Lathnu Sailback MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Lizard
Power 5
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Substantial power allows it to trade with multiple creatures, indirectly influencing board quality.
  2. Sorcery-speed casting makes Lathnu Sailback an immediate and unavoidable threat each turn.
  3. Specific mana cost limits flexibility, but affirms a strong presence in red-oriented decks.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: N/A – While Lathnu Sailback doesn’t directly contribute to card advantage, it could potentially trade with more than one creature in combat thanks to its substantial power, indirectly impacting card quality on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: N/A – Lathnu Sailback doesn’t offer traditional mana acceleration or resource production. However, as a standalone threat, it allows you to maintain mana for other spells and strategies, focusing on the development of your board presence without requiring immediate additional resources.

Instant Speed: N/A – This creature is cast at sorcery speed, which means it does not have the flexibility of instant speed spells. However, it can impact the board as soon as it’s your turn again, making it an immediate threat that must be dealt with by your opponent.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Lathnu Sailback doesn’t exactly ask players to discard cards. However, this absence of a discard effect provides no advantage in strategies that capitalize on discarding as a benefit, limiting its synergy in such decks.

Specific Mana Cost: Lathnu Sailback requires a specific mana arrangement of four generic and one red mana. This can be restrictive since it necessitates a red mana source, potentially limiting its inclusion to just red or red-inclusive multicolor decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total cost of five mana, Lathnu Sailback’s simple 5/4 body may not line up well against other creatures or spells at a similar mana value. Players might find more impactful cards with additional abilities for this amount of mana investiture, making Lathnu Sailback less favorable in a competitive environment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lathnu Sailback can adapt to various red-centric deck builds which appreciate a solid and straightforward creature with substantial power. Its uncomplicated playstyle fits well into decks that are not overly reliant on complex synergies.

Combo Potential: While the Sailback may not appear combo-centric at first glance, its substantial power for cost allows it to synergize with strategies emphasizing Ferocious or Formidable mechanics, which require creatures with power 4 or greater.

Meta-Relevance: In a landscape where high-toughness blockers are common, Lathnu Sailback, with its 5 power, proves to be a formidable threat that demands an answer—making it a noteworthy choice for sideboards or main decks within creature-heavy red archetypes.


How to beat

Lathnu Sailback, a formidable creature in Magic: The Gathering, poses a significant threat on the battlefield with its impressive 5/4 stat line for a mere five mana. When facing this formidable lizard, it’s essential to neutralize it swiftly to prevent potential damage to your life total or key creatures. One effective strategy is to deploy removal spells like Murder or Fatal Push that can dispatch the Sailback regardless of its size. Control decks could rely on counterspells like Cancel or Essence Scatter to prevent the creature from hitting the board in the first place.

Alternatively, combat tricks involving instant-speed buffs or de-buffs can turn the tides during combat, ensuring your creatures survive while bringing down the Sailback. It’s also worth considering blockers with reach or flying attributes, which can effectively block the Sailback without taking it out of play and can deter your opponent from attacking. With proper planning and a toolkit of interactive spells or sturdy blockers, Lathnu Sailback’s threat can be efficiently contained, allowing you to maintain control of the game and eventually lead you to victory.


Cards like Lathnu Sailback

Exploring the landscape of formidable creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, Lathnu Sailback stands as a viable choice for players seeking sizeable power without an extravagant mana cost. With its significant 5/4 stats, it’s akin to other formidable creatures like Rumbling Baloth, which also offers a solid 4/4 body. However, Lathnu Sailback has a slight edge in power, potentially leading to more impactful plays on the battlefield.

Analyzing other red creatures, we stumble upon the Berserkers of Blood Ridge. While they have an ability to engage multiple blockers, they fall short in power and toughness, at 4/4, compared to our Lathnu Sailback. This detail can often pivot the tide in battle. Additionally, we observe the Shivan Dragon, a long-time red favorite, which, although more versatile with its flying ability and power enhancement, demands a much higher mana investment – making Lathnu Sailback a more accessible option for early to mid-game pressure.

Ultimately, when weighing the advantages of different creatures within Magic: The Gathering, Lathnu Sailback is notable for its cost-effective blend of power and toughness that can assert dominance early on, demanding an answer from opponents well before the late-game titans enter the fray.

Rumbling Baloth - MTG Card versions
Berserkers of Blood Ridge - MTG Card versions
Shivan Dragon - MTG Card versions
Rumbling Baloth - Magic 2014 (M14)
Berserkers of Blood Ridge - Magic 2010 (M10)
Shivan Dragon - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Lathnu Sailback by color, type and mana cost

Fire Elemental - MTG Card versions
Earth Elemental - MTG Card versions
Eron the Relentless - MTG Card versions
Balduvian War-Makers - MTG Card versions
Hivis of the Scale - MTG Card versions
Hulking Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Flame Spirit - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Salamander - MTG Card versions
Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions
Ravaging Horde - MTG Card versions
Covetous Dragon - MTG Card versions
Thundering Giant - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Strike Force - MTG Card versions
Savage Firecat - MTG Card versions
Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions
Tephraderm - MTG Card versions
Avarax - MTG Card versions
Bonethorn Valesk - MTG Card versions
Frost Ogre - MTG Card versions
Heartless Hidetsugu - MTG Card versions
Fire Elemental - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Earth Elemental - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Eron the Relentless - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Balduvian War-Makers - Alliances (ALL)
Hivis of the Scale - Mirage (MIR)
Hulking Cyclops - Visions (VIS)
Flame Spirit - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Flowstone Salamander - Tempest (TMP)
Ma Chao, Western Warrior - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Ravaging Horde - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Covetous Dragon - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Thundering Giant - Tenth Edition (10E)
Dwarven Strike Force - Odyssey (ODY)
Savage Firecat - Odyssey (ODY)
Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Tephraderm - Onslaught (ONS)
Avarax - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Bonethorn Valesk - Scourge (SCG)
Frost Ogre - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Heartless Hidetsugu - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lathnu Sailback MTG card by a specific set like Aether Revolt and Kaladesh Remastered, 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 Lathnu Sailback and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Lathnu Sailback Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-01-20 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by Christopher Burdett.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-01-20Aether RevoltAER 892015normalblackChristopher Burdett
22020-11-12Kaladesh RemasteredKLR 1352015normalblackChristopher Burdett

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lathnu Sailback has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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