Ride Down MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides card advantage by saving creatures from destruction, keeping offensive momentum on the board.
  2. Enhances game pace without extra mana acceleration due to its creature removal and trample effect.
  3. Instant speed plays a crucial role in battle outcome, significantly influencing opponent’s strategies.

Text of card

Destroy target blocking creature. Creatures that were blocked by that creature this combat gain trample until end of turn.

"I will wash you from my hooves!" —Mardu taunt


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Ride Down may not directly allow you to draw cards, its effect can set you up to maintain card advantage by preventing your blocked creatures from being destroyed. It effectively turns a defensive situation into an offensive advantage, keeping your threats on the board and maintaining pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: Ride Down doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration in the form of additional lands or mana, but by ensuring your attacking creatures can potentially take out a blocker and deal damage to a player, it accelerates your path to victory. By removing a potential blocker from the equation, you maintain your board’s momentum, indirectly speeding up your game plan.

Instant Speed: The power of Ride Down lies in its instant speed, giving you the flexibility to decide how and when to engage it. This allows you to adapt to the flow of the game, using it as a combat trick to surprise your opponent and turn what looks like an unfavorable block into a favorable outcome. The threat of instant-speed interaction also causes opponents to play more cautiously, which can be advantageous in itself.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Unlike some combat tricks, Ride Down doesn’t have an additional discard requirement which is beneficial as you maintain hand advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Ride Down requires both red and white mana, which limits its integration to decks running these colors. Multi-colored mana costs can also pose a challenge when managing your mana base, especially in the early game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For two mana, Ride Down offers a creature removal and trample effect but in a format where low-cost spells are king, there might be alternatives that fit better in a deck looking for more cost-effective removal options.


Reasons to Include Ride Down in Your Collection

Versatility: Ride Down boasts the ability to shatter through defensive lines, offering aggressive decks a way to dismantle enemy blockers. Its spot in your deck enables your creatures to remain on the offense, even when up against formidable defense.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with tactics that involve combat tricks or need to clear a path for high-impact attackers to connect. It fits perfectly into strategies that reward you for dealing combat damage to a player, such as triggering raid abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based defensive strategies prevail, Ride Down can shift the battlefield in your favor. It’s a practical addition to your arsenal if your opponents are fond of using creatures to build a fortress around their life total.


How to beat

Ride Down is an intriguing tactical card known for turning blocked creatures into unexpected threats, making it a card that demands respect on the battlefield. To effectively neutralize this card, one must employ smart strategies that can anticipate its potential. The primary approach is to minimize the opportunity for Ride Down to be impactful. This means carefully considering which creatures to block, especially if your opponent’s mana indicates that Ride Down could be in play.

Maintain open mana for instant-speed removal or combat tricks that can disrupt or negate the effect of Ride Down, such as countering it or destroying the attacking creature before damage occurs. Another method involves the use of creatures with indestructible or those that can regenerate, allowing them to survive the destruction that Ride Down brings to the blocked creature.

Making sure to have a diverse range of answers in your deck can turn the tide against Ride Down, allowing you to keep control over the game’s flow and ultimately secure victory while your opponent is left with an ineffective card in hand.


BurnMana Recommendations

Ride Down has revealed itself as a versatile and strategic card that could be a game-changer in your MTG deck. Understanding its potential in aggressive strategies and its ability to break through your opponent’s defensive line is crucial. Whether you’re an experienced player or just starting out, implementing Ride Down could be your next step in becoming a formidable adversary at the table. For strategic insights, deck-building guidance, and more ways to harness the power of your MTG collection, embark with us on a journey to unlock the full potential of your arsenal. Learn more and turn your game around with BurnMana.


Cards like Ride Down

Ride Down is a notable combat trick within the MTG arsenal, comparable to other spells offering creatures an advantageous edge during battle. It shares some similarities with cards like Embercleave, which also allows creatures to bypass blockers and inflict damage directly. What sets Ride Down apart is its ability to destroy any blocking creature, stripping opponents of their defense, something Embercleave doesn’t do.

Another card to consider is the lesser-known skill, Flesh / Blood. While it doesn’t provide trample, it allows a player to apply a creature’s power as direct damage, akin to Ride Down’s direct approach. However, Ride Down is unique in granting your creature trample for the remainder of the battle, reinforcing its offensive capabilities beyond a single engagement.

Examining the strategic depth and combat influence, Ride Down emerges as a powerful option in the realm of MTG combat tricks. It efficiently combines removal with an attack boost, which can prove critical in tipping the scales of a tightly contested match. The utility and surprise factor make Ride Down a spell worth considering in decks that focus on combat and tactical creature plays.

Embercleave - MTG Card versions
Embercleave - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)

Cards similar to Ride Down by color, type and mana cost

Captain's Maneuver - MTG Card versions
Lightning Helix - MTG Card versions
Flamescroll Celebrant // Revel in Silence - MTG Card versions
Lantern Flare - MTG Card versions
Boros Charm - MTG Card versions
Double Cleave - MTG Card versions
Fight to the Death - MTG Card versions
Burning Oil - MTG Card versions
Shattering Blow - MTG Card versions
Aurelia's Fury - MTG Card versions
Martial Glory - MTG Card versions
Deflecting Palm - MTG Card versions
Justice Strike - MTG Card versions
Sacred Fire - MTG Card versions
Heartflame Duelist // Heartflame Slash - MTG Card versions
Inventory Management - MTG Card versions
Captain's Maneuver - Planechase (HOP)
Lightning Helix - Murders at Karlov Manor (MKM)
Flamescroll Celebrant // Revel in Silence - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Lantern Flare - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Boros Charm - Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander (ONC)
Double Cleave - Ultimate Masters (UMA)
Fight to the Death - Alara Reborn (ARB)
Burning Oil - Dark Ascension (DKA)
Shattering Blow - Gatecrash (GTC)
Aurelia's Fury - The List (PLST)
Martial Glory - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Deflecting Palm - Murders at Karlov Manor Commander (MKC)
Justice Strike - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)
Sacred Fire - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Heartflame Duelist // Heartflame Slash - Wilds of Eldraine (WOE)
Inventory Management - Fallout (PIP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ride Down MTG card by a specific set like Khans of Tarkir and Eldritch Moon, 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 Ride Down and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ride Down Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2014-09-26 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 1942015normalblackDaarken
22016-07-22Eldritch MoonEMN 1882015normalblackDavid Gaillet
32023-03-21Shadows over Innistrad RemasteredSIR 2412015normalblackDavid Gaillet

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ride Down has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-09-20 In some rare cases, the blocking creature wasn’t declared as a blocking creature that combat (for example, if it entered the battlefield blocking). In that case, the attacking creatures it was blocking won’t gain trample even though the blocking creature is destroyed.
2014-09-20 The attacking creatures that the destroyed creature was blocking remain blocked (even if no other creatures were blocking them). An attacking creature with trample that has no creature blocking it can deal its combat damage to the defending player or planeswalker.
2016-07-13 The attacking creatures that the destroyed creature was blocking remain blocked (even if no other creatures were blocking them). An attacking creature with trample that has no creature blocking it will deal its combat damage to the defending player or planeswalker.

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