Zhao Zilong, Tiger General MTG Card

Zhao Zilong, Tiger General - Portal Three Kingdoms

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Legendary Creature — Human Soldier Warrior
Abilities	Horsemanship
Released	1999-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Portal Three Kingdoms
Set code	PTK
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	33
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	White
Illustred by	Quan Xuejun

Key Takeaways

Provides card advantage and battlefield sustainability through creature recursion abilities.
Flash ability grants strategic flexibility, surprising opponents by altering board states.
Maintains a balance with resource demands and a higher mana cost to consider.

Text of card

Horsemanship When Zhao Zilong blocks, it gets +1/+1 until the end of the turn.

Zhao Zilong was a brave and noble warrior. Twice he rescued Liu Bei's son, Liu Shan.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Equipped with an ability that can potentially recur other creatures, Zhao Zilong, Tiger General rewards players with improved sustainability on the battlefield. This capacity for retrieval can be pivotal in maintaining a robust hand and keeping pressure on opponents over the duration of a match.

Resource Acceleration: The card’s inclusion in a deck serves as a potent means to escalate your available resources. With each successful attack, you are given the chance to reclaim a creature card from your graveyard. This puts you in a powerful position, recharging your board presence and saving crucial mana that could be deployed for other strategic moves.

Instant Speed: Being able to deploy Zhao Zilong, Tiger General at instant speed, courtesy of Flash, gives players a significant tactical edge. With the capacity to respond immediately to the evolving state of the game, you can catch your opponent off guard, disrupt their strategies, and make pivotal plays that could turn the tide in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Zhao Zilong, Tiger General’s abilities may necessitate discarding one or more cards, which, unless your strategy hinges on graveyard mechanics, can lead to a significant depletion of your valuable hand resources and potentially reduce your options for future turns.

Specific Mana Cost: This card boasts a specific mana cost that includes white mana; this limits deck-building options, aligning him primarily with decks that can generate white mana consistently, which might not always align with a broader MTG metagame context or individual play style preferences.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a higher mana cost, Zhao Zilong, Tiger General competes with other impactful cards in the same mana slot. In formats where mana efficiency and curve considerations are crucial, his cost may outweigh his benefits, especially considering that his immediate board impact is not as disruptive as other creatures or spells with a similar cost.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Zhao Zilong, Tiger General can be a formidable asset in a wide range of decks. With its capacity to protect other creatures and contribute to aggressive strategies, it can seamlessly integrate into both control and midrange decks.

Combo Potential: This card brings considerable combo potential to the table. Its ability to give indestructible to another target creature opens up opportunities for synergies with various battlefield effects and powerful, high-risk creatures that you might otherwise be hesitant to play.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Zhao Zilong offers resilience against board wipes and removal. Ensuring your key creatures survive can give you the edge you need to outlast opponents in prolonged matchups.

How to beat

Zhao Zilong, Tiger General is the kind of card that can quickly take over a game if left unchecked in MTG. This legendary creature excels when roaring into battle with its unique ability to prevent combat damage to other attacking creatures. To effectively counter Zhao Zilong, one must think strategically and prioritize board control.

Removal spells are your best allies against this Tiger General. Since Zhao Zilong has a relatively modest toughness, direct damage spells or those that can destroy a creature outright, such as Murder or Terminate, can be very effective for sending him back to the command zone. Moreover, subject him to countermeasures that prevent his formidable ability from activating. Consider countering him as he hits the stack with spells like Counterspell or Essence Scatter, preventing him from ever affecting the battlefield.

Denying resources is also a crucial step to overpowering Zhao Zilong. Land destruction or artifact removal could inhibit your opponent’s mana base, limiting their capacity to deploy Zhao Zilong repeatedly. Cards like Field of Ruin or Nature’s Claim disrupt their strategic plays. It’s essential to keep the pressure on and not let Zhao Zilong’s presence deter your defenses. With persistent board control and timely interruptions, you will keep this general at bay and maintain dominion over the game.

Cards like Zhao Zilong, Tiger General

Zhao Zilong, Tiger General, is an intriguing warrior card in the universe of MTG, brimming with potential for any battlefield. Its abilities resonate with other notable commanders like Alesha, Who Smiles at Death, who also reanimates creatures from the graveyard similar to Zhao Zilong’s resurrecting prowess. What sets Zhao Zilong apart is its unique protection from monocolored, which can be a game-changer in matches dominated by single-colored decks.

Comparable too is Tajic, Legion’s Edge, granting Zhao Zilong worthy competition. Though Tajic doesn’t reanimate creatures, it brings haste and prevents noncombat damage to other creatures you control, safeguarding your army against a range of threats. Moreover, Tajic’s mentor ability can bolster your forces, a strategic advantage Zhao Zilong doesn’t directly offer.

Assessing these options, Zhao Zilong’s ability to cheat creatures out of the graveyard can be a powerful move, yet considering the strategic protection and combat benefits brought by Alesha and Tajic, Zhao Zilong finds itself in a unique space that, when leveraged well, can be formidable in commanding a diverse and resilient deck in MTG.

Alesha, Who Smiles at Death - MTG Card versions

Tajic, Legion's Edge - MTG Card versions

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Celestial Gatekeeper - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Zhao Zilong, Tiger 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 Zhao Zilong, Tiger General and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Zhao Zilong, Tiger 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 Zhao Zilong, Tiger General card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.