Scalelord Reckoner MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Dragon
Abilities Flying
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Scalelord Reckoner grants card advantage by potentially removing an opponent’s permanent when a dragon is targeted.
  2. The card enhances resource acceleration indirectly, supporting dragon-themed decks and their growth.
  3. Its ability to act at instant speed interrupts opponent strategies, giving players a tactical edge.

Text of card

Flying Whenever a Dragon you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, destroy target nonland permanent that player controls.

The justice of dragons demands more than just an eye for an eye.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With the Scalelord Reckoner, retaliation triggers abound. When a dragon you control becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, you can undo their progress by destroying a target permanent that player controls. This is advantageous as it replaces a possible threat on the battlefield with a destroyed target, thus gaining you card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: The Scalelord Reckoner can fast-track your dragon-themed deck. The card itself might not produce additional resources, but its activation feeds a dragon’s growth or catalyzes spells that might demand dragons as a prerequisite. Thus, it indirectly contributes to ramping up your board presence over time, accelerating your resources.

Instant Speed: As a creature with reactive abilities that can instantly activate during your opponent’s turn, Scalelord Reckoner’s ability functions at the tempo of an instant spell. There’s nothing better than thwarting your opponent’s plans at instant speed while controlling a formidable dragon on your battlefield.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Scalelord Reckoner requires dropping a card from your hand, which can prove problematic if your reserves are running thin. This added cost is a hurdle you must overcome to reap the benefits of its abilities.

Specific Mana Cost: This powerful dragon comes with a specific white mana cost, which may restrict its inclusion to specific deck types. As such, flavors of the Reckoner might not jive with the colours of your managing deck.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost set at five, there are potentially more cost-effective cards within the MTG universe. The price might be justified by its potent abilities, but tamers of the multiverse should take note before welcoming Scalelord Reckoner into their dragon-clan.


Reasons to Include Scalelord Reckoner in Your Collection

Versatility: Scalelord Reckoner is adaptable to a myriad of deck types. Its protective feature against non-Dragon sources, combined with its ability to fight back with equal strength, provides dynamics for defense and offensive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card offers excellent synergy in dragon-themed or other creature-heavy decks, punishing opponents for targeting your creatures. It’s an effective tool for triggering powerful combo sequences and intensifying battlefield dynamics.

Meta-Relevance: Given the existence of a meta-game that highly revolves around creature-targeting cards, Scalelord Reckoner can pose significant danger to opponents’ strategies, making it a valuable addition for prevailing against meta-relevant decks.


How to Beat

Scalelord Reckoner is a unique entrant in the roster of dragon cards in Magic: The Gathering. Compared to other dragons, like Glorybringer or Dragonlord Ojutai, Scalelord makes its mark with its ability to deflect harm caused to it. Any time it’s targeted by spells or abilities your opponent controls, it lets you destroy target nonland permanent that player controls.

At a glance, it may seem formidable, but it’s beatable by avoiding targeting it directly. Utilize board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation, which affect all creatures and do not target specifically. Remember, it’s vital to out-manoeuvre Scalelord’s protective aura. Cards with Hexproof, like Asceticism, can make your creatures immune to Scalelord’s retaliatory elimination.

Building a strategy using creatures with abilities like Deathtouch can be beneficial too. Cards like Fatal Push, Tragic Slip, or even using effects that force sacrifice, like Liliana’s Triumph, helps overcome the Scalelord barrier.

In summary, to defeat Scalelord Reckoner, it’s essential to steer clear from direct targets, incorporate non-targeting removals, and harness creatures with deadly abilities. This tactical approach is your key to outplaying this formidable dragon in Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Scalelord Reckoner holds its ground as a formidable addition to any MTG collection, especially for those who command dragon-heavy decks. Its ability to disrupt opponent strategies with precision and power can turn the tide of any battle. The key is to integrate this mighty dragon into a well-structured deck that exploits its potential. Wise investment in this card can mean the difference between victory and defeat. Keen to find out how Scalelord Reckoner could become your secret weapon in MTG? Dive in with us and discover the strategies and deck builds that can truly unlock its power.


Cards like Scalelord Reckoner

A highlight in the Magic: The Gathering universe, Scalelord Reckoner is a potent card in the dragon collection. Its resemblance to fellow card Hellkite Tyrant is pronounced, given their shared dragon pedigree. Like Scalelord Reckoner, Hellkite Tyrant also brings interesting gameplay mechanics through the stealing of artifacts from opponents. Nevertheless, Scalelord Reckoner defines itself with its unique retribution property – launching damage back to adversaries.

In contrast, Lathliss, Dragon Queen is another card worth comparing. Although it shares the same dragon archetype and mana cost as Scalelord Reckoner, it notably comes with its dragon summoning capabilities offering an edge of increased battlefield presence.

We also come across Thunderbreak Regent. Engaged in the same vein of dragons, it commands a lower mana cost and its ability to cause damage whenever a dragon becomes a target shares an analogue to Scalelord Reckoner’s retaliation mechanism. However, it lacks the ability to dictate the source of its response unlike the Scalelord Reckoner.

In summary, while comparisons can be drawn, Scalelord Reckoner holds a distinctive position within its dragon peers, thanks to the balance it achieves between cost-effectiveness and tactical depth allowed by its unique abilities.

Hellkite Tyrant - MTG Card versions
Lathliss, Dragon Queen - MTG Card versions
Thunderbreak Regent - MTG Card versions
Hellkite Tyrant - MTG Card versions
Lathliss, Dragon Queen - MTG Card versions
Thunderbreak Regent - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scalelord Reckoner MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and Commander 2017, 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 Scalelord Reckoner and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Scalelord Reckoner Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2017-08-25. Illustrated by Even Amundsen.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 656892015NormalBlackEven Amundsen
22017-08-25Commander 2017C17 62015NormalBlackEven Amundsen

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Scalelord Reckoner has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2017-08-25 If the only nonland permanents on the battlefield are Scalelord Reckoners and Dragons controlled by players who control Scalelord Reckoners, any spell or ability that targets one of those Dragons will cause an infinite loop of triggered abilities and the game will immediately end in a draw.
2017-08-25 Scalelord Reckoner’s triggered ability resolves before the spell or ability that caused it to trigger. The ability will resolve even if that spell or ability is countered.

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