Ornery Dilophosaur MTG Card
2020-07-03 - Number 194
2022-12-02 - Number 700
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Dinosaur |
| Abilities | Deathtouch |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Ornery Dilophosaur pressures opponents, indirectly leading to card advantage through strategic combat.
- While not a mana ramp card, it can dissuade enemy attacks, subtly aiding in resource preservation.
- Its enrage ability can be cleverly triggered on either player’s turn for defensive or offensive plays.
Text of card
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.) Whenever Ornery Dilophosaur attacks, if you control a creature with power 4 or greater, Ornery Dilophosaur gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While the Ornery Dilophosaur might not draw cards directly, it forces your opponent to either deal with it or risk losing creatures in combat, effectively pressuring their resources and can lead to card advantage indirect ways.
Resource Acceleration: The dino does not produce additional mana or tokens, but its presence can deter opponents from attacking, preserving your mana sources and potentially giving you a subtle lead in the race to deploy your hand.
Instant Speed: This particular dinosaur operates at sorcery speed, but its enrage ability can be triggered during either player’s turn if it takes damage. This means you can leverage instant speed spells to purposely activate its effect at a moment most inconvenient for your opponent.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Ornery Dilophosaur comes with the strategy shaping necessity of discarding another card. For players running low on hand options, this can significantly hinder their game plan by reducing their available plays for upcoming turns.
Specific Mana Cost: With a requirement for green mana, Ornery Dilophosaur is better suited for mono-green or two-color decks that can reliably provide the necessary resources. In multicolored or color-scarce environments, casting this creature might present a challenge.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At four mana for a 4/4 creature, the card’s cost-effectiveness can be questioned when compared to other options within the same mana range. While it does offer an Enrage ability, other creatures in the mana curve may provide greater board impact or less restrictive conditions for their power.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Ornery Dilophosaur provides a steadfast presence in green decks that favor aggressive strategies. Its enrage mechanic can turn the tide of a game, making it a flexible choice for your creature lineup.
Combo Potential: This dinosaur’s ability can be a tactical asset, especially when combined with cards that deal damage to your own creatures, enhancing both its attack potential and your overall board state.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta filled with creature-based strategies, Ornery Dilophosaur can act as both an early-game threat and a defensive asset. Its presence on the board is significant in ensuring your deck adapts and thrives against current trends.
How to beat
The Ornery Dilophosaur card adds an intriguing dynamic to creature plays within the world of Magic: The Gathering. This dinosaur offers a notable challenge with its enrage ability, which can deter attackers and affect the flow of combat. However, strategies exist to effectively navigate this obstacle and maintain a strong presence on the battlefield.
Direct removal spells are a reliable method for dealing with the Ornery Dilophosaur. Utilizing spells that can bypass its enrage trigger, such as “Doom Blade” or “Path to Exile”, ensures the creature is dealt with swiftly and without its ability causing additional complications. Another tactic involves managing combat scenarios to either bypass the creature with flying or unblockable creatures, or to set up trades that negate the enrage ability altogether. Board control is key when facing a card like this, as is maintaining a diverse range of threats that can adapt to whatever defenses your opponent assembles.
In essence, the Ornery Dilophosaur demands respect on the board, but can be tamed with thoughtful strategy and careful card selection. Knowing when and how to engage it is crucial in pronouncing your dominance in the game.
Cards like Ornery Dilophosaur
The Ornery Dilophosaur is a unique creature card in the MTG universe that boasts a powerful enrage ability. When comparing it to other creatures with enrage, like Ranging Raptors, we see that the Dilophosaur can potentially deal more damage to opponents, while the Raptors focus on mana ramp by allowing you to search for a land. Another dinosaur worth mentioning is the Ripjaw Raptor, which brings a card draw benefit to the table each time it is dealt damage, contrasting with the Dilophosaur’s damage-based approach to opponents’ creatures.
Moreover, the Ornery Dilophosaur has a synergy with various damage amplifiers in the game, such as Marauding Raptor, which not only triggers its enrage but also boosts its power. This strategic combination can escalate the board presence faster than other similar creatures. The choice between Ornery Dilophosaur and these other creatures ultimately comes down to a player’s specific strategy and whether the goal is to accumulate resources or to aggressively control the battlefield.
Their differences offer distinct tactical advantages and show the variety available within the enrage mechanic space. The Ornery Dilophosaur fits neatly into a niche that favors aggressive tactics alongside more resource-focused dinosaurs in the MTG ecosystem.
Cards similar to Ornery Dilophosaur by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ornery Dilophosaur MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2021 and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Ornery Dilophosaur and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Ornery Dilophosaur Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-07-03 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Jonathan Kuo.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2020-07-03 | Core Set 2021 | M21 | 194 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jonathan Kuo | |
| 2 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 700 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jonathan Kuo |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ornery Dilophosaur has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ornery Dilophosaur card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-06-23 | If Ornery Dilophosaur's power is raised to 4 or greater, its ability triggers when it attacks. |
| 2020-06-23 | If you don't control a creature with power 4 or greater immediately after Ornery Dilophosaur attacks, its ability doesn't trigger. If you don't control one as the ability resolves, it has no effect. It doesn't have to be the same creature at both times, however. |
| 2020-06-23 | Once Ornery Dilophosaur's ability has resolved, it keeps +2/+2 for the rest of the turn even if you no longer control a creature with power 4 or greater. |
| 2020-06-23 | Ornery Dilophosaur gets just +2/+2, no matter how many creatures you control with power 4 or greater. |
