin for Magic: The Gathering players with a penchant for strategic hand management. This artifact resembles spellbook abilities that allow for an increased hand size. However, it presents a special twist by letting you avoid the usual downside of discard effects, much like the famed Reliquary Tower. What sets Library of Leng apart is its selective discard feature, enabling you to place the card on top of your library instead of into your graveyard.
Another noteworthy parallel comes from Venser’s Journal. Like the Library, it removes the maximum hand size limit. Still, Venser’s Journal lacks the nuanced control over discards that Library of Leng commands. The inclusion of life gain based on the hand size with Venser’s Journal offers a trade-off more inclined toward life strategies rather than the intricacy of hand manipulation.
Spellbook itself is the simplest comparison, but it only shares the hand size aspect and doesn’t provide the discard control that makes Library of Leng distinctive. In the context of maximizing hand potential and harnessing control over discards, Library of Leng stands out as a nuanced tool for players who value precision over their card flow.
Cards similar to Library of Leng by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Library of Leng. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
# | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
---|---|---|---|---|
Grixis Control | Legacy | Charlotte Legacy League Season 1 Week 1 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Library of Leng offers a significant edge by enabling you to keep a sizable hand and strategically discard cards, making sure you always have options available.
Resource Acceleration: This artifact synergizes well with effects that benefit from discarding or drawing, helping to accelerate your resources without falling behind.
Instant Speed: With the Library of Leng, you have the flexibility to discard at instant speed, retaining control during every phase of the game and allowing for surprise interactions that can catch opponents off guard.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Library of Leng presents a constraint where it requires you to discard cards in certain situations. For players not running a strategy that benefits from discarding, this effect could potentially backfire, leaving them at a card disadvantage.
Specific Mana Cost: While the card itself doesn’t have a color requirement, it does require one generic mana to play. For decks that operate on a tight curve or those that require colored mana for critical spells in the early game, investing in the Library of Leng could delay more pressing plays.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Compared to other one-mana artifacts in the game, the Library of Leng has a very niche effect. Players may find that this card takes up a slot that could be filled with artifacts providing a more immediate or broad impact to the game state.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Library of Leng offers a unique ability to control your discard, allowing it to seamlessly integrate into numerous deck archetypes. Whether you’re running a madness deck that leverages discarding or simply want to safeguard your hand against opponents’ forced discard tactics, this card slots in smoothly.
Combo Potential: This card pairs remarkably well with effects that make you draw and discard cards. In combo decks, specifically, it can help you retain key combo pieces by selectively discarding the cards you don’t currently need, without losing any that are crucial to your strategy.
Meta-Relevance: In any metagame where hand disruption is prevalent, Library of Leng provides a valuable shield. Plus, its synergy with wheel effects and no maximum hand size can be a game-changer in longer, grindy matches where card advantage becomes paramount.
How to beat
Library of Leng is a unique artifact in the world of Magic: The Gathering due to its ability to influence a player’s hand and draw strategy. Unlike typical card effects that cause you to discard, Library of Leng offers a level of control by allowing you to put the discarded cards back on top of your library. However, to tackle this card effectively during gameplay, the approach requires disruption and targeted removal strategies.
Facing Library of Leng, you want to focus on cards or abilities that specifically deal with artifacts, such as Naturalize, which allows for direct removal. Additionally, employing the strategy of discarding at random can circumvent the Library’s benefit, as seen with cards like Mind Twist. It’s also beneficial to have counterspell capabilities at the ready to prevent the Library from hitting the board in the first place.
Understanding the synergies and the potential limitations of your opponent’s cards is key. By having removals or counters ready to deactivate or preemptively stop Library of Leng from impacting the match, you’ll maintain the edge in card advantage and mitigate any strategic foothold the artifact offers your adversary.
BurnMana Recommendations
The Library of Leng stands as a unique beacon of strategy for avid MTG players looking to enhance their deck performance. It’s a card that offers a dual advantage of maintaining a strong hand while providing much-needed defense against hand disruption strategies. For those who enjoy complex playstyles or wish to delve deeper into the clever maneuvers enabled by the Library, its value to your collection is undeniable. With potential interaction with various deck archetypes and the meta, we encourage you to further explore the strategic depths of Library of Leng. Discover its full capacity and refine your playing techniques with us. Stay ahead in the game and watch your opponents struggle to keep up!
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Library of Leng MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Library of Leng 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
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Printings
The Library of Leng Magic the Gathering card was released in 13 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by Daniel Gelon.
# | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 257 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Daniel Gelon | |
2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 258 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Daniel Gelon | |
3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 258 | 1993 | Normal | White | Daniel Gelon | |
4 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 258 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Daniel Gelon | |
5 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 258 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Daniel Gelon | |
6 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 261 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Daniel Gelon | |
7 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 261 | 1993 | Normal | White | Daniel Gelon | |
8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 261 | 1993 | Normal | White | Daniel Gelon | |
9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 333 | 1993 | Normal | White | Daniel Gelon | |
10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 333 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Daniel Gelon | |
11 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 387 | 1997 | Normal | White | Daniel Gelon | |
12 | 2011-01-10 | Masters Edition IV | ME4 | 211 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Daniel Gelon | |
13 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 254 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daniel Gelon | |
14 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 551 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Daniel Gelon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Library of Leng has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Oldschool | Legal |
Commander | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Paupercommander | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Pauper | Legal |
Premodern | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Library of Leng card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
Date | Text |
---|---|
2004-10-04 | If more than one card is discarded due to a single effect, the Library allows you to decide whether or not to use it on each of the cards. You get to decide the order the cards are placed on the library if more than one goes there. |
2004-10-04 | Since the card goes directly to the library, the card is not revealed unless the spell or ability requiring the discard specifically says it is. |
2004-10-04 | The ability applies any time a spell or ability has you discard as part of its effect. It does not matter if you or your opponent control the spell or ability. The discard is forced because it is an effect. |
2004-10-04 | The ability replaces the normal discard action with a discard action that puts the card on the library instead of the graveyard. |
2004-10-04 | The discard triggers anything else that triggers on discards. |
2004-10-04 | This effect has no effect on the cards being put into the graveyard from a library, because they are not “discarded”. |
2004-10-04 | You can look at a randomly discarded card before deciding where it goes. |
2004-10-04 | You can’t use the Library of Leng ability to place a discarded card on top of your library when you discard a card as a cost, because costs aren’t effects. |
2009-10-01 | If multiple effects modify your hand size, apply them in timestamp order. For example, if you put Null Profusion (an enchantment that says your maximum hand size is two) onto the battlefield and then put Library of Leng onto the battlefield, you’ll have no maximum hand size. However, if those permanents entered the battlefield in the opposite order, your maximum hand size would be two. |