Vampire Warlord MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Vampire Warrior
Released	2013-07-19
Set symbol
Set name	Magic 2014
Set code	M14
Power	4
Toughness	2
Number	120
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Wesley Burt

Key Takeaways

Its sacrifice mechanic allows card advantage and token synergy, enhancing tactical gameplay for board control.
Resource acceleration can be achieved through its vampire-centric abilities, offering strategic advantages.
Instant speed activation introduces flexibility and surprise elements, vital for altering game outcomes.

Text of card

Sacrifice another creature: Regenerate Vampire Warlord. (The next time this creature would be destroyed this turn, it isn't. Instead tap it, remove all damage from it, and remove it from combat.)

"How can you serve me? By dying."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Vampire Warlord offers a robust mechanic to sacrifice other creatures, which can be particularly effective when paired with cards that generate tokens or have dying triggers. This synergy allows you to maintain pressure on your opponent while ensuring you do not fall behind in card economy.

Resource Acceleration: As a vampire with resourcefulness, this card could potentially pave the way for acceleration strategies. If it generates additional resources upon sacrificing creatures or through other vampire-centric mechanics, it can significantly advance your board state and mana availability.

Instant Speed: Should Vampire Warlord possess abilities that can be activated at instant speed, it allows for strategic depth and surprise factor. Reacting swiftly to an opponent’s play or maximizing your own turn sequence by waiting for the perfect moment can shift the game in your favor, demonstrating the card’s tactical flexibility.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Forsaking a card from your hand can be a steep price to pay, particularly if the Vampire Warlord’s abilities hinge upon continuous card sacrifice. This can rapidly deplete your hand, leaving you at a disadvantage against opponents with fuller grips.

Specific Mana Cost: Deck builders are sometimes constrained by the Vampire Warlord’s demand for a particular mana combination. The necessity for black mana restricts its inclusion to specific deck archetypes, limiting its versatility across the diverse MTG metagame.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The investment to summon a Vampire Warlord is sizeable. With a mana cost often leaning towards the higher end of the scale, it competes with other formidable creatures and game-changing spells which may yield a more immediate or potent impact on the battlefield.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Vampire Warlord is a dynamic addition to any deck aiming to leverage the power of creature-based strategies. Its ability to fit into various archetypes, from aggro to mid-range, enhances its value for an assortment of MTG collections.

Combo Potential: With its sacrifice mechanic, Vampire Warlord can trigger a wealth of synergistic interactions. Whether it’s fueling graveyard strategies or enabling morbid abilities, its potential to kickstart combos is significant.

Meta-Relevance: In matchups where board control is critical, Vampire Warlord excels. Its capacity to remove blockers or press offensive actions makes it a relevant choice, especially in environments where creature-centric decks are prominent.

How to beat

Encountering a Vampire Warlord on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering can be a daunting experience. This resilient creature often comes with life-draining abilities and the potential to overrun opponents with an army of vampire minions. However, tackling this formidable card is not insurmountable. As with any strategy in MTG, it’s about playing your cards right.

One effective method to dismantle the influence of a Vampire Warlord is through targeted removal spells. Spells such as Murder or Doom Blade can dispatch a Vampire Warlord before its presence becomes overwhelming. In addition, enchantments like Pacifism can neutralize it by preventing it from attacking or blocking. Counterspells are particularly potent during the casting phase, ensuring that the Vampire Warlord never sees play.

Another approach is employing creatures with deathtouch or using spells that impose -X/-X penalties, which can remove even the sturdiest vampires from play. Containment strategies that limit the abilities of all creatures on the battlefield, such as Silence, can also curtail a Warlord’s reign. By understanding the threat posed by the Vampire Warlord and preparing your deck to contain it, you can transform a potential liability into a winning advantage against your adversary.

Cards like Vampire Warlord

The Vampire Warlord card brings its unique flair to the plethora of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. Its abilities line up interestingly against other vampire-themed cards. For instance, compared to Bloodlord of Vaasgoth, which also bolsters other vampires, Vampire Warlord offers an additional benefit of sacrificing another creature to regenerate itself, a survival tactic not seen in the former.

Another comparable card is Malakir Bloodwitch. While Bloodwitch provides life gain based on the number of opponents, Vampire Warlord’s strength lies in board control through its self-preservation ability. This gives it an edge in one-on-one encounters. Then there’s Patron of the Vein, another vampire creature with an ability to control the board by removing enemy creatures upon entering the battlefield. Though powerful, it lacks the Vampire Warlord’s regeneration trick.

In summary, Vampire Warlord stands out in Magic: The Gathering’s vampire cards with its mix of aggression and defense. Players who value endurance alongside offensive pressure may find Vampire Warlord a compelling choice for their decks, rounding out strategies that thrive on creature longevity and tactical sacrifices.

Bloodlord of Vaasgoth - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Vampire Warlord MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014, 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 Vampire Warlord and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Vampire Warlord has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-07-01	Activating Vampire Warlord’s ability causes a “regeneration shield” to be created for it. The next time that creature would be destroyed that turn, the regeneration shield is used up instead. This works only if the creature is dealt lethal damage, dealt damage from a source with deathtouch, or affected by a spell or ability that says to “destroy” it. Other effects that cause the creature to be put into the graveyard (such as reducing its toughness to 0 or sacrificing it) don’t destroy it, so regeneration won’t save it. If the regeneration shield isn’t used, it goes away as the turn ends.
2013-07-01	If Vampire Warlord is dealt lethal damage and is dealt damage by a source with deathtouch during the same combat damage step, a single regeneration shield will save it.
2013-07-01	To work, the regeneration shield must be created before Vampire Warlord is destroyed. This usually means activating its ability during the declare blockers step, or in response to a spell or ability that would destroy it.