Hellrider MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Devil
Abilities Haste
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Hellrider excels in decks that attack with numerous creatures, indirectly accelerating victory.
  2. It demands specific mana and depends on other creatures, potentially limiting versatility.
  3. Hellrider is a key asset for aggressive red strategies, coping well in creature-centric metas.

Text of card

Haste Whenever a creature you control attacks, Hellrider deals 1 damage to defending player.

"Behind every devil's mayhem lurks a demon's scheme." —Rem Karolus, Blade of the Inquisitors


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Hellrider doesn’t directly allow you to draw additional cards, it can effectively translate into card advantage by using each attacking creature you control to deal additional damage, thereby conservatively applying your resources for maximum impact.

Resource Acceleration: Hellrider is not a traditional resource acceleration card; however, its ability to deal damage upon attacking can expedite the game’s conclusion. This ability to speed up the pace at which you reduce your opponent’s life total can be seen as a form of indirect resource acceleration toward winning the game.

Instant Speed: As a creature with a powerful attack trigger, Hellrider’s advantages lie in its aggressive capabilities rather than instant speed interactions. Its strength builds on the synergy within an aggressive deck strategy, promoting a swift and formidable offense.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Even though Hellrider doesn’t have a discard requirement itself, it demands a substantial board presence to be effective. Without other creatures to attack alongside it, its power significantly diminishes, possibly becoming a dead card in hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Hellrider comes with a mana cost that specifically requires two red mana. This can pose a challenge in multicolored decks that may struggle with color fixing and limit its inclusion to primarily red-based decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, Hellrider competes with other impactful four-mana spells. In some scenarios, this cost can feel prohibitive, especially when competing against decks that can deploy threats or establish board control more efficiently at lower mana costs.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Hellrider is a valuable card for players who enjoy aggressive strategies. Its ability to deal damage to opponents whenever a creature attacks suits a variety of red-based decks, from mono-red aggro to multicolored builds that favor speed and direct damage.

Combo Potential: Hellrider thrives in synergy with token decks, where the sheer number of creatures attacking can exponentially increase the damage dealt. It’s particularly effective when combined with cards that produce a high volume of creature tokens, amplifying the potential for a quick victory.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state dominated by creature-based strategies, Hellrider excels by bypassing the need for creatures to connect to deal damage. This can make it a key player in matches where the board is crowded or when up against decks that hold a strong defensive line.


How to beat

Hellrider is a powerhouse, especially in aggressive red decks in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to deal damage as it attacks makes it a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield. However, there are strategic ways to counteract its impact. Efficient removal spells are key – Lightning Bolt and Path to Exile can remove it before combat damages stack up. Strategic blocking is also important; using creatures with higher toughness can dissuade attacks or even eliminate Hellrider without taking significant damage.

Controlling the board is another effective tactic. Board wipes like Supreme Verdict or Damnation can reset the playing field, including getting rid of Hellrider regardless of how many creatures your opponent has amassed. Ensnaring reliable defenders, such as Wall of Omens, can provide a consistent barrier against Hellrider’s onslaught. Finally, life gain strategies can offset the damage done by Hellrider, keeping your health stable as you navigate towards victory.

In summoning up these defences, players can neutralize the threat of Hellrider and maintain control of the game. While it may dominate the battlefield initially, with the right strategy and a few well-timed plays, overcoming this formidable card is entirely within reach for practiced MTG enthusiasts.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the strategic world of MTG with cards like Hellrider that can shift the tide of battle in your favor. Understanding its strengths and limitations is key to mastering aggressive strategies and ensuring your deck operates at peak efficiency. Recognize the situations where Hellrider excels and fortify your collection by selecting complementary cards that enhance its attack potential. We welcome you to explore further insights and advanced tactics that can help you outmaneuver your opponents and secure victories. Embrace the challenge, refine your strategies, and join us on your journey to becoming a skilled and formidable MTG player.


Cards like Hellrider

Hellrider has etched its name in Magic: The Gathering history as an impactful creature card for red aggressive decks. Its semblance to cards like Goblin Bushwhacker is evident, both amplifying the damage dealt during the attack phase. However, Hellrider has the added advantage of dealing damage for each attacking creature, which doesn’t require a kicked mana cost, unlike the Bushwhacker’s ability.

Comparing Hellrider to Hero of Oxid Ridge presents another interesting examination. The Hero also boosts attacking creatures and curtails opposing blockers, yet it’s Hellrider’s immediate damage-dealing effect on attack that often translates to a more direct pressure on the opponent’s life total. In the realm of haste-enabled, damage-boosting creatures, we also discover the card Falkenrath Aristocrat. While the Aristocrat can be formidable with its resilience and flying ability, Hellrider’s consistent damage output every assault phase can accumulate damage rapidly without the need for sacrificing creatures.

Evaluating Hellrider alongside its peers underscores its strength in the red deck strategies, particularly those that emphasize swarming the battlefield and fast combat. It’s this aggressive damage calculation that makes Hellrider a standalone card amongst its counterparts in the MTG universe.

Goblin Bushwhacker - MTG Card versions
Hero of Oxid Ridge - MTG Card versions
Falkenrath Aristocrat - MTG Card versions
Goblin Bushwhacker - Zendikar (ZEN)
Hero of Oxid Ridge - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Falkenrath Aristocrat - Dark Ascension (DKA)

Cards similar to Hellrider by color, type and mana cost

Dragon Whelp - MTG Card versions
Keldon Warlord - MTG Card versions
Crimson Manticore - MTG Card versions
Márton Stromgald - MTG Card versions
Reckless Embermage - MTG Card versions
Wildfire Emissary - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Giant - MTG Card versions
Rathi Dragon - MTG Card versions
Mogg Bombers - MTG Card versions
Warmonger - MTG Card versions
Bloodfire Kavu - MTG Card versions
Whipkeeper - MTG Card versions
Anger - MTG Card versions
Nalathni Dragon - MTG Card versions
Everquill Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Goblin Goon - MTG Card versions
Lesser Gargadon - MTG Card versions
Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions
Ogre Taskmaster - MTG Card versions
Dragon Whelp - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Keldon Warlord - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Crimson Manticore - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Márton Stromgald - Ice Age (ICE)
Reckless Embermage - Mirage (MIR)
Wildfire Emissary - Mirage (MIR)
Flowstone Giant - Tempest (TMP)
Rathi Dragon - Tempest (TMP)
Mogg Bombers - Stronghold (STH)
Warmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Bloodfire Kavu - Apocalypse (APC)
Whipkeeper - Odyssey (ODY)
Anger - Judgment (JUD)
Nalathni Dragon - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Everquill Phoenix - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Goblin Goon - Legions (LGN)
Lesser Gargadon - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Krark-Clan Engineers - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Ogre Taskmaster - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hellrider MTG card by a specific set like Dark Ascension and Duel Decks: Sorin vs. Tibalt, 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 Hellrider and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Hellrider Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2012-02-03 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Svetlin Velinov.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-02-03Dark AscensionDKA 932003normalblackSvetlin Velinov
22013-03-15Duel Decks: Sorin vs. TibaltDDK 522003normalblackSvetlin Velinov
32017-03-17Modern Masters 2017MM3 982015normalblackSvetlin Velinov
42020-07-17JumpstartJMP 3342015normalblackSvetlin Velinov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hellrider has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-03-14 Creatures you control may attack multiple players and/or planeswalkers. For each attacking creature, Hellrider will deal damage to the corresponding player or planeswalker.

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