Lone Rider // It That Rides as One MTG Card

Lone Rider transforms without extra cards, offering two creatures for a single card’s cost. Its transformation can occur instantly, allowing strategic advantage during gameplay. Transforming it requires life gain, which can limit tactical versatility.

Lone Rider // It That Rides as One - Eldritch Moon (EMN)

Eldritch Moon (EMN)
2016-07-22 - Number 33

Lone Rider // It That Rides as One - Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)

Shadows over Innistrad Remastered (SIR)
2023-03-21 - Number 36

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Knight
Abilities	First strike,Lifelink,Transform
Power	1
Toughness	1

Text of card

First strike, lifelink At the beginning of the end step, if you gained 3 or more life this turn, transform Lone Rider.

"Horse and rider are often of one mind." —Ulda, Gavony Rider

Cards like Lone Rider // It That Rides as One

Lone Rider, which flips into It That Rides as One, is a unique creature in the MTG universe due to its transforming ability. In comparing transformation mechanics, we can look at Delver of Secrets, another card with a flip mechanism. Like Lone Rider, Delver of Secrets becomes significantly more potent upon transformation, turning from a mere 1/1 creature into a flying 3/2 Insectile Aberration after revealing an instant or sorcery card from the top of your deck. However, the Lone Rider requires gaining 3 life in a single turn, which arguably is a more challenging condition to fulfill.

Analogous to the Lone Rider is the Accursed Witch, which also transforms, but upon dying, it turns into an enchantment that makes spells your opponent casts cost 1 less. It offers a different type of utility and strategic value compared to Lone Rider’s life-link ability and power/toughness boost upon transformation, highlighting the diversity in gameplay approaches within MTG. Additionally, both cards emanate from the Innistrad set, which emphasizes the gothic horror theme intertwined with transforming creatures.

When we evaluate Lone Rider alongside its counterparts, it stands out for inviting a defensive strategy centered around life gain, a stark contrast to other transformable cards aimed at offensive tactics. This distinctiveness establishes the Lone Rider // It That Rides as One as a compelling choice for players seeking versatility and resilience in their deck compositions.

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Lone Rider // It That Rides as One offers unique card advantage by being a transformative card. Upon fulfilling its condition, it flips into a more powerful entity without requiring an additional card, effectively netting you two potent creatures in one.

Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly accelerate resources, transforming Lone Rider into It That Rides as One can be a form of indirect resource acceleration. It morphs into a larger creature with more abilities without demanding extra mana investment, letting you use your mana elsewhere.

Instant Speed: The transformation of Lone Rider hinges on an instant-speed interaction. By gaining life on the opponent’s turn, possibly through instant-speed life gain spells, you can surprise your adversary with a sudden creature upgrade, preparing for offense or defense as needed on your turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Lone Rider // It That Rides as One offers a powerful transformation mechanic, flipping it requires gaining at least 3 life in one turn. This prerequisite can force players to use additional cards or effects to achieve the necessary life gain, potentially depleting their hand prematurely.

Specific Mana Cost: The initial casting cost includes just a single white mana, which can be a constricting factor for multicolored decks. Players focusing on a diverse mana base might find it challenging to consistently have the white mana available when needed to summon Lone Rider early in the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Once transformed into It That Rides as One, it becomes a more potent creature. However, in some situations, the investment of cards and setup to achieve the transformation might not compare favorably to other creatures that can be played directly without the added complexity and with possibly immediate impact.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lone Rider // It That Rides as One can seamlessly adapt to various deck builds. Its initial low cost allows for an easy placement in life-gain themed decks or strategies that pivot on transformation mechanics.

Combo Potential: Paired with cards that offer life gain, Lone Rider can transform into a powerful creature quickly. This gives players an edge by applying more pressure early in the game with a formidable transformed version, It That Rides as One.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame where small creatures dominate or life gain is prevalent, Lone Rider becomes an influential card due to its ability to become a significant threat. Its evasion and lifelink attributes post-transformation can swing games in your favor, aligning perfectly with such a dynamic environment.

How to beat

Facing off against Lone Rider and its transformed counterpart, It That Rides as One, can be a challenge in MTG. This duo presents a resilient threat, beginning as a modest creature that can rapidly evolve into a powerful entity with both First Strike and Lifelink. Tackling this card requires strategic play and the ability to disrupt its transformation.

Players can check Lone Rider’s power growth by employing cheap removal spells before it transforms. Cards like Shock or Fatal Push, which are efficient at dealing with creatures with lower toughness, become key in your arsenal. Additionally, since its transformation relies on gaining 3 life in one turn, interfering with life gain tactics can prevent the metamorphosis entirely. Counterspells or instant-speed removal in response to life gain spells can be decisive.

Efficient timing and the right mix of control and aggression are crucial for suppressing It That Rides as One. Remember, once transformed, handling this card gets significantly tougher, making pre-emptive plays and disruption the pillars of your strategy when this shadowy rider enters the fray.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lone Rider // It That Rides as One MTG card by a specific set like Eldritch Moon and Shadows over Innistrad Remastered, 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 Lone Rider // It That Rides as One and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Lone Rider // It That Rides as One Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-07-22 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by Daarken.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2016-07-22	Eldritch Moon	EMN		33	2015	Transform	Black	Daarken
2	2023-03-21	Shadows over Innistrad Remastered	SIR		36	2015	Transform	Black	Daarken

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lone Rider // It That Rides as One has restrictions

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

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Lone Rider // It That Rides as One card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2016-07-13	For more information on double-faced cards, see the Shadows over Innistrad mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/shadows-over-innistrad-mechanics).
2016-07-13	In a Two-Headed Giant game, events that cause a player to gain life affect each player separately, even though the result affects the team’s life total. For example, if your teammate’s creatures with lifelink dealt 5 damage, your teammate gained life, not you, and Lone Rider’s last ability won’t trigger.
2016-07-13	Lone Rider’s ability checks how much life you’ve gained during the turn, not what your life total is compared to what it was when the turn began. For example, if you gained 4 life and then lost 7 life this turn, it still triggers.
2016-07-13	Lone Rider’s last ability triggers even if it wasn’t on the battlefield when you gained the life this turn.
2016-07-13	You must have gained life before your end step begins. Lone Rider’s last ability won’t trigger if you haven’t, even if an ability triggering at the same time will cause you to gain life.