Lord Xander, the Collector MTG Card

Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Vampire Demon Noble
Abilities Mill
Power 6
Toughness 6

Key Takeaways

  1. Card advantage and resource acceleration make Lord Xander a strong strategic asset in any matchup.
  2. Instant-speed spell casting from opponents’ libraries with Xander can disrupt and surprise during play.
  3. High mana cost and specific requirements are limitations to consider when integrating Xander into decks.

Text of card

When Lord Xander, the Collector enters the battlefield, target opponent discards half the cards in their hand, rounded down. Whenever Lord Xander attacks, defending player mills half their library, rounded down. When Lord Xander dies, target opponent sacrifices half the nonland permanents they control, rounded down.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Lord Xander, the Collector provides a significant edge by allowing you to exile the top three cards of each opponent’s library. This means not only are you depleting your opponents’ potential resources, but you’re also gaining access to those spells, setting you up for a decisive lead in the game.

Resource Acceleration: With every spell cast from an opponent’s library, you get to create a Treasure token, essentially ramping up your mana resources. This mana can then be used to fuel further spells or summon heavy-hitting creatures ahead of your opponents, thus accelerating your pace in the matchup.

Instant Speed: Lord Xander’s ability to cast spells at instant speed from your opponents’ libraries introduces an element of surprise and adaptability to your game plan. It allows you to disrupt your opponents during their turns and adjust your strategy on the fly to the ever-changing landscape of the battlefield.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Lord Xander, the Collector necessitates discarding two cards upon casting, presenting a potential setback for players already struggling with hand size.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting requirement that demands one black, one blue, and one red mana, this card’s specific mana needs can restrict deck compatibility, especially for players running fewer colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding a total of eight mana, this card’s high cost can impede a player’s gameplay, particularly in environments where speed and efficiency are crucial.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lord Xander, the Collector brings a wide suite of abilities to the table, making him a powerhouse in various deck archetypes. His capacity to impact the board on summon and his graveyard interaction make him a flexible choice in formats where big creatures and graveyard shenanigans prevail.

Combo Potential: This card’s discard and sacrifice abilities create opportunities for numerous combos. It meshes well with strategies focusing on reanimation or utilizing the graveyard as a resource, offering potential for explosive plays that can turn the tide of a game.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that appreciates multifaceted threats, Lord Xander, the Collector can disrupt opponent’s plans while advancing your own board state. His ability to remove key pieces from hands and graveyards make him a relevant card against a wide array of popular strategies.

How to beat

Confronting Lord Xander, the Collector on the battlefield is daunting for any Magic: The Gathering player. This towering vampiric noble demands an intelligent strategy to overcome his card-stealing antics. One pivotal tactic lies in graveyard manipulation to limit the resources available for Xander’s triggered ability. Utilizing cards that exile your graveyard, such as Relic of Progenitus or Scavenging Ooze, can ensure that when Xander lands, he finds barren ground.

Another approach is to run instant-speed removal to dispatch Lord Xander before his effect can trigger. Since his ability occurs at the end step, holding up mana for spells like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile will let you remove him swiftly and efficiently. In essence, timing is everything; forethought and preparedness can disrupt the Collector’s advantage. Likewise, countermagic is a solid defense, preventing the formidable vampire from ever touching the board. With the right tools and timing, Lord Xander can be transformed from a treacherous opponent to a manageable one.

As a last note, it’s critical to prioritize the conservation of key cards in hand, especially when Xander’s entrance is imminent. Conservative play and judicious use of resources prove to be effective deterrents against the confiscatory power of this formidable adversary.

Cards like Lord Xander, the Collector

Lord Xander, the Collector is an intriguing legendary creature card, drawing comparisons to other MTG bomb cards that thrive on disrupting the opponent’s hand. Much like Nicol Bolas, the Ravager, which can transform into a planeswalker, Lord Xander offers multi-faceted disruption by exiling cards from an opponent’s hand and graveyards upon entering the battlefield. Although Nicol Bolas can directly impact the board by becoming a planeswalker, Lord Xander’s immediate exile effect can be a more devastating sudden swing, especially in multiplayer formats.

Another peer in the high-impact card niche is Tergrid, God of Fright. Tergrid transforms opponent’s losses into your gain by allowing you to control any card they discard or sacrifice. While Lord Xander emphasizes mass exile to eliminate threats and resources in one fell swoop, Tergrid offers a slower but potentially more crippling strategy by accruing resources over time. Both are formidable in their own right and can shift the course of a game, yet their strategies diverge in execution and synergy with specific deck types.

Ultimately, evaluating Lord Xander against the backdrop of similar MTG cards reveals a unique balance between aggressive board presence and strategic hand disruption. His inclusion in a deck promises a defining move that can clear the way for victory, showcasing why he is a notable choice among his peers.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lord Xander, the Collector MTG card by a specific set like Streets of New Capenna Promos and Streets of New Capenna Promos, 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 Lord Xander, the Collector and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Lord Xander, the Collector Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2022-04-29 and 2022-04-29. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-04-29Streets of New Capenna PromosPSNC 197s2015NormalBlackMartina Fačková
22022-04-29Streets of New Capenna PromosPSNC 197p2015NormalBlackMartina Fačková
32022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 1972015NormalBlackMartina Fačková
42022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 3802015NormalBlackTran Nguyen
52022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 3152015NormalBlackTran Nguyen

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lord Xander, the Collector has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal