Wingsteed Rider MTG Card

Wingsteed Rider excels in battlefield presence, with its stature increasing each time it’s targeted by spells. Compatible with instant speed spells, allowing for dynamic, responsive play and powerful combat tricks. Although the card is a robust creature, it demands strategic hand management and deck building to shine.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Knight
Abilities Flying,Heroic
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Flying Heroic — Whenever you cast a spell that targets Wingsteed Rider, put a +1/+1 counter on Wingsteed Rider.

Trust is the only bridle a pegasus will accept.

Cards like Wingsteed Rider

Wingsteed Rider holds its ground among creatures that thrive on the Heroic mechanic in Magic: The Gathering. One can draw parallels between Wingsteed Rider and other cards like Lagonna-Band Trailblazer. Both capitalize on receiving buffs whenever you cast a spell that targets them. However, Wingsteed Rider carries the additional advantage of Flying, granting it a strategic edge by soaring over ground creatures for potentially unblockable attacks.

Phalanx Leader is another card that shares similarities, yet it applies its Heroic benefits to your entire army of creatures, not just itself. The Rider requires a more selfish strategy, focusing its strength on individual growth. Akroan Skyguard also enters the fray—another Heroic creature with flying, but with a lower starting toughness, which might require a more cautious approach early in the game.

To sum up, while encompassing the spirit of Heroic abilities, Wingsteed Rider is a standout, especially in Limited formats where evasion in the form of flying is highly valuable. Its sturdy initial stats and potential for growth make it a formidable presence in the skies of MTG’s battlefield.

Lagonna-Band Trailblazer - MTG Card versions
Phalanx Leader - MTG Card versions
Akroan Skyguard - MTG Card versions
Lagonna-Band Trailblazer - MTG Card versions
Phalanx Leader - MTG Card versions
Akroan Skyguard - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wingsteed Rider is a cornerstone for decks aiming at building a formidable presence on the battlefield. As a heroic card, every time it’s targeted by a spell you control, it gains a +1/+1 counter, effectively giving you a growing threat and an increasingly challenging obstacle for your opponent without the need for additional card investments.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting your mana pool, the Wingsteed Rider encourages a swift and efficient playstyle. It enhances the value of your low-cost spells, as they not only bolster its power and toughness but also contribute to your offensive and defensive line-up, allowing for a more aggressive game plan.

Instant Speed: The prowess of Wingsteed Rider is further amplified when paired with instant speed spells. Responding to threats or creating advantageous combat scenarios on your opponent’s turn can shift the tides of the match, and with each instant cast, your Wingsteed Rider evolves, turning every spell you cast into a potential game-changer.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Wingsteed Rider itself doesn’t demand you to discard cards, it often necessitates playing other cards that do to fully utilize its heroic ability. This could deplete your hand faster than you might like.

Specific Mana Cost: Wingsteed Rider requires two white mana to cast. This mana specificity can restrict its inclusion to decks heavily favoring or entirely based on white mana, potentially limiting deck-building options.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite being a solid creature, Wingsteed Rider comes with a mana cost of three, including two white mana. When considering the landscape of other creatures and spells at this cost, one might find more impactful cards with immediate effects upon entering the battlefield or with superior stats.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Wingsteed Rider is an asset in decks utilizing the heroic mechanic or those looking for a sturdy creature that benefits from being the target of spells or abilities. Its compatibility with various buffs and enhancements makes it easily adaptable to several strategies.

Combo Potential: Flying and heroic abilities allow this card to work in tandem with cheap spells or auras, turning it into a powerful threat quickly. It pairs well with cards designed to trigger or benefit from targeting creatures, thereby enabling potent synergies.

Meta-Relevance: Given its status as a low-cost creature with the potential for growth, Wingsteed Rider remains relevant in environments where aggressive or creature-based strategies prevail. Its ability to swiftly escalate in power makes it a valuable inclusion against various match-ups.

How to beat

Wingsteed Rider is a notable creature card that can become a considerable threat in Magic: The Gathering due to its heroic ability, which allows it to get larger each time you cast a spell that targets it. This can quickly turn the Rider into an intimidating presence on the battlefield that can outmatch other creatures and dominate in the air. The key to overpowering this card lies in preventing its growth or removing it from play effectively.

One strategy to counter Wingsteed Rider is to utilize removal spells before it gets too large. Direct removal spells like Murder or Path to Exile can dispatch the Rider regardless of its size. Another option is to employ countering abilities when it’s being targeted by spells that would trigger its heroic ability. Cards like Dovin’s Veto or Negate can prove invaluable in these scenarios. Lastly, board wipes like Wrath of God can reset the playing field, nullifying the advantage gained by a buffed Wingsteed Rider.

Ultimately, timely interrupts and strategic eliminations are the best tactics when facing this growing threat. By anticipating and disrupting your opponent’s attempts to enhance their Wingsteed Rider, you can maintain control and prevent this card from gaining the upper hand in the match.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wingsteed Rider MTG card by a specific set like Theros 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 Wingsteed Rider and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Wingsteed Rider Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2013-09-27 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by Cynthia Sheppard.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-09-27TherosTHS 362003NormalBlackCynthia Sheppard
22018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 432015NormalBlackCynthia Sheppard
32022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 352015NormalBlackCynthia Sheppard

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wingsteed Rider has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Wingsteed Rider 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.