Pride of Lions MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Cat
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Pride of Lions prompts unfavorable trades, offering significant early card advantage by maintaining board presence.
  2. The card demands immediate answers, hastening opponent resource depletion and intensifying match tension.
  3. Its distinctive combat damage ability makes it a robust asset in decks that focus on direct damage tactics.

Text of card

You may have Pride of Lions deal its combat damage to defending player as though it weren't blocked.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the biggest benefits of playing with Pride of Lions in your deck is that it often forces your opponent to make unfavorable trades. Being able to deal damage during combat whether it’s blocked or not can lead to early card advantage by whittling down your opponent’s creatures while maintaining board presence.

Resource Acceleration: While this high-powered creature does not directly provide mana acceleration, its sheer presence on the battlefield accelerates your ability to pressure your opponent’s resources. By demanding answers or risking substantial damage, it effectively speeds up the rate at which you deplete your adversary’s defensive options.

Instant Speed: Though Pride of Lions itself does not operate at instant speed, its ability to create a constant threat of damage complements strategies involving instant speed spells and effects. The need for opponents to constantly be wary of its combat damage capabilities allows you to play your instants with greater leverage, often dictating the pace of interactions during combat phases.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Some players find the discard requirement a downside when playing Pride of Lions. Having to let go of potentially useful cards to achieve an attack that doesn’t deplete your hand can be a tough call on the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: Pride of Lions comes with a specific mana cost that includes both green mana and generic mana. This cost may pose a limitation for decks that are not heavily invested in green or those that struggle with mana flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of five, including two green, Pride of Lions’ ability to deal damage as though it weren’t blocked can be costly. For the same mana investment, players might find other creatures or spells with more immediate board impact or versatility.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pride of Lions offers a unique advantage as it can deliver damage directly to an opponent, regardless of whether it’s blocked or not. This trait allows it to fit smoothly into decks that capitalize on direct damage strategies.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that increase its power or provide additional combat phases, Pride of Lions can become a significant threat, offering multiple opportunities to bypass an opponent’s defenses and deal substantial damage.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s heavy on creature-based defenses, Pride of Lions shines brightly. Its ability to push damage through the toughest blockers makes it a game-changer, tipping the scales in matchups that would normally stall with a crowded battlefield.


How to beat

The Pride of Lions is a notable creature card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, prized for its ability to deal damage to a player even when blocked. This means once it attacks, the opponent will feel the lion’s bite regardless of their defenses. However, like all cards, it has its vulnerabilities. To counter this ferocious feline, it’s good strategy to remove it before it can attack. Instant speed removal spells like Doom Blade or Path to Exile offer clean and efficient solutions, taking the Pride of Lions off the board with minimal fuss. Alternatively, counter spells like Cancel also work effectively by preventing the lion from ever entering the battlefield in the first place.

Another tactic is to utilize control elements to limit the card’s impact. Ensnaring cards that keep the Pride of Lions tapped, such as Frost Lynx, or enchantments that pacify it, like Pacifism, can neutralize the threat without having to remove it from the battlefield directly. In a game where tempo and board presence are key, knowing when and how to deal with creatures like Pride of Lions can be the difference between victory and defeat.


Cards like Pride of Lions

The Pride of Lions is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, which shares some similarities with other formidable beastly cards in the MTG arena. Like Pride of Lions, the card Thicket Crasher also offers an impactful presence on the battlefield. Both creatures can swing the momentum in your favor, but Pride of Lions pushes it further with its ability to deal combat damage to a player even if it’s blocked, ensuring damage goes through no matter what stands in its way.

Another similar creature enchantment is Aggressive Instinct, which grants a comparable benefit in terms of damage. While not a creature itself, it imbues one with the power to deal damage as though it weren’t blocked, mimicking the assertive impact of Pride of Lions. The flexibility of becoming unblockable like Phantom Warrior also hints at the strategic importance of guaranteed damage in MTG. However, Phantom Warrior doesn’t inherently deal its damage when blocked, which accentuates the distinct and aggressive nature of Pride of Lions.

In the ecosystem of MTG, where every card’s ability can turn the tide, Pride of Lions stands out by assuring that its presence will be felt with its relentless damage potential, setting a standard for what players expect from high-potency offensive creatures.

Thicket Crasher - MTG Card versions
Aggressive Instinct - MTG Card versions
Phantom Warrior - MTG Card versions
Thicket Crasher - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Aggressive Instinct - Treasure Chest (PZ2)
Phantom Warrior - Portal (POR)

Cards similar to Pride of Lions by color, type and mana cost

Thicket Basilisk - MTG Card versions
Cockatrice - MTG Card versions
Ironroot Treefolk - MTG Card versions
Elvish Bard - MTG Card versions
Durkwood Boars - MTG Card versions
Redwood Treefolk - MTG Card versions
Spined Wurm - MTG Card versions
Rabid Wolverines - MTG Card versions
Deadly Insect - MTG Card versions
Vintara Elephant - MTG Card versions
Spring-Leaf Avenger - MTG Card versions
Primeval Force - MTG Card versions
Spitting Spider - MTG Card versions
Copperhoof Vorrac - MTG Card versions
Tel-Jilad Lifebreather - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Bramble Elemental - MTG Card versions
Indrik Stomphowler - MTG Card versions
Golgari Grave-Troll - MTG Card versions
Kavu Climber - MTG Card versions
Thicket Basilisk - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Cockatrice - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Ironroot Treefolk - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Elvish Bard - Alliances (ALL)
Durkwood Boars - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Redwood Treefolk - Weatherlight (WTH)
Spined Wurm - Stronghold (STH)
Rabid Wolverines - Exodus (EXO)
Deadly Insect - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Vintara Elephant - Prophecy (PCY)
Spring-Leaf Avenger - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Primeval Force - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Spitting Spider - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Copperhoof Vorrac - Mirrodin (MRD)
Tel-Jilad Lifebreather - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Llanowar Behemoth - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Bramble Elemental - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Indrik Stomphowler - Commander 2015 (C15)
Golgari Grave-Troll - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Kavu Climber - Masters 25 (A25)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pride of Lions MTG card by a specific set like Starter 1999 and Seventh Edition, 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 Pride of Lions and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Pride of Lions Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1999-07-01 and 2011-09-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11999-07-01Starter 1999S99 1391997normalwhiteCarl Critchlow
22001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 261★1997normalblackGary Ruddell
32001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 2611997normalwhiteGary Ruddell
42011-09-02Duel Decks: Ajani vs. Nicol BolasDDH 192003normalblackCarl Critchlow

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pride of Lions has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-04-27 If blocked by a creature with banding, the defending player decides whether or not the damage is assigned “as though it weren’t blocked”.
2018-04-27 When assigning combat damage, you choose whether you want to assign all damage to blocking creatures, or if you want to assign all of it to the player or planeswalker this creature is attacking. You can’t split the damage assignment between them.
2018-04-27 You can decide to assign damage to the defending player or planeswalker even if the blocking creature has protection from green or damage preventing effects on it.

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