Sling-Gang Lieutenant MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Goblin
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Generates card advantage by creating tokens, enhancing board state and strategic options.
  2. Serves as a resource accelerator, enabling sacrifices for immediate impact or build-up.
  3. Allows for flexible tactics with instant-speed sacrifice, disrupting opponent moves effectively.

Text of card

When Sling-Gang Lieutenant enters the battlefield, create two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens. Sacrifice a Goblin: Target player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

Freshly promoted to "first rock," Zaz was eager to make an impact.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Sling-Gang Lieutenant offers a unique form of card advantage when it enters the battlefield. By creating multiple tokens, it effectively adds additional cards to your board state, bolstering your presence and giving you fodder for various uses.

Resource Acceleration: The Lieutenant’s power of token generation also serves as a resource acceleration tool. The Goblin tokens can be sacrificed for immediate effects, or they can contribute to strategies that capitalize on having numerous creatures in play, setting up larger plays on future turns.

Instant Speed: While not an instant-speed spell itself, Sling-Gang Lieutenant interacts favorably with instant-speed effects in MTG. Sacrificing a Goblin can be done at instant speed, allowing you to respond to your opponent’s actions by converting board presence into life point swings or disrupting their plays. In the context of instant-speed interaction, this card gives players tactical flexibility during any phase of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Sling-Gang Lieutenant doesn’t necessarily require a discard, but it does require a sacrifice for its ability, which can diminish your board presence, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage if you’re out of creatures to sacrifice.

Specific Mana Cost: This goblin card has a specific mana requirement including black and red, making it less versatile for inclusion in decks that don’t run these colors and possibly impacting how often it can be played on curve in a match.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three generic and one black mana, Sling-Gang Lieutenant can be considered quite costly for its immediate board impact. This can make it less appealing when compared to other three or four mana creatures that may have more powerful or immediate effects on the game state.


Reasons to Include Sling-Gang Lieutenant in Your Collection

Versatility: Sling-Gang Lieutenant is a flexible card that can be slotted into various deck types. Its ability to generate multiple creature tokens makes it an excellent card for strategies focused on swarming your opponent or sacrificing creatures for value.

Combo Potential: This card enables numerous combos, particularly in decks that exploit the sacrificing of creatures. It pairs well with cards that benefit from death triggers or need goblin tokens, amplifying its impact on the game with each creature sacrificed.

Meta-Relevance: Given its capability to provide both board presence and life differential, Sling-Gang Lieutenant holds its ground in a meta filled with aggro or mid-range decks. It offers a way to stay ahead in life points while controlling the board, which can be pivotal in tight matches.


How to beat

Sling-Gang Lieutenant emerges as a notable multitool in the goblin-themed decks of Magic: The Gathering. This creature card not only offers immediate board presence but also acts as a life-draining mechanism when capitalized on effectively. The Lieutenant and its accompanying tokens can significantly alter the tide of a game, posing a challenge to opponents looking to stabilize their board state.

Combating the Sling-Gang Lieutenant requires a direct approach. Removal spells targeting key creatures can dismantle the synergies it relies on. Board wipes are particularly effective since they can negate the advantage gained from the multiple creature tokens. Having instant-speed interaction is vital to intercept the life-draining ability before it becomes overwhelming. Additionally, graveyard disruption can hinder the card’s recursion potential, a common strategy in decks utilizing this particular lieutenant. Tuning your deck with these strategies in mind will give you the upper hand against the persistent threat of Sling-Gang Lieutenant.

All in all, the Sling-Gang Lieutenant is a formidable opponent when left unchecked. However, with the right counters and timing, the advantage it offers can be mitigated, ensuring your path to victory remains clear.


BurnMana Recommendations

As we’ve journeyed through the advantages and unique interactions of Sling-Gang Lieutenant, it’s clear that this MTG card is a powerhouse in goblin-themed strategies due to its token generation and life point manipulation capabilities. It creates opportunities for intricate playstyles and combo setups that can give players a substantial edge in matches. Remember to consider the card’s specific mana requirements and to use it in decks that can maximize its potential. Whether you’re already into goblin-heavy decks or looking to diversify your MTG repertoire, the Sling-Gang Lieutenant could be a game-changing addition to your collection. Ready to advance your strategic plays and explore new deck-building horizons? Dive deeper with us and harness the untapped potential of the Sling-Gang Lieutenant in your next MTG challenge.


Cards like Sling-Gang Lieutenant

Sling-Gang Lieutenant is a unique card that solidifies its place in the MTG universe as a multifaceted goblin. Standing beside cards such as Siege-Gang Commander, it offers a distinct advantage with its ability to sacrifice goblins for life and damage. Unlike Siege-Gang Commander, which demands mana investments for its sacrificing mechanic, Sling-Gang Lieutenant allows for a mana-free sacrifice that could be vital in clutch moments.

Murderous Redcap is another card that shines in comparison, known for its persist ability returning it to play. This resilience is shared with Sling-Gang Lieutenant’s sacrificing strategy, yet it’s the latter’s immediate impact on life totals that set it apart. Additionally, Skirk Prospector emerges as a complementary piece in this field. It provides mana acceleration by sacrificing goblins, offering a synergy with Sling-Gang Lieutenant’s focus on exploiting goblin tokens for advantageous outcomes.

As a result, when evaluating these goblin-centric cards, Sling-Gang Lieutenant offers a tactical edge with its versatile sacrifice ability and immediate impact on player life totals, marking it as a valuable asset in MTG strategies involving creature control and life point manipulation.

Siege-Gang Commander - MTG Card versions
Murderous Redcap - MTG Card versions
Skirk Prospector - MTG Card versions
Siege-Gang Commander - Scourge (SCG)
Murderous Redcap - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Skirk Prospector - Onslaught (ONS)

Cards similar to Sling-Gang Lieutenant by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Cabal Surgeon - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Dirge Bat - MTG Card versions
Gixian Puppeteer - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Bad Ass - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Hell's Caretaker - Chronicles (CHR)
Rag Man - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phyrexian Debaser - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Slinking Skirge - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gravedigger - The List (PLST)
Scandalmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Urborg Shambler - Invasion (INV)
Whispering Shade - Odyssey (ODY)
Cabal Surgeon - Torment (TOR)
Filth - Judgment (JUD)
Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dirge Bat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Gixian Puppeteer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Toxin Sliver - Legions (LGN)
Vampiric Spirit - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nim Shambler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Bad Ass - Unhinged (UNH)
Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sling-Gang Lieutenant MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons and Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, 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 Sling-Gang Lieutenant and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Sling-Gang Lieutenant Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2019-06-14 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Craig J Spearing.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-06-14Modern HorizonsMH1 1082015normalblackCraig J Spearing
22021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 3862015normalblackCraig J Spearing
32022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 4692015normalblackCraig J Spearing

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sling-Gang Lieutenant has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2019-06-14 You can sacrifice any Goblin you control to activate Sling-Gang Lieutenant’s activated ability, not just the ones its triggered ability creates. You can even sacrifice Sling-Gang Lieutenant itself.

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