The First Iroan Games MTG Card


Grants card advantage with the potential for multiple draws, elevating strategic depth over successive turns. Can rapidly expand board state through token creation, boosting play impact without further investment. Playable at instant speed, allowing for surprise tactics and increased game interaction complexity.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment — Saga

Text of card

(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after IV.) I — Create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token. II — Put three +1/+1 counters on target creature you control. III — If you control a creature with power 4 or greater, draw two cards. IV — Create a Gold token.


Cards like The First Iroan Games

The First Iroan Games is a unique addition to the collection of enchantments in Magic: The Gathering. It’s reminiscent of cards like Trial of Strength which also brings a creature token into play. Yet, The First Iroan Games offers a wider array of benefits over multiple turns. Players gain not just a creature token but also a +1/+1 counter, a card draw, and finally gather treasure tokens, provided the saga remains on the battlefield.

Parallel to this is Verdant Force, where the emphasis is on continual token generation every upkeep. While it lacks the versatility of The First Iroan Games, it can reliably create an army given time. There’s also Khalni Heart Expedition, which shares the theme of incremental advantage, building towards a peak where it provides additional land resources instead of cards or tokens. However, unlike the dynamic saga that can impact several facets of gameplay, Khalni Heart Expedition has a singular focus.

Assessing the utility and potential board impact of each card, The First Iroan Games claims a distinct place within MTG. Its layered benefits cater to a strategy that rewards patient development and strategic planning over several turns.

Trial of Strength - MTG Card versions
Verdant Force - MTG Card versions
Khalni Heart Expedition - MTG Card versions
Trial of Strength - MTG Card versions
Verdant Force - MTG Card versions
Khalni Heart Expedition - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The First Iroan Games card provides an ongoing effect that allows for multiple draws. This mechanic supports a consistent flow of options, strengthening your ability to outmaneuver and adapt against an opponent’s tactics over successive turns.

Resource Acceleration: With this card, you escalate your board presence through the production of token creatures. This enhances your overall resource availability, allowing for more impactful plays as the game progresses. It is a valuable aspect of escalating your mana and board development without additional investment.

Instant Speed: The ability to play this card unexpectedly at instant speed grants a strategic edge. You can effectively respond to the changing state of the game, making it more challenging for opponents to predict and plan against your moves. This element increases the intricacies of interactions and timing, which can be pivotal in securing a win.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The First Iroan Games has a twist in how it operates. Players must pitch another card from hand, which can be especially troublesome when choices are tight and each card counts for future plays.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast this enchantment, the need for both green mana and three other mana types can pose a challenge; it’s a commitment that demands a strongly green-aligned deck and can strain mana flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing in at a total of four mana, The First Iroan Games asks for a significant investment. With other options on the table that bring creatures into play or draw cards at a lower cost, it’s worth considering alternatives before you call these Games into play.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The First Iroan Games card offers a diverse set of abilities that can be adeptly utilized in various deck builds. Its enchantment type allows for early board presence and long-term value, providing benefits over multiple turns.

Combo Potential: With its escalating rewards, The First Iroan Games sets the stage for powerful combinations. It enables players to draw cards, ramp up mana, and ultimately bring a large creature into play, which can synergize with numerous other strategies.

Meta-Relevance: Being adaptable in the ever-changing MTG landscape is key. The First Iroan Games holds its ground as a relevant card by fitting into multiple strategies and providing answers or threats based on current competitive trends.


How to beat

The First Iroan Games is a unique enchantment saga in MTG that offers a tailored blend of creature buffing, card draw, and token generation through its four lore counters. Although it’s a card that can provide considerable value across multiple turns, it remains vulnerable throughout its progression.

Dismantling the plans tied to The First Iroan Games requires a balance of timing and disruption. Since it operates on lore counters, instant speed removal spells such as Disenchant or Naturalize are efficient tools to dismantle the saga before it fulfills all its chapters. You could also resort to counter spells to intercept it directly upon casting, ensuring it never takes effect on the battlefield.

As a player, focusing on proactive board control and positioning yourself to respond to each chapter is essential. Be wary of the third lore counter, where it allows for a card to be drawn, and the fourth, creating a Gold token. If playing within Green, consider using enchantment removal like Thrashing Brontodon to directly counter The First Iroan Games at a crucial moment. Staying one step ahead of the saga and disrupting its sequence can nullify its advantages and tip the scales in your favor.


BurnMana Recommendations

Wrapping up your MTG strategy with a card like The First Iroan Games can be a game-changer, swelling your advantage through card draw and resource acceleration. However, its impact is not without its trade-offs, such as a specific mana requirement. For those looking to optimize their gameplay and explore synergies, we offer insights and expert-level tips tailored to various playstyles. Whether you seek to understand how to seamlessly incorporate this enchantment into your deck or find ways to counteract it, BurnMana is your go-to source. Dive deeper with us into strategy and card analysis to ensure your next play session is not just a game, but a wilderness of strategic depth.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase The First Iroan Games MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death and Theros Beyond Death Promos, 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 The First Iroan Games and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The The First Iroan Games Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-01-24 and 2020-01-24. Illustrated by Noah Bradley.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 1702015SagaBlackNoah Bradley
22020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 170p2015SagaBlackNoah Bradley
32020-01-24Theros Beyond Death PromosPTHB 170s2015SagaBlackNoah Bradley

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where The First Iroan Games 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 The First Iroan Games card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2020-01-24 A Gold token is a colorless Gold artifact token with “Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.”
2020-01-24 A chapter ability doesn’t trigger if a lore counter is put on a Saga that already had a number of lore counters greater than or equal to that chapter’s number. For example, the third lore counter put on a Saga causes the III chapter ability to trigger, but I and II won’t trigger again.
2020-01-24 As a Saga enters the battlefield, its controller puts a lore counter on it. As your precombat main phase begins (immediately after your draw step), you put another lore counter on each Saga you control. Putting a lore counter on a Saga in either of these ways doesn’t use the stack.
2020-01-24 Each symbol on the left of a Saga’s text box represents a chapter ability. A chapter ability is a triggered ability that triggers when a lore counter that is put on the Saga causes the number of lore counters on the Saga to become equal to or greater than the ability’s chapter number. Chapter abilities are put onto the stack and may be responded to.
2020-01-24 If multiple chapter abilities trigger at the same time, their controller puts them on the stack in any order. If any of them require targets, those targets are chosen as you put the abilities on the stack, before any of those abilities resolve.
2020-01-24 Once a chapter ability has triggered, the ability on the stack won’t be affected if the Saga gains or loses counters, or if it leaves the battlefield.
2020-01-24 Once the number of lore counters on a Saga is greater than or equal to the greatest number among its chapter abilities, the Saga’s controller sacrifices it as soon as its chapter ability has left the stack, most likely by resolving or being countered. This state-based action doesn’t use the stack.
2020-01-24 Removing lore counters won’t cause a previous chapter ability to trigger. If lore counters are removed from a Saga, the appropriate chapter abilities will trigger again when the Saga receives lore counters.