Outrider of Jhess MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Knight |
| Abilities | Exalted |
| Released | 2008-10-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Shards of Alara |
| Set code | ALA |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 52 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Alan Pollack |
Key Takeaways
- Provides card advantage through aggressive play, pressuring opponents to respond and potentially yielding resource gain.
- Efficient resource utilization due to its low casting cost, accelerating gameplay and allowing strategic mana reservation.
- Limited versatility and higher mana demands when compared with other cards can influence its effectiveness in a deck.
Text of card
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
The island nation of Jhess is under constant siege from Valeron on the mainland. Riders traverse the coastline, always on the lookout for sails or aven.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Outrider of Jhess has the potential to generate card advantage over time. Since it encourages aggressive strategies, it forces card action from your opponent, which can lead to a net gain in card resources as they respond to your threats.
Resource Acceleration: Although the Outrider of Jhess does not directly provide resource acceleration, its low casting cost contributes to efficient resource utilization. This can accelerate your game plan by allowing you to deploy other threats or hold mana for responses sooner in the game.
Instant Speed: While the Outrider of Jhess itself isn’t an instant, it benefits from the flexibility of instant speed spells in your arsenal. By committing to the board early, you preserve mana for the instant speed interactions that can protect your creatures or disrupt your opponent’s plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Outrider of Jhess demands players to let go of a precious card in their hands as part of its casting cost. This can backfire at critical moments when holding onto each card counts, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage if your hand is already running thin.
Specific Mana Cost: The need to pay a very particular combination of mana to cast the Outrider can be restrictive. It is specially tuned for a blue and black deck, which may not seamlessly fit into a multitude of deck strategies thereby limiting its versatility across broader deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Investing a total of four mana could be quite demanding, considering what the Outrider of Jhess offers to the battlefield. Other creatures or spells available could provide a similar or better impact for the same, if not a lower mana investment, potentially making this card a less appealing choice when building an efficient deck.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Outrider of Jhess can effortlessly slide into various deck builds due to its straightforward mana cost and the fact that it’s a solid creature card. It can serve as an effective blocker, as well as a reliable source of damage due to its islandwalk ability, which generally makes it unblockable if your opponent controls an island.
Combo Potential: With islandwalk, Outrider of Jhess has the potential to synergize well with cards that turn your opponent’s lands into islands, ensuring it remains unblockable. This combo can become a strategic component of a blue-centered deck that aims to manipulate battlefield conditions in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where blue decks or those with island lands are prominent, Outrider of Jhess gains increased significance. This creature can bypass enemy lines and deal damage consistently, making it a valuable asset in specific metagames.
How to beat Outrider of Jhess
Outrider of Jhess is a versatile creature in Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to outpace opponents with exalted, boosting itself or other single attackers during your combat phase. However, like all cards, there are ways to strategically outmaneuver it. The immediate method is utilizing removal spells, directly targeting the Outrider before it gains momentum. Spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile are perfect for dealing swiftly with the threat at a low mana cost.
Another effective tactic is to take advantage of the card’s inability to buff multiple attackers. By fielding several creatures, you dilute the impact of the Outrider’s exalted ability, outclassing it in combat. Cards that summon multiple tokens, such as Raise the Alarm, can quickly create an army larger than what Outrider of Jhess can handle alone. Finally, remember that Outrider’s strength is in aggressive decks; utilizing control elements can stifle its effectiveness. Counterspells, board wipes, or life-gain spells can all disrupt the tempo of decks relying on the Outrider, ultimately helping you to maintain the upper hand in the match.
In essence, carefully timing your removals, widening your battlefield presence with numerous creatures, and applying control tactics are key in turning the tide against the Outrider of Jhess, ensuring your victory in the strategic depths of Magic: The Gathering.
Cards like Outrider of Jhess
Outrider of Jhess is a notable card for Magic: The Gathering players, particularly those who favor creature-based decks. This creature card is somewhat akin to others like Oreskos Swiftclaw, both having power-driven edges. Outrider of Jhess, however, has the added tactical flexibility of its Exalted ability, enabling it to boost another attacking creature, which Oreskos Swiftclaw lacks. This makes Outrider of Jhess a strong option in decks that strategize around single-attack boosts.
Frontline Sage can also be compared to Outrider of Jhess due to its Exalted ability. While Frontline Sage offers Exalted with the added benefit of drawing a card when it’s activated for a level-up, Outrider of Jhess provides a higher power level, suiting those looking for a more aggressive playstyle. Sighted-Caste Sorcerer is another Exalted card but focuses on defense, providing a handy option for those who need a defensive creature that can still contribute to an Exalted strategy.
Overall, Outrider of Jhess stands out with its balance of Exalted utility and raw power, providing strategic advantages in MTG decks designed to maximize the impact of each attacking creature.
Cards similar to Outrider of Jhess by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Outrider of Jhess MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara, 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 Outrider of Jhess 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Outrider of Jhess has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Outrider of Jhess card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | Exalted abilities will resolve before blockers are declared. |
| 2008-10-01 | Exalted bonuses last until end of turn. If an effect creates an additional combat phase during your turn, a creature that attacked alone during the first combat phase will still have its exalted bonuses in that new phase. If a creature attacks alone during the second combat phase, all your exalted abilities will trigger again. |
| 2008-10-01 | If you attack with multiple creatures, but then all but one are removed from combat, your exalted abilities won’t trigger. |
| 2008-10-01 | If you declare exactly one creature as an attacker, each exalted ability on each permanent you control (including, perhaps, the attacking creature itself) will trigger. The bonuses are given to the attacking creature, not to the permanent with exalted. Ultimately, the attacking creature will wind up with +1/+1 for each of your exalted abilities. |
| 2008-10-01 | In a Two-Headed Giant game, a creature “attacks alone” if it’s the only creature declared as an attacker by your entire team. If you control that attacking creature, your exalted abilities will trigger but your teammate’s exalted abilities won’t. |
| 2008-10-01 | Some effects put creatures onto the battlefield attacking. Since those creatures were never declared as attackers, they’re ignored by exalted abilities. They won’t cause exalted abilities to trigger. If any exalted abilities have already triggered (because exactly one creature was declared as an attacker), those abilities will resolve as normal even though there may now be multiple attackers. |
