Legion Loyalist MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Goblin Soldier
Abilities Battalion,Haste
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Grants card advantage by weakening foes’ defense without needing extra draws.
  2. Cost-efficient for early battlefield presence, amplifying your combat power.
  3. Battalion ability offers surprising instant-speed-like benefits during attack.

Text of card

Haste Battalion — Whenever Legion Loyalist and at least two other creatures attack, creatures you control gain first strike and trample until end of turn and can't be blocked by creature tokens this turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Legion Loyalist might seem like a modest card at first glance, but it shines when you consider how it enables your other creatures. By giving them abilities that can cause multiple opponents’ creatures to be unable to block, it effectively grants card advantage by diminishing the defense potential of the opponent without needing to draw extra cards.

Resource Acceleration: This card can hit the battlefield early due to its one-mana cost, speeding up your deck’s aggression. While it doesn’t directly produce additional mana or tokens, it boosts the combat capabilities of your other creatures, which can lead to a quicker victory, effectively economizing the resources you have.

Instant Speed: Legion Loyalist itself is not an instant, but it brings instant-speed-like benefits to the table. Its battalion ability can trigger unexpectedly during the declare attackers step, allowing your units to overcome an opposing line with effects that are usually associated with instant speed spells. This surprise factor can catch opponents off guard and swing games in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While this card doesn’t have a discard requirement, players often compare it to other cards in the same cost range that do demand such a tradeoff, which can deter players from maximizing their hand potential.

Specific Mana Cost: Legion Loyalist requires red mana for its casting, which might not blend seamlessly into multi-color or non-red centric deck builds, potentially limiting its versatility across various deck strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its potential to turn a game around with battalion-triggered abilities, some players argue that its cost is steep for a 1/1 creature. When considering the mana invested, there are cases where a player might seek a more impactful creature or spell to influence the game’s state.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Legion Loyalist is a powerful addition to any aggressive deck strategy, capable of leading a battalion charge that makes your army nearly unstoppable. With abilities that deny enemy tokens from blocking and granting your creatures first strike and trample, it’s an asset in a variety of red-centered builds.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes excellently with token-generating cards to quickly meet its battalion trigger. Pair it with cards that multiply your attacking creatures, and watch as your adversaries struggle against a relentless onslaught.

Meta-Relevance: Given its low mana cost and high impact on the battlefield, Legion Loyalist remains a relevant choice even as the meta shifts. It’s particularly potent in formats where quick, creature-heavy strategies dominate, enabling critical attacks that can swiftly tilt the game in your favor.


How to beat

Legion Loyalist is a card that can drastically shift the tide of battle in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to grant your creatures first strike, trample, and the capacity to bypass token defenses with the battalion trigger, can make it a formidable opponent on the battlefield. To effectively counter it, there are several strategies you might employ.

Firstly, removal spells are your best defense. Instant-speed removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can take out the Loyalist before its battalion ability triggers. You should keep mana open to react to your opponent’s attacks, especially if you suspect the Loyalist might lead a charge. Board wipes like Wrath of God can also reset the playing field, eliminating the Loyalist along with other creatures poised to attack.

Another tactic is to limit the number of creatures your opponent controls. Since Legion Loyalist requires at least two other attackers to trigger battalion, keeping their battlefield presence to a minimum will negate the Loyalist’s advantage. Containment spells or effects that lock down potential attackers can also curb the tide of an incoming battalion.

Combining these approaches can help ensure that the impacts of Legion Loyalist are kept in check, preserving your defenses and allowing you to regain control in your MTG matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the synergies and tactical plays that make Legion Loyalist a staple in your aggressive MTG decks. As a one-drop with battalion prowess, this card can lead your assault, paving the way for an overwhelming victory. Understanding its strengths and limitations enhances your gameplay and deck-building strategies. Don’t let the subtle might of this warrior slip through your collection – its capacity to amplify your attacks could be the edge you need. Embrace the full potential of Legion Loyalist and let it rally your creatures to glory. Discover more insights and elevate your MTG experience with us.


