Riparian Tiger MTG Card
2016-09-30 - Number 167
2019-11-07 - Number 1314
2020-11-12 - Number 178
2020-09-26 - Number KLD-167
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Cat |
| Abilities | Trample |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Text of card
Trample When Riparian Tiger enters the battlefield, you get (two energy counters). Whenever Riparian Tiger attacks, you may pay . If you do, it gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Cards like Riparian Tiger
The Riparian Tiger is an interesting creature card in Magic: The Gathering and shares traits with other green beaters. When examined alongside other creature cards of its caliber, such as Bristling Boar, we see some similarities in the four mana casting cost. However, Riparian Tiger has the additional benefit of gaining an energy counter when it enters the battlefield and the potential to become more formidable with the use of energy reserves to boost its attack.
Contrasting with Larger than Life, the Tiger doesn’t gain the immediate prowess of the sorcery’s temporary power increase and trample, but it compensates with its consistent utility over several turns. Charging Rhino is another parallel, granting unblockable passage by creatures with power 2 or less, yet it lacks the energy synergy that Riparian Tiger offers. Take also the Longtusk Cub, a creature that benefits from and also generates energy, but it starts smaller and grows differently through combat.
Ultimately, Riparian Tiger presents a noteworthy package for players seeking a mixture of resilient board presence and energy-focused strategies in their Magic: The Gathering decks. It’s a card that requires careful energy management but offers a rewarding power boost in exchange.
Cards similar to Riparian Tiger by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When Riparian Tiger enters the battlefield, harnessing its energy ability gives you the potential to pull ahead in a game through cycling. This action allows you to draw a card, replenishing your hand, which is critical for sustaining pressure on your opponent and staying resourceful throughout the match.
Resource Acceleration: The energy counters that Riparian Tiger generates can be used strategically for more than just powering its own abilities. They act as a versatile resource, potentially fueling other energy-based mechanics within your deck, thereby accelerating your ability to utilize various strategies and tactics much faster.
Instant Speed: While Riparian Tiger itself doesn’t have an instant speed interaction, it encourages a playstyle that can benefit from instant speed spells. With the energy it provides, you can keep mana available to react to your opponent’s moves, making your deck more dynamic and able to deal with unexpected threats as they arise.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Riparian Tiger can be a powerful addition to a deck, players must weigh the cost of discarding another card, which could strain their hand and reduce their options as the game progresses.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost for Riparian Tiger includes both green mana and generic mana, which may not seamlessly fit into multicolor decks that don’t heavily feature green.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of four, Riparian Tiger’s cost can be quite steep compared to other creatures with similar stats or abilities, potentially affecting its playability in fast-paced games.
Reasons to Include Riparian Tiger in Your Collection
Versatility: Riparian Tiger has a place in a variety of green-based decks that seek to capitalize on energy counters. This card can be a strong addition, especially in limited formats where creatures play a pivotal role.
Combo Potential: As a creature that can generate and utilize energy, Riparian Tiger can be part of combos with other energy-mechanic cards, providing both a substantial presence on the board and energy for other purposes.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors aggressive strategies, Riparian Tiger can shine in the mid to late game, especially since its trample ability allows it to push damage through defensive lines, making it a useful card against decks that aim to stall until their own win conditions are met.
How to beat
Riparian Tiger is an intriguing creature card that brings a mix of power and energy mechanics to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to get stronger temporarily by using energy counters, it can become a heavy hitter during combat. However, despite its potential for burst damage, conquering this feline behemoth isn’t impossible.
To effectively counter Riparian Tiger, consider utilizing removal spells before it can accumulate energy or when it’s not boosted. Cards such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile are perfect for this situation, handling the threat immediately. Furthermore, setting up blockers with a higher toughness than Riparian Tiger’s boosted power can nullify its impact. Don’t forget about bounce spells like Unsummon, which can send the Tiger back into your opponent’s hand after they’ve expended resources on it.
The key is to anticipate and disrupt your opponent’s plan. Alternatively, cards that prevent your opponent from gaining energy will also cripple Riparian Tiger’s effectiveness. Therefore, smart deck building and timely reactions will keep the Riparian Tiger from overrunning your strategy, maintaining your edge in the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Riparian Tiger MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh and Mystery Booster, 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 Riparian Tiger and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Riparian Tiger Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by Igor Kieryluk.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-09-30 | Kaladesh | KLD | 167 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Igor Kieryluk | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1314 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Igor Kieryluk | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | KLD-167 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Igor Kieryluk | ||
| 4 | 2020-11-12 | Kaladesh Remastered | KLR | 178 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Igor Kieryluk |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Riparian Tiger has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Riparian Tiger card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-02-09 | Energy counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They're not associated with specific permanents. (Other kinds of counters that players may have include poison and experience.) |
| 2017-02-09 | Energy counters aren't mana. They don't go away as steps, phases, and turns end, and effects that add mana “of any type” to your mana pool can't give you energy counters. |
| 2017-02-09 | If an effect says you get one or more , you get that many energy counters. To pay one or more , you lose that many energy counters. Any effects that interact with counters a player gets, has, or loses can interact with energy counters. |
| 2017-02-09 | Keep careful track of how many energy counters each player has. You may do so by keeping a running count on paper, by using a die, or by any other clear and mutually agreeable method. |
| 2017-02-09 | Some triggered abilities state that you “may pay” a certain amount of . You can't pay that amount multiple times to multiply the effect. You simply choose whether or not to pay that amount of as the ability resolves, and no player may take actions to try to stop the ability's effect after you make your choice. |
| 2017-02-09 | You can't pay more energy counters than you have. |
| 2017-02-09 | is the energy symbol. It represents one energy counter. |