Saddle of the Cavalier MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact — Equipment |
| Abilities | Equip |
| Released | 2022-06-10 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate |
| Set code | CLB |
| Number | 251 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Franz Vohwinkel |
Key Takeaways
- Brings back creatures and ramps up resources, significantly shifting game momentum.
- Instant speed allows dynamic play, disrupting opponents while maintaining tempo.
- Has card disadvantage and specific mana needs, weighing its strategic use.
Text of card
Equipped creature gets +3/+3 and can't be blocked by creatures with power 3 or less. Equip
". . . and I will need an equally righteous but slightly smaller saddle for my space hamster companion." —Minsc, beloved ranger
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Saddle of the Cavalier provides a notable benefit by allowing you to potentially bring back a creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. This can swing the momentum in your favor by resurrecting powerful creatures to regain battlefield presence.
Resource Acceleration: Aside from its primary function, casting Saddle of the Cavalier can pave the way for playing larger threats sooner than usual. It accomplishes this by putting a land card onto the battlefield, potentially untapped based on the land you choose to bring back, thus ramping up your available resources.
Instant Speed: The beauty of Saddle of the Cavalier lies in its instant speed. This attribute allows for strategic depth and flexibility in gameplay. You have the option to wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to cast it, which can disrupt their strategy while bolstering your own position without sacrificing the tempo.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Saddle of the Cavalier mandates discarding a card from your hand when you activate its abilities. This can strain your hand, especially in decks that don’t have a robust card draw engine, leading to a potential loss of momentum.
Specific Mana Cost: This artifact demands a precise combination of mana, including white, to get the most out of its effects. Players running multicolor decks may sometimes find this challenging, as it restricts flexibility and may not always align with the deck’s mana curve.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With the cost to cast and equip Saddle of the Cavalier, its investment can be quite steep for what it offers. Players might consider more cost-effective alternatives for equipping and enhancing creatures that could generate a quicker and more impactful board presence.
Reasons to Include Saddle of the Cavalier in Your Collection
Versatility: Saddle of the Cavalier is not just a circumstantial card. Its ability to equip any creature makes it a flexible inclusion in various decks, enhancing your strategic options during gameplay.
Combo Potential: This card opens up the possibility for numerous combos, enabling creatures to unexpectedly gain haste and thus catch opponents off guard. Its interactions with cards that benefit from equipping can pivot the game in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: Given the pace of the current meta, where speed can be crucial, Saddle of the Cavalier grants haste which can be pivotal. Its relevance adapts with trends, making it a smart addition to decks aiming to outpace others.
How to Beat Saddle of the Cavalier
Saddle of the Cavalier represents an intriguing aspect of creature enhancement in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to provide a creature with trample and haste can be a game changer. Such immediate impact on the battlefield makes it a noteworthy card, especially in aggressive decks seeking to capitalize on fast-paced combat strengths.
However, the resilience of Saddle of the Cavalier can be undermined. Artifact removal spells are your best ally against it, with options like Naturalize or Disenchant allowing you to directly remove the threat it poses without needing to engage the buffed creature in combat. Another strategy involves the use of board wipes or damage spells that can disrupt the combat potential of the Saddle-wielding creature before it can swing for lethal. Dealing with the creature itself, rather than the equipment, could sometimes prove more efficient as you won’t have to worry about the equipment reequipping to a new threat.
To sum up, while Saddle of the Cavalier has the capabilities to hurry the pace of a match, timely removal and strategic control of the board can effectively mitigate its influence and maintain the steadiness of your game plan.
Cards like Saddle of the Cavalier
Saddle of the Cavalier stands as an intriguing card in Magic: The Gathering, with a distinctive role in equipping creature strategies. It shares conceptual space with Argentum Armor, which also provides a significant power boost and has an impactful triggered ability when attacking. Nevertheless, Saddle of the Cavalier offers a cheaper casting cost and a lower equip cost, which can be crucial for tempo plays.
In the realm of equipment, we find Grafted Wargear. It too offers an impressive power increase for a minimal equip cost. Though it sacrifices permanence by compelling you to sacrifice the equipped creature if Grafted Wargear is removed, it’s a forceful option in aggressive strategies. Then there’s Swiftfoot Boots, notable for its ability to provide both hexproof and haste. While it doesn’t boost power as the Saddle does, it’s invaluable for keeping key creatures safe and immediately impactful on the battlefield.
Evaluating these alternatives makes it clear that Saddle of the Cavalier carves a niche among MTG equipment choices. It balances affordability with effectiveness, making it a respectable option for players looking to kilt up their creatures for combat without a steep investment.
Cards similar to Saddle of the Cavalier by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Saddle of the Cavalier MTG card by a specific set like Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate, 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 Saddle of the Cavalier and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Saddle of the Cavalier has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Saddle of the Cavalier card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-06-10 | Reducing a creature's power after it has blocked a creature equipped with Saddle of the Cavalier will not remove that blocking creature from combat or make the equipped creature unblocked. |