Moorish Cavalry MTG Card
1993-12-17 - Number 7†
1993-12-17 - Number 7
2006-10-06 - Number 11
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Knight |
| Abilities | Trample |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
Trample
Members of the elite Moorish Cavalry are very particular about their mounts, choosing only those whose bloodlines have been pure for generations.
Cards like Moorish Cavalry
Moorish Cavalry is an interesting piece within the selection of Mounted combatants in Magic: The Gathering. Taking a look at similarly costed creatures, Benalish Hero also fits into the vein of low-cost, White creatures with a form of evasion. While Moorish Cavalry offers the trample ability, contributing to its ability to deal excess damage to a player, Benalish Hero brings banding to the table, allowing for a different tactical edge by enabling better combat trades.
Comparatively, Knights of Thorn provides a more mana-intensive option, featuring not only a higher power but also first strike and a unique protection due to being dependent on the use of green mana to activate. This offers enhanced survivability in combat, something Moorish Cavalry lacks. Another relative is the venerable White Knight, standing out with not just a lower cost but also protection from black and first strike, ensuring it can often evade common removal spells and win in head-to-head battles where Moorish Cavalry can’t.
When considering the role of Moorish Cavalry in the game, its trample ability coupled with its solid 3/3 body for a four-mana cost positions it neatly within White’s midrange creature offerings. Though not as flexible or robust as some alternatives, it still provides a decent offensive presence on the battlefield.
Cards similar to Moorish Cavalry by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Moorish Cavalry doesn’t directly draw you cards, but its Trample ability can help ensure damage gets through, effectively reducing the number of resources an opponent has to block and control the board in future turns.
Resource Acceleration: While not a card that accelerates your resources in traditional ways, the Moorish Cavalry can be impactful in a game where board presence equates to resource advantage, especially in decks that can repeatedly utilize its Trample ability or strategies focused on augmenting its power.
Instant Speed: While Moorish Cavalry itself does not have instant speed, incorporating it into a deck with instant speed spells and abilities can create a dynamic strategy. The mere presence of this creature can force opponents to play more cautiously, holding back cards in anticipation of potential combat tricks, which potentially could accelerate your board state to victory.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Moorish Cavalry doesn’t have a direct discard requirement, but operating in a strategy that might necessitate discard as a resource can indirectly affect its utility.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that specifically requires white mana, Moorish Cavalry can potentially be a non-optimal choice for multicolored or colorless decks struggling to meet color requirements.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not exorbitantly priced, Moorish Cavalry’s impact on the battlefield may not justify its mana cost, especially when compared to other creatures in the same range that might provide higher utility or power.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Moorish Cavalry may not be the flashiest card, but its Trample ability allows it to serve as a solid inclusion in decks looking to deal damage through blockers. Its 3/3 stats for a four-mana cost make it a decent choice for cavalry-themed or knight decks that prioritize board presence.
Combo Potential: While not inherently a combo enabler, the Moorish Cavalry can work well with cards that buff or utilize knights and other creature types. It complements strategies that benefit from having a durable body that can push damage through to the opponent.
Meta-Relevance: The card’s impact may vary depending on the current meta. In an environment where smaller creatures predominate, Moorish Cavalry’s Trample ability allows it to remain a relevant choice for players looking to break through defensive lines and apply pressure on opponents.
How to beat
Moorish Cavalry has carved out a niche in the realm of defensive vintage cards in MTG. This creature comes with the useful characteristic of banding, allowing a strategic advantage when it comes to blocking. However, there are clever ways to outmaneuver its defensive capacities. The key is to focus on tactics that diminish its banding benefit. This could mean leveraging spells that deal damage to multiple creatures, or using effects that sidestep combat altogether, such as “Pacifism” or “Dead Weight”.
Another effective strategy is to present threats that Moorish Cavalry simply can’t cope with. Utilizing flyers or creatures with trample can circumvent the blocking advantage. Moreover, spells that buff your creatures’ power and toughness can outmatch the Moorish Cavalry’s defensive posture. Having removal spells in your arsenal is another way to ensure that the Cavalry doesn’t stay long on the battlefield, bypassing the need to deal with banding at all. Direct removal spells like “Doom Blade” for example, can easily dispatch Moorish Cavalry, rendering the banding ability irrelevant.
Ultimately, while Moorish Cavalry contributes to a solid defense, it’s far from invincible. A well-prepared deck with the right mix of creature abilities, removal spells, and combat tricks can efficiently overcome the challenges it presents on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Moorish Cavalry MTG card by a specific set like Arabian Nights and Arabian Nights, 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 Moorish Cavalry and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Moorish Cavalry Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1993-12-17 and 2006-10-06. Illustrated by Dameon Willich.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-12-17 | Arabian Nights | ARN | 7† | 1993 | Normal | Black | Dameon Willich | |
| 2 | 1993-12-17 | Arabian Nights | ARN | 7 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Dameon Willich | |
| 3 | 2006-10-06 | Time Spiral Timeshifted | TSB | 11 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Dameon Willich |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Moorish Cavalry has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |