Petradon MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	8
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Nightmare Beast
Released	2002-02-04
Set symbol
Set name	Torment
Set code	TOR
Power	5
Toughness	6
Number	108
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jim Nelson

Key Takeaways

Petradon’s abilities allow for tactical plays by exiling lands, disrupting opponent strategies.
High mana and discard costs reveal a balance between power and resource management challenges.
Despite its limitations, Petradon’s unique abilities make it a viable inclusion in specific strategies.

Text of card

When Petradon comes into play, remove two target lands from the game. When Petradon leaves play, return the removed cards to play under their owners' control. o R: Petradon gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Petradon creates significant in-game leverage through the removal of problematic lands from the field, which can disrupt an opponent’s strategy effectively. This capacity for targeted land exiling can lead to a decisive advantage in longer games where resource management becomes crucial.

Resource Acceleration: When Petradon enters or leaves the battlefield, it offers the player a notable form of resource manipulation. By potentially removing up to four lands from the game, Petradon can temporarily accelerate your board presence as those lands no longer count towards an opponent’s resources, potentially setting them back turns.

Instant Speed Interaction: Although Petradon itself isn’t cast at instant speed, its ability to exile lands can be utilized in response to an opponent’s plays. The threat of activation alone can influence an opponent’s decisions, creating a tactical advantage. Further, as a creature with an echo cost, the decision to pay or not brings an additional layer of instant-speed strategy to your post-summoning phase.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To unleash the Petradon’s potential, players must part with a card from their hand. In the fast-paced world of MTG, this stipulation can be a steep price to pay, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage if your hand is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: The Petradon demands a precise blend of mana to enter the battlefield, specifically needing two red and two generic mana. This requirement can hamper deck-building flexibility, making it a less natural fit for multi-colored or less red-centric decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at a total of four mana, the Petradon does not come cheap. In a game where tempo and efficiency reign supreme, its cost is on the higher side, especially when compared to other creatures that may provide greater impact or utility for the same or lesser investment.

Reasons to Include Petradon in Your Collection

Versatility: Petradon is not only a substantial creature on its own, but it offers the flexibility to remove any number of target lands from the game temporarily. This ability can be a game-changer, enabling you to disrupt your opponent’s strategy or clear the way for your attacks.

Combo Potential: With its ability to exile lands, Petradon can work well in combinations with landfall abilities or be used to capitalize on opponents’ graveyard strategies. It’s also excellent at resetting your own utility lands to reuse their enter-the-battlefield effects.

Meta-Relevance: Given its unique set of abilities, Petradon can be a compelling choice in any collection. Its potential to control the pace of the game can be significant in a meta that relies heavily on specific land synergies or against decks that are vulnerable to land disruption.

How to Beat Petradon

Petradon, though once formidable in its day, can be overtaken in contemporary Magic: The Gathering play. This red creature from the Nemesis set has the ability to remove target lands from the game while it’s on the battlefield; this can disrupt your mana base and set back your game plan significantly if left unchecked. However, the vast card pool of MTG offers several strategies to beat this imposing dinosaur.

To counteract Petradon’s ability, you can employ the use of instant-speed removal such as Path to Exile or Murderous Rider to eliminate it before its enter the battlefield effect takes a toll on your resources. Alternatively, leveraging counterspells like Mana Leak can prevent Petradon from hitting the field in the first place. If Petradon does enter the battlefield, cards like Ghost Quarter can be used to sacrifice your targeted land to search for a basic land card, mitigating the loss of mana resources.

Ultimately, Petradon’s high mana cost and susceptibility to removal make it less threatening in a game where tempo and efficiency are key. By anticipating your opponent’s play and preparing the right answers in your deck, you can easily neutralize this once-menacing beast and maintain control of the match.

Cards like Petradon

Petradon enters the realm of Magic: The Gathering as a sizable presence in red creature decks. It draws parallels with other high-mana cost creatures, such as Shivan Dragon, which also offers a significant power level. Yet, Petradon offers a unique twist—it brings an exile mechanism to the table, allowing players to remove key lands from the game temporarily.

Exploring similar mechanics, we encounter Avalanche Riders, a creature that also deals with land disruption. Though less costly in terms of mana, Avalanche Riders lack the staying power and size of Petradon. Moreover, while Avalanche Riders can destroy a land, Petradon’s ability to exile multiple lands is a strong tactical maneuver that can be repeatedly activated.

Another creature that echoes Petradon’s land-removal strategy is Faultgrinder. When it enters the battlefield, it destroys a land, reminiscent of Petradon’s temporary land exile. However, the echo cost of Faultgrinder demands a recurring mana payment, which Petradon circumvents with a single, albeit high, upfront cost.

Assessing the landscape of land-affecting creatures, Petradon stands out with its combined raw power and tactical land exile capability, positioning it as a formidable option for players looking to execute a disruptive red strategy in their Magic: The Gathering gameplay.

Cards similar to Petradon by color, type and mana cost

Myojin of Roaring Blades - MTG Card versions

Akroma, Angel of Fury - MTG Card versions

Scourge of Kher Ridges - MTG Card versions

Bearer of the Heavens - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Petradon MTG card by a specific set like Torment, 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 Petradon and other MTG cards: