Leyline Tyrant MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityMythic
TypeCreature — Dragon
Abilities Flying
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Leyline Tyrant allows strategic red mana accumulation, enabling potentially devastating turns with surplus mana.
  2. The dragon’s death-trigger provides instant-speed mana release, surprising opponents and adding strategic depth.
  3. Leyline Tyrant demands careful deck building with a focus on red mana to utilize its full potential.

Text of card

Flying You don't lose unspent red mana as steps and phases end. When Leyline Tyrant dies, you may pay any amount of . When you do, it deals that much damage to any target.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Leyline Tyrant doesn’t immediately influence the card advantage you have, but its ability to store red mana without it dissipating during the ending phases can lead to powerful plays. This means you can unleash all your stored mana later to cast multiple spells or a game-changing threat.

Resource Acceleration: This dragon offers a unique form of resource acceleration. Unlike traditional mana rocks or ramp spells, it allows you to hoard red mana turn after turn. This passive build-up can lead to explosive turns where you can outpace your opponents by deploying numerous threats or playing high-cost cards earlier than usual.

Instant Speed: While Leyline Tyrant itself is not an instant, its death-triggered ability operates at instant speed, allowing you to unleash saved mana in response to removal or end-of-turn to deliver a surprise blow to your opponent. This creates strategic depth as you manage your resources while keeping adversaries on their toes.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Holding onto extra red mana can be a necessity for leveraging Leyline Tyrant’s ability to its fullest, leading to situations where you’re forced to choose between using mana for spells or keeping it to ensure a powerful death-trigger effect. This can potentially lead to sub-optimal plays as you’re sitting on unused resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Leyline Tyrant demands a strict mana base, needing double red to cast. This requirement can be challenging for multi-colored decks to meet consistently, particularly those attempting to balance a myriad of color-specific spells.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At four mana, including two red, Leyline Tyrant is a significant investment in the early to mid-game. Considering the competitive landscape filled with lower-cost creatures that provide immediate impact or that boast cheaper, more flexible interactions, the Tyrant’s higher cost can be a detriment in fast-paced games.


Reasons to Include Leyline Tyrant in Your Collection

Versatility: Leyline Tyrant offers a wide range of applications. It’s not just a dragon; it’s a unique energy reservoir that can be utilized in decks that depend on red mana. Holding onto unused mana across turns can be a game-changer, particularly in formats where red mana is generally spent without reservation.

Combo Potential: This dragon amplifies the potency of numerous combos, especially in red-centered or energy-driven decks. Imagine accumulating a cache of red mana over multiple turns, then unleashing a devastating explosion upon the Tyrant’s exit. Its death ability offers a significant damage potential, turning any end phase into a possible endgame for your opponent.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that frequently sees strategies revolving around resource management and control, Leyline Tyrant stands tall. It forces opponents to consider their removal options carefully and can dominate battlefields if left unchecked. Its impact on the board presents a persistent threat that can shift the tide of any match in your favor.


How to beat

Leyline Tyrant presents an interesting challenge in the Magic: The Gathering arena. It’s a red dragon with a unique ability that allows you to store unused red mana, completely altering the usual restrictions and tempo of using mana each turn. This can lead to explosive turns where a large amount of stored mana is unleashed in a single, devastating play.

Overcoming this creature requires a bit of strategy. Removal spells that can target Leyline Tyrant before its ability can be exploited are crucial. Instant-speed removal like Murderous Rider or Heartless Act work well as they help avoid a build-up of mana. Furthermore, exile effects offered by cards like Path to Exile ensure that even if the Tyrant leaves the battlefield, it won’t trigger its last ability, preventing a potentially lethal rain of fire.

The key is to act swiftly and disrupt the opponent’s mana curve. Counterspells serve as another effective measure, with options like Dovin’s Veto keeping the Tyrant from ever touching the field. In short, quick responses and targeted disruption can circumvent the powerful impact Leyline Tyrant is capable of achieving, keeping you one step ahead in the match.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the strategic intricacies of Leyline Tyrant can be the key to unlocking new levels of gameplay in MTG. Considering its ability to significantly alter the tempo and resource management of your matches, mastering this card is imperative for any red-focused player. Whether it’s about making space for it in your mana curve or finding the perfect moment to unleash its stored energy, each decision counts. Join our MTG community as we dive deeper into the mechanics and deck-building philosophies that turn Leyline Tyrant from a mere creature to a formidable powerhouse in your arsenal.


