Slumbering Dragon MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Dragon
Abilities	Flying
Released	2012-07-13
Set symbol
Set name	Magic 2013
Set code	M13
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	148
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Chris Rahn

Key Takeaways

Encourages strategy adaptation, acting as a deterrent to direct attacks with its +1/+1 counter gain feature.
Integrates well with counter-centric decks, offering strong synergy and the potential for quick escalation.
Marks its territory in various metas by challenging creature-heavy decks and demanding thoughtful counterplay.

Text of card

Flying Slumbering Dragon can't attack or block unless it has five or more +1/+1 counters on it. Whenever a creature attacks you or a planeswalker you control, put a +1/+1 counter on Slumbering Dragon.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Slumbering Dragon offers a unique type of board presence, dissuading opponents from attacking early on. With each assault from the opposing forces, it gathers strength in the form of +1/+1 counters, potentially leading to an overwhelming advantage without expending additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: Although not a direct source of mana or acceleration, the Slumbering Dragon starts with a low cost of just one red mana. This aspect allows players to allocate resources elsewhere while still deploying a significant threat on the board early in the game.

Instant Speed: While the Slumbering Dragon itself may not operate at instant speed, its very presence can influence opponents’ actions during their turns. They may delay spells or attacks to avoid triggering its growth, indirectly giving the player a tactical edge reminiscent of having a trick up their sleeve with mana at the ready.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Involving Slumbering Dragon in your strategy often means you have to sacrifice valuable resources to leverage its abilities, a risky move if running low on options.

Specific Mana Cost: The dragon demands a precise mana mix to be summoned – one red mana specifically. This requirement can pigeonhole it into certain deck builds, limiting its versatility across the MTG multiverse.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With one red and a capsule of colorless mana needed, Slumbering Dragon’s cost to awaken it from slumber is notable. Within the competitive landscape of MTG, where mana efficiency is key to victory, choosing to include this beast comes with opportunity costs, particularly when other creatures fly into battle with less financial burden or swifter impact.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Slumbering Dragon card plays a dual role of early game deterrent and late game powerhouse. Its ability to scale up and become a formidable flyer makes it a solid choice for a range of decks focused on both aggressive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: In combination with cards that add +1/+1 counters or that provoke creatures to attack, Slumbering Dragon can awaken quickly, transforming into a major threat. This synergy unlocks explosive plays that can turn the tide of the game.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-heavy decks often populate the meta, having a Slumbering Dragon on the battlefield can be a significant roadblock for opponents. Its presence can influence their attack strategies and potentially give you an edge in creature-centric matchups.

How to beat

Slumbering Dragon presents a unique challenge upon entering the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering games. As a creature that can quickly become a powerhouse, holding off on attacking is advisable if you’re against it. Unlike spells that have an immediate impact, the Dragon grows more potent with each attempt to damage it directly through combat. The key strategy to surpass it is to neutralize the card before it awakens or bypass it entirely.

Removal spells that don’t rely on damage, such as exile or pacify effects, work well against Slumbering Dragon. Cards like Swords to Plowshares or Oblivion Ring allows you to handle the Dragon without triggering its ability. Alternatively, focusing on non-combat win conditions or using creature abilities that don’t cause it to gain counters are both viable strategies. Spells like Counterspell can also negate its casting, ensuring the Dragon never sees play.

In essence, players must adapt their tactics, employing control elements or evasive maneuvers rather than frontal assaults. This shifts the dynamic, turning a potentially severe threat into a manageable obstacle. It’s this adaptation and strategic planning that epitomize the mental duel Magic: The Gathering is known for.

Cards like Slumbering Dragon

Slumbering Dragon exudes a unique aura on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering, reminiscent of the potential lying dormant within Sleeping Dragon or Fledgling Dragon. It commands attention just by being in play, much like its counterparts. What distinguishes Slumbering Dragon is its ability to grow without a single mana being spent, gaining a +1/+1 counter every time it is targeted by an opponent’s attack. It stays dormant until it accumulates enough counters to fully awaken and become a formidable threat.

Comparably, Fledgling Dragon requires threshold to boost its power, signifying seven or more cards in your graveyard to increase its flight and flamebreathing prowess. Meanwhile, Dragon Egg shares the theme of potential with Slumbering Dragon, turning the death of a creature into the birth of a new dragon with the firebreathing ability. However, unlike Slumbering Dragon, Dragon Egg needs to die to unleash its power, rendering it passive until its destruction.

Ultimately, Slumbering Dragon stands as a sentinel, growing increasingly menacing with each provoked stir. It serves as a deterrent, all the while promising the inevitability of awakening and unleashing its accumulated fury, a trait selectively shared amongst its draconic peers.

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

Goblin Balloon Brigade - MTG Card versions

Mons's Goblin Raiders - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Slumbering Dragon MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2013, 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 Slumbering Dragon and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Slumbering Dragon has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Slumbering Dragon card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2012-07-01	Slumbering Dragon’s second ability counts all +1/+1 counters on it, not just the ones added by its third ability.
2012-07-01	Slumbering Dragon’s third ability will trigger once for each creature that attacks you or a planeswalker you control.
2012-07-01	The +1/+1 counter is put on Slumbering Dragon before blockers are declared. This may allow Slumbering Dragon to “wake up” and block the creature that attacked and caused its ability to trigger.