Zodiac Dragon MTG Card
1999-05-01 - Number 131
2009-09-07 - Number 112
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 9 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Dragon |
| Power | 8 |
| Toughness | 8 |
Key Takeaways
- Zodiac Dragon ensures repeated play with its recursion ability, maintaining pressure on opponents.
- While versatile in certain decks, it’s restricted by color specificity and high mana cost.
- Despite its strengths, exile effects or graveyard shuffling can effectively counter Zodiac Dragon.
Text of card
If Zodiac Dragon is put into your graveyard, you may return Zodiac Dragon to your hand.
". . . The kingdoms three are now the stuff of dream, / For men to ponder, past all praise or blame."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Zodiac Dragon has a powerful recursion ability that returns it to your hand if it’s put into your graveyard from the battlefield. This ensures a persistent threat and maintains pressure on your opponent’s resources while continually replenishing your strategic options.
Resource Acceleration: Although Zodiac Dragon itself doesn’t directly provide mana, its consistency in returning to your hand can be capitalized on through various sacrifice and discard outlets, effectively becoming a reusable asset for generating triggers and potentially mana.
Instant Speed: While Zodiac Dragon is a creature and not an instant, the ability to re-obtain it from the graveyard can lead to spontaneous strategies. Indirectly, this could affect how your opponent plays, knowing that the Zodiac Dragon could be redeployed any time it returns to your hand, which could lead to on-the-fly resource management and play adaptations.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Zodiac Dragon’s unique ability to return to your hand from the graveyard can backfire if opponents use graveyard disruption tactics. This can force you into discarding the card prematurely and losing out on its potential.
Specific Mana Cost: This mighty creature comes with a very particular set of colored mana requirements that can be difficult to fulfill outside of dedicated two-color or Dragon-themed decks, potentially restricting its versatility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The substantial investment of nine mana to cast Zodiac Dragon can be a significant drawback. Given its high cost, it competes with other high-impact cards which could be played earlier or have a more immediate effect on the game.
Reasons to Include Zodiac Dragon in Your Collection
Versatility: Zodiac Dragon’s unique ability to return to your hand from the graveyard when it dies makes it an enduring presence in the game. This trait allows it to be a consistent threat across various deck types, particularly those that capitalize on creature recursion or sacrifice mechanics.
Combo Potential: This card shines in combination setups, providing a recurrent creature for sacrifice-based strategies or as a reliable way to garner favor with numerous dragon synergies and effects that trigger on creatures entering or leaving the battlefield.
Meta-Relevance: Within a meta teeming with removal spells, Zodiac Dragon’s resilience can turn the tide of attrition wars. Its inherent ability to circumvent one of the most common forms of interaction bolsters its significance in the ever-evolving battlefield of Magic the Gathering.
How to beat
Zodiac Dragon stands out with its impressive resilience in the realm of Magic: The Gathering. An iconic creature from the Portal Three Kingdoms set, this dragon is a formidable presence on the battlefield. When Zodiac Dragon is put into the graveyard from play, it returns to its owner’s hand, making it a constant threat that can be difficult to permanently remove.
To effectively counter this recurring menace, players need to rely on exile effects or cards that force a player to shuffle their graveyard into their library, such as “Tormod’s Crypt” or “Bojuka Bog.” Another approach is to keep the dragon tapped or its abilities stifled with cards like “Pacifism” or “Frost Titan.” Utilizing these strategies can neutralize its advantage and prevent opponents from leveraging Zodiac Dragon’s return ability. Controlling the pace of the game with counter spells or removals that dodge the dragon’s self-recurring capability can thus be key to overcoming this legendary creature.
Understanding its unique properties and preparing a game plan accordingly will ensure that Zodiac Dragon, while potentially daunting, doesn’t dictate the flow of the match. Deck builders and players should consider incorporating specific answers to recurring threats to maintain the upper hand in their duels.
Cards like Zodiac Dragon
Zodiac Dragon stands out in the world of high-cost creatures within Magic: The Gathering. Its nearest relatives include cards like Bladewing the Risen which, though less expensive mana-wise and also returning dragons from the graveyard, doesn’t return to hand like Zodiac Dragon does when it dies. This unique ability of the Zodiac Dragon ensures it remains a persistent threat as long as you have the mana to cast it.
Another comparable majestic beast is Worldgorger Dragon which, with its animation loop potential, presents a combo-centric alternative. Unlike Zodiac Dragon, Worldgorger offers an immediate and game-altering effect albeit with a higher deckbuilding cost. For dragon enthusiasts, the sheer resilience of Zodiac Dragon might make it a more appealing, albeit costly, addition to their arsenal than the combo explosiveness of Worldgorger Dragon.
It’s clear that in the realm of dragons and high-cost creatures, Zodiac Dragon offers a unique form of assurance in its persistence. This single trait could tip the scales in favor of including it in decks where endurance is key, and where resources are abundant to keep replaying it to apply constant pressure on your opponents.
Cards similar to Zodiac Dragon by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Zodiac Dragon MTG card by a specific set like Portal Three Kingdoms and Masters Edition III, 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 Zodiac Dragon 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
Printings
The Zodiac Dragon Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1999-05-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by Qi Baocheng.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999-05-01 | Portal Three Kingdoms | PTK | 131 | 1997 | Normal | White | Qi Baocheng | |
| 2 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 112 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Qi Baocheng |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Zodiac Dragon has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Zodiac Dragon card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | Even though Zodiac Dragon is a Dragon, it doesn’t have flying. |
| 2009-10-01 | If Zodiac Dragon is removed from the graveyard after the ability triggers but before it resolves, you can’t return it to your hand. Similarly, if a replacement effect has Zodiac Dragon move to a different zone instead of being put into the graveyard, the ability won’t trigger at all. |
