Keldon Vandals MTG Card

Urza's Destiny (UDS)
1999-06-07 - Number 91

Keldon Vandals - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)

Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
2010-11-08 - Number A59

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Rogue
Abilities	Echo
Power	4
Toughness	1

Key Takeaways

Destroys artifacts, skewing the match’s flow and potential card advantage in your favor.
Brings flexibility with its echo ability, allowing for more dynamic turn planning.
Can pose mana and card recycling challenges due to its specific red mana cost and echo cost.

Text of card

Echo When Keldon Vandals comes into play, destroy target artifact.

Keldons divide all their spoils into two groups: trophies and catapult ammunition.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Keldon Vandals empowers your deck by providing disruption against your opponent’s mana base. Eliminating artifacts means you’re indirectly stripping away their potential card advantages, leaning the battlefield in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Playing Keldon Vandals can act as a form of resource acceleration by pushing your opponent back on their development timeline. Taking out key artifacts slows their progress, giving you an indirect speed advantage as you continue to develop your board unaffected.

Instant Speed: While Keldon Vandals does not operate at instant speed, its echo ability offers a strategic layer of play. You can choose to pay the echo cost for a repeat effect or use your mana for other critical turn movements. This flexibility allows for calculated plays that adapt to the ever-changing state of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Keldon Vandals arrives with an echo cost which means during your next upkeep, you have to pay its mana cost again or sacrifice it. This can potentially put you at a card disadvantage, especially if you’re unable to utilize the Vandals effectively before the echo triggers.

Specific Mana Cost: Running with a specific mana requirement, this card necessitates a commitment to red mana. Decks that don’t heavily feature red mana or multicolored decks might find it challenging to consistently meet the casting cost of Keldon Vandals.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Priced at three mana, including a double red, Keldon Vandals’ cost is somewhat high compared to other creatures with similar destructive abilities. Players might opt for lower-cost alternatives that are less taxing on their mana resources yet still offer compelling effects.

Reasons to Include Keldon Vandals in Your Collection

Versatility: Keldon Vandals is a flexible inclusion in decks that are geared towards aggressive strategies. Its ability to destroy artifacts upon entry can also come in handy against opponents relying heavily on artifact synergy.

Combo Potential: Beyond its artifact removal, Keldon Vandals can be combined with recursion strategies. Use spells or abilities to bring it back from the graveyard to the battlefield for repeated artifact disruption.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where artifact-based decks are prevalent, including Keldon Vandals can tilt matchups in your favor. This card keeps decks that capitalize on artifacts in check, potentially disrupting critical plays from your opponent.

How to beat

Keldon Vandals is a force to be reckoned with in the realm of Magic: The Gathering. When this creature storms onto the battlefield, its echo and artifact destruction abilities can catch opponents off guard. Still, mastering its counterplay can be the key to neutralizing its impact.

To successfully challenge Keldon Vandals, a strategic application of instant-speed removal spells proves to be a significant tactic. By dispatching the Vandals before its echo cost comes due, you sidestep the need to sacrifice your own artifacts. Moreover, considering graveyard management tools like Relic of Progenitus can hinder its reanimation strategies, diminishing the threat of recurring destruction.

It’s also wise to gauge the artifact count in your deck. By minimizing non-essential artifacts, Keldon Vandals loses some of its disruptive potential. Plus, with enchantment-based artifact removal or shroud-giving spells, you can protect your key pieces from being targeted by its ability. Overall, when you anticipate and prepare for what Keldon Vandals can bring to the table, its presence becomes more of a nuisance than a game-ender.

Cards like Keldon Vandals

Exploring the world of creature destruction in Magic: The Gathering reveals Keldon Vandals as a notable example. With an immediate impact on the board via its ability to destroy artifacts upon entering the battlefield, Keldon Vandals has proven its worth in a variety of decks. This versatility lands it in the same arena as cards like Manic Vandal, which shares the same triggered ability. However, Keldon Vandals boasts the echo ability, setting it apart from Manic Vandal’s more straightforward approach.

When delving deeper, we find Viashino Heretic, another creature capable of dealing with artifacts. Unlike the one-time effect of Keldon Vandals, Viashino Heretic offers a repeatable ability, allowing for more strategic artifact removal over time. This becomes crucial during prolonged games where consistent control of the board is key. There’s also Ingot Chewer, which offers an evocative choice due to its evoke mechanic, providing flexibility in how and when you remove artifacts from the game.

As we dissect the attributes of these creatures, it becomes evident that each carries distinct advantages, positioning Keldon Vandals solidly among its peers in the strategic dismantling of artifact strategies within Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Keldon Vandals by color, type and mana cost

Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions

Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions

Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions

Stinkdrinker Daredevil - MTG Card versions

Mudbutton Torchrunner - MTG Card versions

Dwarven Warriors - Foreign Black Border (FBB)

Imperial Recruiter - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)

Uthden Troll - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)

Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)

Goblin Rabblemaster - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Ghost-Lit Raider - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)

Balduvian Barbarians - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Orcish Artillery - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)

Mudbutton Torchrunner - Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins (DD1)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Keldon Vandals MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Destiny and Magic Online Theme Decks, 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 Keldon Vandals and other MTG cards: