Pale Rider of Trostad MTG Card

Pale Rider of Trostad - Shadows over Innistrad

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Spirit
Abilities	Skulk
Released	2016-04-08
Set symbol
Set name	Shadows over Innistrad
Set code	SOI
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	128
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Seb McKinnon

Key Takeaways

Discarding while casting Pale Rider can synergize with graveyard-based strategies, enhancing deck tactics.
It’s potentially a double-edged sword—powerful yet may deplete hand resources if not used carefully.
Its Skulk ability and combo potential make it a competitive choice in aggressive and discard-focused decks.

Text of card

Skulk (This creature can't be blocked by creatures with greater power.) When Pale Rider of Trostad enters the battlefield, discard a card.

"What's worse than being alone on the moors at night? Try *not* being alone." —Nadila Maas, moor chaplain

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When the Pale Rider of Trostad enters the battlefield, its discard effect can be leveraged to your advantage by getting rid of less useful cards in your hand, which in some deck archetypes can synergize with graveyard strategies.

Resource Acceleration: Although Pale Rider of Trostad does not directly accelerate resources, it does enable certain decks that thrive on having creatures in the graveyard to reach their full potential faster, indirectly contributing to resource acceleration.

Instant Speed: While this creature does not operate at instant speed, its ability to be a surprise blocker after being reanimated from the graveyard can disrupt your opponent’s strategy during their turn, simulating a timely, combat-centric, instant speed interaction.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When casting Pale Rider of Trostad, players must discard another card, which might deplete their hand and decrease their options later in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature demands one black and one colorless mana, which can be restrictive. Decks not heavily invested in black may find it challenging to meet this cost effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a two-mana 3/3 creature, the additional disadvantage of discarding a card might not be worth it, especially when there are other two-drop creatures that can provide value without such a steep downside.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Pale Rider of Trostad is not only a formidable creature with its Skulk ability, making it difficult for opponents to block, but its discard mechanism can be seamlessly incorporated into decks that capitalize on graveyard synergy or madness mechanics.

Combo Potential: Its discard requirement upon entering the battlefield can be tactically used to your advantage, enabling graveyard strategies or serving as a catalyst for triggering powerful effects from cards requiring a discard action.

Meta-Relevance: Given its cost-effective stats and evasiveness, Pale Rider of Trostad fits well within the aggressive meta, where it can often slip through defenses while working in tandem with a strategic discard plan. It could potentially disrupt opponent plays and maintain tempo in matches.

How to beat

Pale Rider of Trostad presents an intriguing challenge on the battlefield. This shadowy creature card demands a discard upon its entry, reminiscent of mechanics seen in other discard-themed cards like Rotting Rats or Delirium Skeins. Players facing this steed must be strategic in dealing with its menace. One effective tactic is to utilize removal spells like Path to Exile or Murder, which can handle the Rider before its discard effect overwhelms your hand.

Another avenue is to capitalize on the discard. Cards like Bag of Holding or Library of Leng can turn the forced discard into an advantage, reshuffling valuable cards back into your deck or keeping them for later use. It’s also possible to include graveyard-loving creatures like Eternal Scourge or delve cards such as Gurmag Angler, which thrive when your graveyard fills up. In this way, Pale Rider of Trostad can inadvertently fuel your strategy while diminishing its own threat.

By dissecting the Rider’s strengths and weaknesses, players can orchestrate a swift removal or even turn the tide to their advantage, demonstrating the depth of strategy and adaptation that makes Magic: The Gathering a perpetually enthralling experience.

Cards like Pale Rider of Trostad

The Pale Rider of Trostad stands out as a unique offering in the realm of discard-triggered creatures within Magic: The Gathering. Although this shadowy horror demands you to discard a card as a part of its casting cost, it rewards players with a 3/3 body and Skulk, a mechanic that prevents it from being blocked by creatures with greater power. In the vast library of MTG cards, we can draw parallels to certain creatures like Oona’s Prowler. On the surface, they share the discard-to-play dynamic, but Oona’s Prowler offers flexibility, allowing discards during any player’s turn which can disrupt your opponent’s strategy.

Delve deeper, and you will find Vampire Hounds, another creature peering from the shadows with a volatile potential to grow stronger with each card you discard. Unlike the Pale Rider of Trostad, Vampire Hounds allows you to exploit the discard mechanic on the fly, potentially creating a massive threat mid-combat. However, the trade-off comes in resilience—Pale Rider’s Skulk ensures it can often evade blockers and survive combat encounters unscathed.

In the landscape of MTG, the Pale Rider of Trostad serves a niche yet pivotal role for decks that capitalize on self-discard strategies, integrating well with reanimation tactics or enabling delirium with its synergistic discarding requirement.

Cards similar to Pale Rider of Trostad by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pale Rider of Trostad MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad, 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 Pale Rider of Trostad and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pale Rider of Trostad has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2016-04-08	If you cause a creature to have 0 power or less, use the actual value (which may be negative) to determine whether it can block or be blocked. A creature with skulk and 0 or less power most likely won’t be blocked, but it won’t deal combat damage and won’t trigger any abilities that trigger when combat damage is dealt.
2016-04-08	Skulk matters only as blockers are chosen. Modifying either creature’s power after blockers are chosen won’t cause the attacking creature to become unblocked.
2016-04-08	You can cast Pale Rider of Trostad even if you have no other cards in your hand. If you have no cards in hand as the last ability resolves, nothing happens.