Enthralling Victor MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Warrior
Power 3
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Enthralling Victor can shift board control by commandeering creatures, impacting the game’s dynamic.
  2. The card’s precise mana cost may restrict deck flexibility, posing a challenge for optimal play.
  3. In decks with blink or sacrifice tactics, Enthralling Victor can repeatedly alter board states.

Text of card

When Enthralling Victor enters the battlefield, gain control of target creature an opponent controls with power 2 or less until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. (It can attack and this turn.)

If you stare at the sun for too long, you'll lose your ability to see clearly.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Enthralling Victor’s unique ability to take control of an opponent’s creature with power 2 or less can lead to an advantageous shift in board presence. This not only disrupts your opponent’s strategies but can also result in beneficial block or attack opportunities, ultimately providing an edge in card economy on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While Enthralling Victor doesn’t directly provide mana acceleration, its ability to temporarily steal a creature can potentially free up your mana. Instead of using resources to generate threats or answers, you can leverage an opponent’s creature to your advantage, saving your mana for critical plays later in the game.

Instant Speed: Although Enthralling Victor operates at sorcery speed, the immediate impact of its “enters the battlefield” effect can feel as sudden and disruptive as an instant. This allows for strategic planning around its activation, ensuring the timing of Victor’s ability aligns with the progression of your game plan, posing a surprise change in board state typical of instant speed interactions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Enthralling Victor does not mandate a discard, its requirement of controlling the board to gain advantage can feel similar to having to prioritize it over other crucial hand resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Enthralling Victor asks for a precise blend of mana, which includes two red mana. This could potentially be restrictive for multicolor decks aiming for a more flexible mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of four mana, Enthralling Victor competes with other four-drops in the game that may provide immediate impact or versatility, making it less appealing for decks that need to manage resources efficiently.


Reasons to Include Enthralling Victor in Your Collection

Versatility: Enthralling Victor is a unique card that offers more than just a creature on the board. Its ability to take control of an opponent’s creature with power 2 or less adds a layer of tactical play, fitting well in decks that focus on creature control or those looking for unexpected ways to swing games.

Combo Potential: When paired with sacrifice effects or blink strategies, Enthralling Victor can become a recurring source of board manipulation. This creates potential combos that can dismantle an opponent’s defenses or turn their assets into your advantage.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where many decks rely on utility creatures with low power, Enthralling Victor can be particularly effective. It challenges certain aggro or midrange decks by disrupting early game plays and can serve as a surprise factor in your deck, potentially shifting the tide of any match.


How to Beat Enthralling Victor

Enthralling Victor, a unique creature in MTG, comes with an ability that can temporarily snatch control of an opponent’s creature. When it enters the battlefield, this effect can sway the momentum in your favor, but it’s a one-time deal and only targets creatures with power 2 or less.

To counter this crafty card, consider using creatures with a power greater than 2 to avoid being enticed by Victor’s influence. Removal spells that can target Enthralling Victor before the ability triggers are also effective. Spells like Murder or Fatal Push will dispatch Victor quickly and prevent your board from being disrupted. Additionally, cards that grant hexproof to your creatures or those that can bounce Enthralling Victor back to its owner’s hand, like Unsummon or Vapor Snag, will negate the tempo advantage Victor seeks to gain.

Understanding that Enthralling Victor’s strength lies in its enter-the-battlefield effect, maintaining a board state resilient to such control-changing abilities, or having instant-speed interaction to respond to the Victor’s play, will diminish the impact this card can have on your game plan.


Cards like Enthralling Victor

Enthralling Victor makes a unique spectacle in the world of red creatures within Magic: The Gathering. A side-by-side glance at cards like Act of Treason reveals a shared theme – taking control of an opponent’s creature for a turn. Enthralling Victor, though, hinges on its own flair; it not only snatches a creature but requires it to have power 2 or less, combining control with selectivity.

Moving through the MTG roster, Zealous Conscripts expands on this concept. While the Conscripts can hijack any permanent, not just creatures, when it enters the battlefield, Enthralling Victor sticks to creatures but at a potentially lower cost and with a battlefield presence that’s less threatening, possibly flying under the radar.

Diving deeper, Besmirch offers the control aspect with the added benefit of goading, forcing the creature to attack the next turn. Nevertheless, Besmirch cannot bring a creature onto the battlefield, which is where Enthralling Victor shines by creating a switch in board advantage. In the realm of temporary creature control, Enthralling Victor serves as a nuanced option, offering strategic versatility for players seeking a more calculated approach to commandeering the battlefield.

Act of Treason - MTG Card versions
Zealous Conscripts - MTG Card versions
Besmirch - MTG Card versions
Act of Treason - Magic 2010 (M10)
Zealous Conscripts - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Besmirch - Conspiracy: Take the Crown (CN2)

Cards similar to Enthralling Victor 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
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Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions
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Dragon Whelp - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Keldon Warlord - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
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)
Ogre Taskmaster - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Enthralling Victor MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins and Masters 25, 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 Enthralling Victor and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Enthralling Victor Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2015-07-17 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Winona Nelson.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 1422015normalblackWinona Nelson
22018-03-16Masters 25A25 1292015normalblackWinona Nelson
32018-06-08BattlebondBBD 1762015normalblackWinona Nelson
42019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 9162015normalblackWinona Nelson
52020-09-26The ListPLST BBD-1762015normalblackWinona Nelson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Enthralling Victor has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-03-16 Enthralling Victor’s ability can target a creature that’s already untapped. You’ll still gain control of it and it will gain haste.
2018-03-16 Once Enthralling Victor’s ability resolves and you gain control of a creature, raising its power above 2 won’t cause you to lose control of it. Similarly, it doesn’t matter if Enthralling Victor leaves the battlefield or you lose control of Enthralling Victor. You’ll keep control of the creature that was the target of the ability until the end of the turn.

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