Hero of Leina Tower MTG Card

Hero of Leina Tower - Born of the Gods (BNG)

Born of the Gods (BNG)
2014-02-07 - Number 123

Hero of Leina Tower - Ultimate Masters (UMA)

Ultimate Masters (UMA)
2018-12-07 - Number 169

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Human Warrior
Abilities	Heroic
Power	1
Toughness	1

Key Takeaways

Hero of Leina Tower offers scalable threat levels with spare green mana at any game stage.
The ability works at instant speed, providing tactical flexibility and surprise growth.
While versatile, reliance on green mana and potential for underutilized investment are drawbacks.

Text of card

Heroic — Whenever you cast a spell that targets Hero of Leina Tower, you may pay . If you do, put X +1/+1 counters on Hero of Leina Tower.

"You cannot achieve greatness if its seed has not already been planted in your heart."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: This card may not directly draw you additional cards, but Hero of Leina Tower has the potential to be a massive threat with just one card. Drop it early and it can pressure your opponent to handle it before it grows out of control. Its ability scales with your game, meaning the longer the game goes, the more value you get out of it.

Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t produce mana, Hero of Leina Tower allows you to efficiently utilize any excess mana. No green mana goes to waste as it can instantly be turned into a growth counter, essentially converting spare resources into increased power and toughness.

Instant Speed: Its ability to gain +1/+1 counters is usable at instant speed, which offers excellent flexibility. You can choose to boost it at the end of your opponent’s turn, or even in response to spells or abilities, keeping your adversaries guessing and making it harder to deal with.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Hero of Leina Tower demands an extra payment to leverage its ability, which is the act of discarding cards. This can be a setback during gameplay, especially if you are running short on cards and need to maintain a substantial hand for strategic depth.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s ability calls for green mana specifically, which could limit its deployment to decks that have a strong green mana base. In multicolored decks that don’t focus on green, it can be challenging to consistently have the necessary mana type.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While investing mana into Hero of Leina Tower can make it a larger threat, the mana invested could sometimes be spent on other spells or creatures that offer immediate and potentially more impactful effects. As such, in faster-paced games or against decks that can efficiently remove creatures, the invested mana might not yield the anticipated benefit.

Reasons to Include Hero of Leina Tower in Your Collection

Versatility: Hero of Leina Tower offers a unique blend of aggressive starts and late-game scalability. This one-drop creature from the Theros block has the potential to become a significant threat as the game progresses, making it a flexible addition to various green decks focusing on +1/+1 counters.

Combo Potential: With its ability to capitalize on +1/+1 counters, Hero of Leina Tower works well in synergistic strategies. It pairs beautifully with cards that proliferate or add counters at a rapid pace, unlocking powerful combinations that can swiftly overrun opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s hospitable to aggro and midrange archetypes, Hero of Leina Tower earns its place by being a cost-efficient creature capable of adapting to various board states. Its capacity to grow in power and toughness in response to additional mana investment makes it a threat that cannot be ignored in such environments.

How to beat

Confronting the Hero of Leina Tower on the battlefield can be a daunting challenge in Magic: The Gathering. What sets this card apart is its ability for growth, as it can become significantly more formidable with the investment of additional mana. Understanding how to neutralize this threat can make the difference in a match.

Key strategies include the use of removal or counter spells before the Hero’s power can be leveraged. Spells such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile can be efficient ways to remove it from the battlefield at a low cost. Counterspells like Mana Leak or Essence Scatter can prevent the Hero from ever taking the field if you’re playing blue. Timing your removal when your opponent is low on mana can prevent them from being able to utilize the Hero’s ability in response.

Furthermore, the use of board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation can clear the table, including any invested Heroes. Remember to keep an eye on your opponent’s mana availability to anticipate and preemptively manage their growth strategies. Containing the Hero of Leina Tower early on is essential for maintaining control of the game.

Cards like Hero of Leina Tower

Hero of Leina Tower is a unique creature card within MTG, serving a special role in decks that thrive on utilizing mana efficiently. It stands in comparison to cards like Gyre Sage, which also increases in power through the accumulation of +1/+1 counters. Yet, Hero of Leina Tower offers a different angle, allowing direct mana investment to grow its power. Gyre Sage, however, depends on evolving mechanics triggered by the casting of larger creatures to increase its strength.

Another card on this comparable roster is Managorger Hydra. It automatically gains +1/+1 counters whenever any player casts a spell, which can rapidly make it a colossal threat on the battlefield. While both draw attention for their growing potential, Hero of Leina Tower affords a more controlled, immediate boost rather than the incremental, conditional growth of Managorger Hydra. Additionally, Avatar of the Resolute could also be mentioned, arriving with counters if other creatures with counters already exist, though it misses the scalable investment capability of Hero of Leina Tower.

Ultimately, Hero of Leina Tower holds its own among such creatures, offering strategic versatility and a potential for massive growth, making it a card that can quickly turn the tides in a match.

Cards similar to Hero of Leina Tower by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hero of Leina Tower MTG card by a specific set like Born of the Gods and Ultimate Masters, 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 Hero of Leina Tower and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Hero of Leina Tower Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2014-02-07 and 2018-12-07. Illustrated by Aaron Miller.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2014-02-07	Born of the Gods	BNG		123	2003	Normal	Black	Aaron Miller
2	2018-12-07	Ultimate Masters	UMA		169	2015	Normal	Black	Aaron Miller

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hero of Leina Tower has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-09-15	Heroic abilities will resolve before the spell that caused them to trigger.
2013-09-15	Heroic abilities will trigger only once per spell, even if that spell targets the creature with the heroic ability multiple times.
2013-09-15	Heroic abilities won’t trigger when a copy of a spell is created on the stack or when a spell’s targets are changed to include a creature with a heroic ability.
2018-12-07	The amount to pay for is chosen as the triggered ability resolves. No player may take actions between the time you pay and the time Hero of Leina Tower has X +1/+1 counters on it.