Path of Mettle // Metzali, Tower of Triumph MTG Card


Path of Mettle // Metzali, Tower of Triumph - Rivals of Ixalan
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Enchantment
Abilities Transform
Released2018-01-19
Set symbol
Set nameRivals of Ixalan
Set codeRIX
Number165
Frame2015
Layouttransform
Borderblack
Illustred byVictor Adame Minguez

Key Takeaways

  1. Path of Mettle sets the game’s pace and provides battlefield control, demanding strategic play.
  2. Metzali, its transformed state, allows for mana acceleration and instant-speed interactions.
  3. While potent, Path of Mettle requires specific playstyles and may conflict with casting costs.

Text of card

When Path of Mettle enters the battlefield, it deals 1 damage to each creature that doesn't have first strike, double strike, vigilance, or haste. Whenever you attack with at least two creatures that have first strike, double strike, vigilance, and/or haste, transform Path of Mettle.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though not a traditional draw mechanism, the Path of Mettle requires opponents to navigate its conditions, indirectly working towards a player’s advantage by dictating the pace of the game and controlling battles.

Resource Acceleration: When transformed into Metzali, Tower of Triumph, this card provides an option to tap for mana, enhancing your resource pool and setting the stage for more strategic gameplay and casting flexibility.

Instant Speed: The activated abilities of Metzali can be used at instant speed, offering dynamic interaction opportunities during your opponent’s turn or in response to actions, thus maintaining pressure and unexpected control on the game’s flow.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Path of Mettle doesn’t make you discard cards, the transform condition requires an aggressive playstyle that can deplete your hand quickly, leaving fewer options as the game progresses.

Specific Mana Cost: Path of Mettle demands both red and white mana, which could restrict its integration outside of Boros (red-white) decks, potentially excluding it from versatile deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The initial casting cost is low, but once transformed into Metzali, Tower of Triumph, the activated abilities have significant mana requirements that may compete with your ability to play other high-impact spells in the same turn.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Path of Mettle offers a wide range of abilities, from direct damage to creatures to eventually transforming into a land that can control the battlefield and finish games. It seamlessly integrates into aggro and control strategies alike.

Combo Potential: A cornerstone for synergistic builds, the flip side, Metzali, Tower of Triumph, interacts well with cards enhancing direct damage or rewarding you for controlling legendary creatures.

Meta-Relevance: In a landscape teeming with creature-based strategies, Path of Mettle provides an edge by clearing out opposing threats and pressuring life totals, maintaining a solid position in various meta environments.


How to beat

Path of Mettle is an intriguing card that can shape the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. It hinges on creatures with First strike, Double strike, Vigilance, and Haste, demanding a tactical approach to dismantling its advantages. When facing off against this card, it’s helpful to consider removal spells that can target enchantments or use counterspells to prevent it from hitting the field in the first place.

Utility creatures that can bypass or remove enchantments without triggering Path of Mettle’s transformation are also valuable. Additionally, limiting the number of attacks, especially from creatures with the specified abilities, can curb the card’s efficiency. Post-transformation, Path of Mettle becomes Metzali, Tower of Triumph, which can be controlled with careful planning and continued suppression of key threats, ensuring they don’t benefit from its powerful activated abilities.

How to overcome Path of Mettle ultimately comes down to a mix of preemptive strategy and reactive measures. Keeping a versatile deck that can handle a wide range of threats including complex enchantments like Path of Mettle is always a wise approach in any Magic: The Gathering matchup.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re weaving the strategic threads of your own MTG saga, Path of Mettle is a card that should pique your interest. With its transformative ability and the tactical edge it offers, it fits snugly into aggro and control decks that capitalize on its unique mechanics. Whether you’re looking to dominate the board or seeking perfect synergy with your creature lineup, this card adjusts your sails towards victory. Curious about optimizing your deck’s potential or fine-tuning your tactics to incorporate Path of Mettle’s dynamic? Delve deeper with us for insights that sharpen your gameplay and collection decisions in MTG.


Cards like Path of Mettle // Metzali, Tower of Triumph

Path of Mettle is a distinctive card that creates a tactical pivot in Magic: The Gathering matchups. This card transforms into Metzali, Tower of Triumph upon meeting its activation criteria, providing both aggressive and defensive utilities. Reflecting on cards with similar transformative traits, we have Legion’s Landing, which flips into Adanto, the First Fort. While Legion’s Landing offers a more straightforward benefit by creating creature tokens and a mana ramp after transformation, Path of Mettle provides a broader range of responses, such as direct damage and creature removal once it becomes Metzali.

Another comparison can be drawn with Search for Azcanta, which also adopts a two-stage approach in gameplay. It serves initially as a filter for drawing cards and then, once flipped, becomes a potent source of card advantage. Azcanta, the Sunken Ruin allows for the selection of top library cards, whereas Metzali gives immediate board impact tools. Moreover, Path of Mettle requires a more specific setup with creatures to activate, signaling a strategic difference in deck design between the two cards.

To sum up, while there are notable similarities between Path of Mettle and other transforming cards in terms of mechanics, the Path of Mettle stands out due to its diverse capabilities and specific activation requirements that can optimize certain strategic builds in MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Path of Mettle // Metzali, Tower of Triumph MTG card by a specific set like Rivals of Ixalan, 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 Path of Mettle // Metzali, Tower of Triumph and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Path of Mettle // Metzali, Tower of Triumph has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-01-19 A creature that attacked and was removed from combat (such as by Spires of Orazca) still attacked, so it can be chosen at random.
2018-01-19 A creature that was put onto the battlefield attacking didn’t attack, so it can’t be chosen at random.
2018-01-19 A creature with hexproof can be chosen at random. It will be destroyed.
2018-01-19 A creature with indestructible can be chosen at random. It won’t be destroyed.
2018-01-19 For Path of Mettle’s last ability to trigger, any two attacking creatures you control need to each have any one of the four listed abilities. They don’t need to share one of those abilities. For example, attacking with Sun Sentinel (a creature with vigilance) and Fanatical Firebrand (a creature with haste) will cause Path of Mettle’s ability to trigger, as will attacking with two Sun Sentinels.
2018-01-19 For more information on double-faced cards, see the Ixalan mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/ixalan-mechanics).
2018-01-19 In a Two-Headed Giant game, Metzali’s second ability causes the opposing team to lose 4 life.
2018-01-19 Metzali’s last ability can be activated after combat damage has been dealt. You’ll choose a creature at random that attacked this turn and has survived combat damage.
2018-01-19 Metzali’s last ability can be activated before blockers are chosen.
2018-01-19 Path of Mettle’s first ability deals 1 damage to each creature that doesn’t have any of the four listed abilities. It doesn’t deal 1 damage to each creature for each ability that creature doesn’t have.
2018-01-19 Players can’t take actions between choosing the creature at random and destroying it.

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