Cards like Leyline Tyrant

Leyline Tyrant holds a unique place in the pool of red creatures within Magic: The Gathering. Its capacity to hoard red mana without losing it as steps and phases end echoes the dynamics of cards like Omnath, Locus of Mana. Yet Omnath retains green mana specifically, contrasting with Leyline Tyrant’s red mana specialty. This distinction affects deck-building strategies, influencing the way players accumulate and utilize their mana resources.

Also reminiscent of the Tyrant’s function is Kruphix, God of Horizons. Kruphix allows for unspent mana to carry over through phases while being colorless, showcasing a broader mana retention compared to Leyline Tyrant’s red-oriented trait. The similarity lies in the strategic storage of mana, although Leyline Tyrant also offers an explosive final act; upon death, the stored mana can be unleashed, showcasing its aggressive potential within red’s archetype.

In terms of gameplay and strategy, Leyline Tyrant provides a multifaceted advantage, particularly in red-heavy decks. It stands out by encouraging a build-up of resources for a defining moment, complementing red’s penchant for swift and impactful plays. Thus, Leyline Tyrant emerges as a formidable choice for players who prefer a gradual yet powerful threat on the battlefield.

Omnath, Locus of Mana - MTG Card versions
Kruphix, God of Horizons - MTG Card versions
Omnath, Locus of Mana - Worldwake (WWK)
Kruphix, God of Horizons - Journey into Nyx (JOU)

Cards similar to Leyline Tyrant by color, type and mana cost

Dragon Whelp - MTG Card versions
Keldon Warlord - MTG Card versions
Crimson Manticore - MTG Card versions
Márton Stromgald - MTG Card versions
Reckless Embermage - MTG Card versions
Wildfire Emissary - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Giant - MTG Card versions
Rathi Dragon - MTG Card versions
Mogg Bombers - MTG Card versions
Warmonger - MTG Card versions
Bloodfire Kavu - MTG Card versions
Whipkeeper - MTG Card versions
Anger - MTG Card versions
Nalathni Dragon - MTG Card versions
Everquill Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Goblin Goon - MTG Card versions
Lesser Gargadon - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions
Rocket-Powered Turbo Slug - MTG Card versions
Dragon Whelp - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Keldon Warlord - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Crimson Manticore - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Márton Stromgald - Ice Age (ICE)
Reckless Embermage - Mirage (MIR)
Wildfire Emissary - Mirage (MIR)
Flowstone Giant - Tempest (TMP)
Rathi Dragon - Tempest (TMP)
Mogg Bombers - Stronghold (STH)
Warmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Bloodfire Kavu - Apocalypse (APC)
Whipkeeper - Odyssey (ODY)
Anger - Judgment (JUD)
Nalathni Dragon - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Everquill Phoenix - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Goblin Goon - Legions (LGN)
Lesser Gargadon - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Krark-Clan Engineers - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Rocket-Powered Turbo Slug - Unhinged (UNH)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Leyline Tyrant MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Zendikar Rising, 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 Leyline Tyrant and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Leyline Tyrant Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-09-25 and 2020-09-25. Illustrated by Chase Stone.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 837762015normalblackChase Stone
22020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 3482015normalblackChase Stone
32020-09-25Zendikar RisingZNR 1472015normalblackChase Stone
42020-09-25Zendikar Rising PromosPZNR 147p2015normalblackChase Stone
52020-09-25Zendikar Rising PromosPZNR 147s2015normalblackChase Stone

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Leyline Tyrant has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-09-25 If a red mana you add to your mana pool has certain restrictions or riders associated with it (for example, if it was produced by Base Camp), they’ll apply to that mana no matter when you spend it.
2020-09-25 Leyline Tyrant’s last ability goes on the stack without a target. While that ability is resolving, you may pay any amount of red mana, including from the unspent mana you have. If you do, a second ability triggers and you pick one target to be dealt that much damage. This is different from abilities that say “If you do . . .” in that players may cast spells and activate abilities after mana is paid but before the damage is dealt.
2020-09-25 Once Leyline Tyrant leaves the battlefield, you have until the end of the current step or phase to spend whatever red mana is in your mana pool before it empties as normal. There is no penalty associated with this other than the loss of the mana.
2020-09-25 You can keep red mana in your mana pool indefinitely while Leyline Tyrant is on the battlefield. That means if you add a red mana to your mana pool during one step or phase, you can spend it during a later step or phase, or even a later turn. Other types of mana will continue to empty from your mana pool as each step and phase ends.

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