Zhang He, Wei General MTG Card

Zhang He, Wei General - Portal Three Kingdoms

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Legendary Creature — Human Soldier
Abilities	Horsemanship
Released	1999-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Portal Three Kingdoms
Set code	PTK
Power	4
Toughness	2
Number	95
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	White
Illustred by	Jack Wei

Key Takeaways

Zhang He provides card advantage and action acceleration when dealing combat damage to players.
Requires discarding and specific mana which may hinder its play in diverse decks.
Potential in combos and meta relevance, especially in commander formats.

Text of card

Horsemanship When Zhang He attacks, all your other creatures get +1/+0 until the end of the turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Zhang He, Wei General, propels you ahead by enabling auxiliary draws or actions, securing a robust position with additional resources every time it deals combat damage to a player.

Resource Acceleration: This formidable card generates a benefit when it attacks, offering you a valuable edge by potentially ramping up your mana resources or playing spells sooner than your opponents can react.

Instant Speed: Employing abilities at instant speed grants you the flexibility to adapt during the heat of battle, deciding the most opportune moment to act and catching adversaries off-guard with strategic maneuvers.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When deploying Zhang He, Wei General, players encounter the obstacle of discarding another card. This aspect of gameplay can be detrimental, particularly if a player’s hand is already scant, as it further depletes their available options.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting requirements for Zhang He, Wei General are quite stringent, needing both black and white mana. This specificity can pose challenges in mana fixing and may deter players running multicolor decks that don’t align with these color requirements.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is on the higher end of the spectrum, Zhang He, Wei General’s abilities must be evaluated against other options within the same mana range. Players might find that the investment does not equate with the expected tactical advantage, especially considering alternative cards that could provide greater impact for the same, or less, mana expenditure.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Zhang He, Wei General offers flexible play options, adapting well to decks that require strong leadership on the battlefield. Its ability to potentially untap all creatures you control at the end of combat gives you defensive stability or enables additional combat phases.

Combo Potential: This card’s skill to untap multiples creatures opens up numerous combo possibilities. It can synergize with cards that have tap abilities or benefit from multiple creatures being declared as attackers in a single turn.

Meta-Relevance: With an ever-evolving meta, Zhang He, Wei General remains relevant, particularly in commander formats where creatures and combat tactics are pivotal. As the meta shifts towards creature-based strategies, having a card that provides combat manipulation can give you an edge.

How to beat

Overcoming Zhang He, Wei General in MTG requires an understanding of the card’s strengths and devising a counterstrategy. With Zhang He’s ability to dish out damage while temporarily eliminating potential blocks with its Horsemanship, your opponent can gain an upper hand in combat. It’s also important to note that cards with Horsemanship are only blockable by others with the same ability, making Zhang He particularly tricky to defend against.

To counter this, consider utilizing spell removal options like Path to Exile or Terminate, which can dispatch Zhang He, Wei General regardless of its evasion abilities. Moreover, board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the playing field, cleaning out Zhang He along with any other creatures your opponent controls. Additionally, playing creatures with reach or those that can damage flying creatures can’t directly block Zhang He, but they can be valuable for other strategic moves. Lastly, enhancing your deck with instant-speed spells can give you flexibility to respond during your opponent’s turn, keeping Zhang He, Wei General at bay before it becomes a substantial threat.

Thus, with the right mix of removal, board control, and instant-speed interaction, Zhang He, Wei General can be effectively neutralized, helping you maintain the upper hand on the battlefield.

Cards like Zhang He, Wei General

Zhang He, Wei General offers a distinctive blend of abilities for players in Magic: The Gathering who revel in tactical advantage. In the realm of creature cards, it can be juxtaposed with other prowess-styled fighters, such as Seeker of the Way. While Seeker of the Way gains lifelink in addition to its power boost when you cast a noncreature spell, Zhang He, Wei General takes a different strategic route by potentially creating decoy tokens to disrupt your opponent’s battlefield.

Considering the mechanics, Adanto Vanguard presents a varied angle. It serves as an aggressive and resilient attacker thanks to its indestructibility option. Though it lacks Zhang He’s cunning token generation, its capacity for survivability in combat presents a different tactical layer. Finally, Dauntless Onslaught echoes with the idea of empowering multiple creatures on attacking, similar to Zhang He, Wei General’s multi-faceted combat approach but does so in an instant spell form without the enduring presence of a commanding creature.

Acknowledging each card’s unique strengths, Zhang He, Wei General stands out for its combination of offensive presence and defensive deception, gifting players with a dynamic approach to warfare on the MTG battlefield.

Cards similar to Zhang He, Wei General by color, type and mana cost

Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions

Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions

Phyrexian Plaguelord - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Zhang He, Wei 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 Zhang He, Wei General and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Zhang He, Wei General has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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