Pridemalkin MTG Card


Pridemalkin can enhance board presence without additional cards, boosting creature value efficiently. It offers board development acceleration, leading to a more potent attack strategy early in the game. Counteracting Pridemalkin requires strategic counter management and timely removal spells.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Cat
Power 2
Toughness 1

Text of card

When Pridemalkin enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. Each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it has trample. (They can deal excess combat damage to the player or planeswalker they're attacking.)


Cards like Pridemalkin

Pridemalkin commands attention as it leaps into the realm of creature bolstering cards in Magic: The Gathering. It shares common ground with cards like Wildwood Patrol, which also provides a decent body for combat with its 3/3 stats. But Pridemalkin boasts an added edge with its ability to bestow a +1/+1 counter not just on itself but also on another creature when it enters the battlefield, enhancing your forces significantly more.

Stepping into similar territory is the Alpine Houndmaster. While it doesn’t provide a direct buff like Pridemalkin, it excels in card advantage by fetching two specific cards from the deck when it hits the play area. Then there’s the imposing Anointed Chorister, a small creature that can grow to considerable proportions during the late game. Although it starts off smaller, it becomes a powerful entity much like Pridemalkin can help other creatures become.

Analyzing these cards alongside Pridemalkin, it’s clear that while each has its distinct role, Pridemalkin stands out due to its immediate impact on the battlefield’s power dynamic, especially in decks built around +1/+1 counters. Its inclusion in such strategies often pivots the game in a player’s favor, showcasing its unique value among creature-enhancing cards in MTG.

Wildwood Patrol - MTG Card versions
Alpine Houndmaster - MTG Card versions
Anointed Chorister - MTG Card versions
Wildwood Patrol - MTG Card versions
Alpine Houndmaster - MTG Card versions
Anointed Chorister - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Pridemalkin by color, type and mana cost

Cat Warriors - MTG Card versions
Lurker - MTG Card versions
Rysorian Badger - MTG Card versions
Sabertooth Cobra - MTG Card versions
Quirion Druid - MTG Card versions
Uktabi Orangutan - MTG Card versions
Spike Feeder - MTG Card versions
Hungry Hungry Heifer - MTG Card versions
Titania's Chosen - MTG Card versions
Taoist Mystic - MTG Card versions
Femeref Archers - MTG Card versions
Verduran Enchantress - MTG Card versions
Fyndhorn Elder - MTG Card versions
Lydari Druid - MTG Card versions
Steel Leaf Champion - MTG Card versions
Realmwalker - MTG Card versions
Topiary Stomper - MTG Card versions
Territorial Scythecat - MTG Card versions
Wirewood Savage - MTG Card versions
Shizuko, Caller of Autumn - MTG Card versions
Cat Warriors - MTG Card versions
Lurker - MTG Card versions
Rysorian Badger - MTG Card versions
Sabertooth Cobra - MTG Card versions
Quirion Druid - MTG Card versions
Uktabi Orangutan - MTG Card versions
Spike Feeder - MTG Card versions
Hungry Hungry Heifer - MTG Card versions
Titania's Chosen - MTG Card versions
Taoist Mystic - MTG Card versions
Femeref Archers - MTG Card versions
Verduran Enchantress - MTG Card versions
Fyndhorn Elder - MTG Card versions
Lydari Druid - MTG Card versions
Steel Leaf Champion - MTG Card versions
Realmwalker - MTG Card versions
Topiary Stomper - MTG Card versions
Territorial Scythecat - MTG Card versions
Wirewood Savage - MTG Card versions
Shizuko, Caller of Autumn - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pridemalkin may not directly allow you to draw cards, but it significantly bolsters your card efficiency. By giving one of your creatures a +1/+1 counter, you’re effectively enhancing your board presence without the need for an additional card. This, paired with its ability to provide all your creatures with trample if they have a +1/+1 counter, ensures that the value of each of your creatures has the potential to improve without investing in more resources.

Resource Acceleration: Although Pridemalkin itself doesn’t produce mana or additional resources, its capacity to speed up your board development is undeniable. The addition of a +1/+1 counter is a form of acceleration that can result in an earlier and more impactful offense, allowing you to make the most of your current resources while pressuring your opponent.

Instant Speed: Pridemalkin doesn’t operate at instant speed; however, this creature offers the strategic advantage of naturally elevating your creature’s threat levels during the combat phase. The ability to confer trample can turn an otherwise unremarkable board state into a formidable threat, forcing your opponent to think twice before leaving mana unused during your turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Pridemalkin bestows a power bonus and trample to a creature with a +1/+1 counter, it does not inherently provide a way to discard cards. This can be a hindrance in strategies that benefit from discarding, as it requires other cards to enable this synergy.

Specific Mana Cost: Pridemalkin has a casting cost that includes green mana, which can restrict its inclusion to green or multicolor decks. This specificity may prevent the card from being a versatile pick for any deck.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of 2G for a 3/3 creature, Pridemalkin might be viewed as having a high cost for its effects. Other creatures in the same mana range could potentially offer more impactful abilities or a higher power and toughness ratio.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pridemalkin is an adaptable addition to any MTG player’s collection. This creature from the set Core Set 2021 can serve multiple roles within various deck archetypes, especially those that capitalize on counters, such as Green-White +1/+1 counters or Selesnya Tokens decks.

Combo Potential: This feline’s ability to give other creatures you control with a +1/+1 counter on them trample can be a game-changer. When combined with proliferate mechanics or other counter-distributing cards, it raises the potential for creating overwhelming board states that can trounce through defensive lines.

Meta-Relevance: As aggro and counter-centric builds periodically thrive in the meta, Pridemalkin, which bolsters and empowers these strategies, maintains relevance. Its inclusion can be the edge needed to tip the scales in matchups where every point of unblocked damage counts towards a quick victory.


How to beat

Pridemalkin is an intriguing creature card that can bolster your army’s capabilities on the battlefield. With its ability to give other creatures you control with a +1/+1 counter on them trample, it can quickly turn the tide by enabling significant damage. To counteract the Pridemalkin, it’s important to manage the +1/+1 counters your opponent can accumulate. Removing creatures before counters are placed or using spells that negate the trample ability can be effective. Dealing with the creature itself before these abilities become too impactful using instant removal spells can also hinder your opponent’s strategy.

Additionally, board wipes or cards with -X/-X effects can eliminate the presence of Pridemalkin and other threats in one fell swoop, resetting the game to your advantage. Be aware of the timing and the potential of your opponent to respond with hexproof or indestructible effects to protect their key creatures. Successful management of these strategies will neutralize the advantages gained by Pridemalkin and could pave a clear path to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Unpacking the strategic layers of Pridemalkin can greatly enhance your MTG gameplay. Its ability to empower your creatures while potentially tipping the scales during combat makes this feline a tactical asset in creature-focused decks. Understanding its pros and cons, utility in various builds, and how to respond to it or similar cards on the battlefield can deepen your appreciation and mastery of the game. Whether you’re refining your collection or looking to gain the upper hand in your next match, recognizing Pridemalkin’s role can result in commanding board states that lead to triumphant victories. Dive deeper with us and discover how to optimize this card in your arsenal.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pridemalkin MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2021 and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Pridemalkin and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Pridemalkin Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-07-03 and 2023-04-21. Illustrated by Karl Kopinski.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12020-07-03Core Set 2021M21 1962015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski
22022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 7112015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski
32023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 3082015NormalBlackKarl Kopinski

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pridemalkin has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-06-23 Pridemalkin can be the target of its own first ability.
2020-06-23 Pridemalkin's second ability applies to Pridemalkin as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.