Cards like Legion Loyalist

Legion Loyalist boasts a unique mix of abilities that make it stand out in the crowd of one-drop creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It bears similarities with creatures like Goblin Guide and Monastery Swiftspear for its haste and combat-focused benefits. While Goblin Guide ensures immediate impact with its hasty attacks, it doesn’t affect other creatures the way Legion Loyalist does with its battalion ability which can give creatures you control “First strike” and “Trample”.

Comparatively, Monastery Swiftspear’s prowess ability allows it to grow stronger with each noncreature spell cast, offering a more individual advantage, unlike the group combat benefits provided by Legion Loyalist’s ability to thwart potential blockers with its “Can’t be blocked by creature tokens” trait. In the realm of red one-drops, Foundry Street Denizen also comes to mind, which gets a power boost whenever another red creature enters the battlefield. Yet, it pales in interaction effects in comparison to the synergistic battlefield control provided by Legion Loyalist.

Despite these similarities, what sets Legion Loyalist apart is the multiplicative value it provides in a creature-heavy deck, making it a force to be reckoned with during multi-creature attacks, solidifying its unique space among aggressive one-drop creatures in the game.

Goblin Guide - MTG Card versions
Monastery Swiftspear - MTG Card versions
Foundry Street Denizen - MTG Card versions
Goblin Guide - Grand Prix Promos (PGPX)
Monastery Swiftspear - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Foundry Street Denizen - Gatecrash (GTC)

Cards similar to Legion Loyalist by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Balloon Brigade - MTG Card versions
Mons's Goblin Raiders - MTG Card versions
Hurr Jackal - MTG Card versions
Goblin Digging Team - MTG Card versions
Primordial Ooze - MTG Card versions
Goblin Artisans - MTG Card versions
Gorilla Shaman - MTG Card versions
Goblin Swine-Rider - MTG Card versions
Orcish Conscripts - MTG Card versions
Mountain Goat - MTG Card versions
Roc Hatchling - MTG Card versions
Jackal Pup - MTG Card versions
Mogg Fanatic - MTG Card versions
Flailing Soldier - MTG Card versions
Branded Brawlers - MTG Card versions
Scarred Puma - MTG Card versions
Grim Lavamancer - MTG Card versions
Enslaved Dwarf - MTG Card versions
Kessig Wolfrider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Guide - MTG Card versions
Goblin Balloon Brigade - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Mons's Goblin Raiders - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Hurr Jackal - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Goblin Digging Team - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Primordial Ooze - Chronicles (CHR)
Goblin Artisans - Rinascimento (RIN)
Gorilla Shaman - Coldsnap Theme Decks (CST)
Goblin Swine-Rider - Visions (VIS)
Orcish Conscripts - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Mountain Goat - Portal (POR)
Roc Hatchling - Weatherlight (WTH)
Jackal Pup - The List (PLST)
Mogg Fanatic - Tenth Edition (10E)
Flailing Soldier - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Branded Brawlers - Prophecy (PCY)
Scarred Puma - Invasion (INV)
Grim Lavamancer - Torment (TOR)
Enslaved Dwarf - Torment (TOR)
Kessig Wolfrider - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Goblin Guide - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Legion Loyalist MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash and GRN Guild Kit, 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 Legion Loyalist and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Legion Loyalist Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2013-02-01 and 2018-11-02. Illustrated by Eric Deschamps.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-02-01GatecrashGTC 972003normalblackEric Deschamps
22018-11-02GRN Guild KitGK1 822015normalblackEric Deschamps

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Legion Loyalist has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2013-04-15 Once a battalion ability has triggered, it doesn’t matter how many creatures are still attacking when that ability resolves.
2013-04-15 The effects of battalion abilities vary from card to card. Read each card carefully.
2013-04-15 The three attacking creatures don’t have to be attacking the same player or planeswalker.

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