Leashling MTG Card


Leashling - Ravnica: City of Guilds
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeArtifact Creature — Dog
Released2005-10-07
Set symbol
Set nameRavnica: City of Guilds
Set codeRAV
Power 3
Toughness 3
Number265
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byCarl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

  1. Leashling offers card protection and strategic creature reuse with unique instant-speed abilities.
  2. Its discard requirement and color-restricted mana cost can hinder its deck versatility.
  3. Combining flexibility, combo potential, and meta-relevance makes Leashling a valuable card.

Text of card

Put a card in your hand on top of your library: Return Leashling to its owner's hand.

Constructed of leather and irony.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Leashling has the unique ability to return a creature you own to your hand at instant speed, offering protection against removal and a consistent way to reuse creatures with valuable enter-the-battlefield effects.

Resource Acceleration: Leashling’s ability to bounce creatures to your hand can indirectly lead to resource acceleration, as it allows players to exploit creatures with cost reduction abilities or even reset mana creatures for additional use.

Instant Speed: The power of Leashling shines at instant speed, providing flexibility during the game. This allows players to wait until the last possible moment to make impactful decisions, making it harder for opponents to predict your moves and strategically plan against them.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Leashling MTG card demands you to discard another card in order to exercise its ability. This requirement can be restrictive, especially in tense situations where your hand is your most valuable asset.

Specific Mana Cost: Leashling comes with a mana cost that might not blend smoothly with all kinds of decks. Its color identity requires a commitment to those particular mana sources, which could hamper the card’s inclusion in more versatile or multi-colored deck strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Leashling’s effectiveness is evaluated against its mana value, which is deemed high by some players. When you’re aiming to manage your resources wisely, there are alternatives that could perform similar tasks with less investment, thereby impacting your game tempo minimally.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Leashling offers the unique ability to return a creature you control to your hand, protecting valuable creatures from removal or enabling the reuse of enter-the-battlefield effects. It’s an asset in decks that value flexibility and protective maneuvers.

Combo Potential: With Leashling, savvy players can set up powerful combinations. It allows repeated triggering of other creatures’ abilities by bouncing them back to the hand then recasting them, amplifying your deck’s synergy and effectiveness.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta filled with targeted removal or board wipes, Leashling becomes exceptionally valuable. It enables players to save key creatures from sweeping destruction, maintaining board presence and resilience against the most common threats.


How to beat

Leashling presents a quirky challenge in MTG gameplay, often turning the tables with its ability to bounce creatures to their owner’s hand. To effectively counter this card, a strategic approach is crucial. Focus on removal spells that bypass the ability to return to hand, such as exile or direct destruction effects. Cards like Path to Exile and Doom Blade serve as excellent choices to permanently deal with Leashling before it can leverage its ability.

Additionally, graveyard manipulation can be a smart way to mitigate Leashling’s impact. By using cards that exile cards from graveyards or shut down graveyard strategies, such as Rest in Peace or Relic of Progenitus, the potential recurring threat of Leashling is nullified. Remember, timing your spells when Leashling’s ability is on the stack can also swing the momentum in your favor, ensuring it doesn’t elude your control tactics.

Ultimately, to outpace the versatility of Leashling, maintaining board control with efficient removal and anticipating graveyard interactions can be the key to overcoming the clever canine’s tricks in your Magic: The Gathering matches.


Cards like Leashling

Leashling emerges as an intriguing pet choice for Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts who favor creature control. Likened to creatures like Endling or Changeling Titan, Leashling offers versatility in manipulating the battlefield. While Endling provides a range of abilities from deathtouch to undying, Leashling’s strength lies in its return-to-hand ability, allowing for repeated plays of creatures and dodges targeted removal spells.

Another card with a similar leash concept is Torchling. It modifies creature abilities, making it a formidable threat in red. However, Leashling’s emphasis is on defensive strategies, safeguarding valuable creatures from single-target spells or board wipes. Furthermore, Mistmeadow Witch also sports a similar mechanic, flickering creatures out of harm’s way, yet it differs by exiling creatures temporarily rather than returning them to hand like Leashling.

To wrap up, Leashling holds a unique spot in creature preservation tactics. Its ability to interact with not just the battlefield but also the player’s hand offers a nuanced approach to gameplay, ensuring it stands out among cards with creature manipulation abilities in Magic: The Gathering.

Endling - MTG Card versions
Changeling Titan - MTG Card versions
Torchling - MTG Card versions
Mistmeadow Witch - MTG Card versions
Endling - Modern Horizons (MH1)
Changeling Titan - Lorwyn (LRW)
Torchling - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Mistmeadow Witch - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Cards similar to Leashling by color, type and mana cost

Clockwork Beast - MTG Card versions
Triskelion - MTG Card versions
Armageddon Clock - MTG Card versions
Mirror Universe - MTG Card versions
Sword of the Ages - MTG Card versions
Planar Gate - MTG Card versions
Urza's Avenger - MTG Card versions
Bronze Tablet - MTG Card versions
Celestial Sword - MTG Card versions
Voodoo Doll - MTG Card versions
Tetravus - MTG Card versions
Joven's Tools - MTG Card versions
Serpent Generator - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Sculpture - MTG Card versions
Workhorse - MTG Card versions
Well of Discovery - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Hulk - MTG Card versions
Wurmcoil Engine - MTG Card versions
Brass Herald - MTG Card versions
Mirror Golem - MTG Card versions
Clockwork Beast - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Triskelion - March of the Machine Commander (MOC)
Armageddon Clock - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Mirror Universe - Legends (LEG)
Sword of the Ages - Legends (LEG)
Planar Gate - Legends (LEG)
Urza's Avenger - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Bronze Tablet - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Celestial Sword - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Voodoo Doll - Chronicles (CHR)
Tetravus - Rinascimento (RIN)
Joven's Tools - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Serpent Generator - Legends (LEG)
Flowstone Sculpture - Tempest (TMP)
Workhorse - The List (PLST)
Well of Discovery - Prophecy (PCY)
Phyrexian Hulk - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Wurmcoil Engine - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Brass Herald - Commander Legends (CMR)
Mirror Golem - Mirrodin (MRD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Leashling MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Leashling and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Leashling has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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