Barbarian General MTG Card

Barbarian General - Portal Three Kingdoms

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Barbarian Soldier
Abilities	Horsemanship
Released	1999-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Portal Three Kingdoms
Set code	PTK
Power	3
Toughness	2
Number	100
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	White
Illustred by	Kuang Sheng

Key Takeaways

Accompanied by warrior-centric cards, the Barbarian General can be a relentless draw engine.
Resource acceleration is key, enabling rapid, aggressive plays to overwhelm opponents swiftly.
Fits perfectly in decks that utilize instant speed interactions for dynamic combat strategies.

Text of card

Horsemanship

"Barbarian tribes with their rulers are inferior to Chinese states without them." —Confucius, *The Analects* (trans. Lau)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Barbarian General is a noteworthy asset to any deck focused on battlefield presence. This card can become a significant draw engine in the right setup. Paired with cards that reward you for attacking or controlling warriors, it has the potential to consistently provide extra cards to keep the pressure on your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: Another key attribute of this mighty leader is its potential to accelerate your resources. The synergy with aggressive red strategies often means playing multiple creatures or spells in a single turn—Barbarian General’s statline and tribal implications can lead to a faster, overwhelming board state that can win games swiftly.

Instant Speed: While the Barbarian General itself may not have instant speed capabilities, it fits perfectly in a deck that values instant speed interaction. With a heavy warrior or barbarian theme, it may encourage builds that include instant speed combat tricks and removals to protect your chief in command or to ensure a clean route for its assault during combat.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In the case of the Barbarian General, maintaining a strong hand can be difficult since it may require discarding cards to activate abilities or effects. This can put you in vulnerable positions, especially when your options become limited.

Specific Mana Cost: The Barbarian General demands a precise mix of mana to cast, which could constrain your deck design. Decks that can’t consistently provide the right mana colors could struggle to play this card efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that’s on the higher side, summoning the Barbarian General requires a significant investment. In many cases, this investment might not equate to the impact on the board, particularly when compared to other creatures at similar cost points offering potentially more impactful abilities.

Reasons to Include Barbarian General in Your Collection

Versatility: Barbarian General offers a dynamic option for decks looking to leverage the strengths of warrior or tribal themes. Its ability to enhance other creatures makes it a flexible addition to multiple strategy types.

Combo Potential: This card can be a linchpin in combos that reward players for committing a robust battalion to the battlefield. Its synergy with mechanics that buff attacking creatures can be particularly potent.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggressive strategies are effective, having a card like Barbarian General can provide the necessary edge. Its relevance comes from its power to either lead an offensive or bolster your defenses.

How to beat

The Barbarian General is a notable presence in Magic: The Gathering, commanding respect on the battlefield with its ability to bolster the strength of other Barbarian creatures. However, every mighty card has its Achilles’ heel. One effective tactic to undermine the General is to limit its ability to accumulate a substantial army. Counter strategies such as targeted removal, board wipes, or even pacifism effects can effectively neutralize the General’s influence. Spot removal spells like Swords to Plowshares or Fatal Push can exile or destroy the General before its power becomes overwhelming.

Moreover, applying constant pressure with aggressive creatures can force your opponent to make unfavorable trades, thereby keeping their board presence to a minimum. Cards that can prevent the General’s attacks or block effectively against Barbarians are also highly valuable. Ensnaring Bridge or Propaganda can serve as defensive measures to buy time and set up a decisive play. It’s essential to stay ahead in card advantage and keep the General’s legion in check to maintain control of the game.

By employing removal, control elements, and tactical pressure, you can dismantle the Barbarian General’s strategy, making it a less formidable opponent in your MTG matchups.

Cards like Barbarian General

The Barbarian General card is a noteworthy presence within the realm of tribal commander options in Magic: The Gathering. It shares common ground with cards such as Lovisa Coldeyes, who also bolsters the might of Barbarians, Warriors, and Berserkers alike. While the General offers a solid leadership role to Barbarian-themed decks with its boost in strength and survivability, Lovisa provides a more widespread enhancement in both power and speed to a broader category of creatures.

Delving into the Warrior aspect, we encounter the card Khenra Charioteer. Although it’s not a Barbarian, it similarly empowers Warriors with beneficial abilities—mainly trample, invigorating aggressive gameplay. The General and Charioteer cater to different strengths, one emphasizing brute force and the other facilitating damage transference to the player’s advantage.

In the grand tapestry of MTG’s unit-focused leaders, the Barbarian General stands out for its direct support to its specific tribe, whereas cards like Lovisa Coldeyes and Khenra Charioteer offer more comprehensive or strategically different buffs. Choosing between these tribal champions depends on your deck’s overarching strategy and the synergies you aim to capitalize on within your battalion of creatures.

Cards similar to Barbarian General by color, type and mana cost

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Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions

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Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Barbarian General MTG card by a specific set like Portal Three Kingdoms, 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 Barbarian General and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Barbarian General has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

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