Loch Dragon MTG Card


Loch Dragon grants card advantage through draw and discard, crucial for maintaining a strong hand. Its resource acceleration and synergy with instant speed spells enhance deck momentum. Balance its discard requirement and specific mana cost to harness its full potential.
Loch Dragon - Throne of Eldraine
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Dragon
Abilities Flying
Released2019-10-04
Set symbol
Set nameThrone of Eldraine
Set codeELD
Power 3
Toughness 2
Number211
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byMike Bierek

Text of card

Flying Whenever Loch Dragon enters the battlefield or attacks, you may discard a card. If you do, draw a card.

Despite its ferocity, its favor can be won with a gift of something it's never seen before.


Cards like Loch Dragon

Loch Dragon stands out in the realm of Dragon creatures within Magic: The Gathering. This flying prowess mirrors that of cards such as Air Elemental, sharing the same mana cost and strength in aerial combat. Yet, Loch Dragon boasts an added edge – its ability to draw a card and then discard one upon dealing combat damage to a player. Unlike the consistent, albeit plain, Air Elemental, this blue and red Dragon provides a valuable card filtering option.

Comparable to Loch Dragon is Crackling Drake, which also delves into drawing mechanics. Although Crackling Drake requires one additional mana, it compensates players with a power equal to the number of instant and sorcery cards in both your graveyard and exile, potentially surpassing Loch Dragon in terms of power and toughness. Additionally, when Crackling Drake enters the battlefield, you draw a card, providing immediate card advantage without the prerequisite of combat damage.

Ultimately, in the landscape of Magic: The Gathering, Loch Dragon may appeal to players who seek both aerial domination and incremental card advantage, carefully balancing aggression with strategic card filtering, akin to its flying counterparts yet with a distinctive twist in its synergistic potential.

Air Elemental - MTG Card versions
Crackling Drake - MTG Card versions
Air Elemental - MTG Card versions
Crackling Drake - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Loch Dragon by color, type and mana cost

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Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain - MTG Card versions
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Ral's Staticaster - MTG Card versions
Tibor and Lumia - MTG Card versions
Mercurial Geists - MTG Card versions
The Fifteenth Doctor - MTG Card versions
Emberwilde Caliph - MTG Card versions
Elemental Expressionist - MTG Card versions
Torrent Sculptor // Flamethrower Sonata - MTG Card versions
Galazeth Prismari - MTG Card versions
Torch Drake - MTG Card versions
Steamcore Weird - MTG Card versions
Shrewd Hatchling - MTG Card versions
Fluxcharger - MTG Card versions
Dack's Duplicate - MTG Card versions
Scaldkin - MTG Card versions
Reclusive Artificer - MTG Card versions
Mizzix of the Izmagnus - MTG Card versions
Stormchaser Chimera - MTG Card versions
Marauding Looter - MTG Card versions
Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain - MTG Card versions
Crackling Drake - MTG Card versions
Ral's Staticaster - MTG Card versions
Tibor and Lumia - MTG Card versions
Mercurial Geists - MTG Card versions
The Fifteenth Doctor - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Loch Dragon enters the battlefield or attacks, you get to draw a card if you’ve discarded a card this turn, bolstering your hand and paving the path to victory with a larger selection of strategic options.

Resource Acceleration: This creature contributes to your battlefield presence, applying pressure and demanding answers from opponents. By ensuring you consistently make land drops or cast spells ahead of schedule, it indirectly accelerates resource availability through continuous action.

Instant Speed: While Loch Dragon itself isn’t cast at instant speed, it synergizes well with instant speed spells and abilities that allow you to discard as part of their cost or effect, ensuring you reap the card draw benefit and maintain momentum every turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Players must prepare to discard a card whenever Loch Dragon deals combat damage to use its triggered ability, often depleting hand resources especially if the player is already struggling to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Loch Dragon’s casting cost demands both blue and red mana, making it less flexible for inclusion in decks that can’t reliably produce both colors, potentially hindering its playability outside of strictly Izzet (blue-red) decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, including the need for specific colors, Loch Dragon sits at a higher curve. For the investment, its stats and effects may seem lackluster compared to other creatures or spells within the same cost bracket that offer immediate impact or more substantial board presence.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Loch Dragon offers a flexible role in your decks, particularly for those requiring both card filtering and a mid-game presence. Its ability to draw and discard helps maintain hand quality across multiple game stages.

Combo Potential: The flying creature pairs well with strategies that capitalize on instants and sorceries. Each time you cast a noncreature spell, you cycle through your deck, setting up advantageous plays or synergies.

Meta-Relevance: Given the right circumstances, Loch Dragon might find a home in formats where long games dominate and incremental advantages lead to victory. Its recurrent card selection can be a key factor against control matchups.


How to Beat

Loch Dragon is an intriguing creature card that players can encounter in Magic: The Gathering matches. Often seen in decks that focus on drawing and discarding cards, Loch Dragon presents a recurring challenge due to its ability to put pressure on opponents while offering card selection for the player using it.

To effectively counter this card, consider utilizing instant-speed removal spells which can dispatch Loch Dragon before its controller benefits from the draw and discard ability. Cards that can exile creatures at instant speed, such as Path to Exile or Unmake, are particularly effective. Additionally, employing counter spells when Loch Dragon is cast prevents it from ever hitting the battlefield.

Another strategy is to go over the top with creatures that have flying and greater power. This approach turns the aerial battlefield to your advantage and forces the opponent to deal with your threats instead. Lastly, since Loch Dragon flourishes in a drawn-out game, you could also adjust your play style to be more aggressive, reducing the game’s length and minimizing the impact of the dragon’s ability on the match.

Examining Loch Dragon within the context of Magic: The Gathering, we see that while it has strengths, there are multiple ways for astute players to mitigate its effects and maintain the upper hand in their duels.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Loch Dragon MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine, 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 Loch Dragon and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Loch Dragon has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal