Orc General MTG Card

The Dark (DRK)
1994-08-01 - Number 73

Masters Edition II (ME2)
2008-09-22 - Number 137

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Orc Warrior
Power	2
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Orc General synergizes with orcs, enhancing your army for formidable board presence and strategy.
Its need for specific mana and a high cost may limit deck flexibility and speed of play.
Orc General’s tribal benefits and meta-flexibility make it a worthy collection addition for enthusiasts.

Text of card

oc T: Sacrifice one Orc or Goblin to give all Orcs +1/+1 until end of turn.

"Your army must fear you more than the enemy. Only then will you triumph." —Malga Phlegmtooth

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Orc General card provides a bonus for each Orc creature you control, effectively increasing your hand value as your battlefield presence grows. It’s an excellent way to leverage numbers for a robust board state.

Resource Acceleration: This card can considerably amplify your resource production, especially in an Orc deck. When your swarm of Orcs is bolstered by the General’s synergy, mana resources can scale quickly, allowing you to cast more spells sooner than you might without such a powerful tribal leader.

Instant Speed: While the Orc General itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it can directly benefit from instant speed interactions. This means that spells that summon Orcs or buff them can be cast right before combat or in response to an opponent’s actions, thereby allowing the Orc General’s effects to surprise your opponent and maximize tactical advantages on the fly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of the Orc General card is the discard requirement, which could deplete your hand, especially when your card availability is already running low. This can be particularly problematic if you’re reliant on maintaining card advantage over your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: The Orc General features a specific mana cost that includes both generic and red mana. This makes it a less flexible option for decks that run multiple colors or those that may experience difficulty in generating the right mana combination at a crucial point in the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that is on the higher side for its abilities, Orc General may not provide the best value compared to other cards available in the format. Players may find that other creatures or spells in the same mana range could offer a greater impact on the game or be more versatile additions to their decks.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: An Orc General can adapt to various deck strategies, enhancing tribal synergies particularly in Orc-themed or warrior decks that capitalize on such unity.

Combo Potential: Leveraging its tribal-oriented abilities, the Orc General card can seamlessly integrate with combos that amplify the power and effectiveness of your Orc creatures and warriors, potentially turning the tides of battle in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that shifts and changes, having an Orc General in your collection ensures you have a solid option that can align well against numerous other strategies, especially in a format where tribal decks are flourishing.

How to beat

The Orc General is a challenging card to face on the battlefield with its capacity to rally and empower other orc creatures you control. When building your deck strategy to combat this threat, consider cards that can disrupt the synergy it creates among orc minions. Cards that enable you to remove creatures before they can benefit from the General’s buffs are particularly useful, including targeted removal or board wipes that can clear multiple threats at once.

Moreover, employing control spells that restrict the opponent’s ability to cast creature spells can be effective in stalling the deployment of the orc army. Always be alert for the opportune moment to cast these spells, ideally when the opponent’s resources are low, making it difficult for them to respond or recover. Counterspells also work well by preventing the General from entering the battlefield in the first place.

To summarize, the key to overcoming the Orc General card lies in disrupting the enemy’s playing field with strategic removals, employing board control tactics, and stalling the momentum its presence can grant to an orc-based deck.

Cards like Orc General

Orc General is a venerable inclusion in the tribal orc category of Magic: The Gathering. It shares some common ground with fellow tribal leaders, given its ability to rally and enhance the power of its orc kin. It’s akin to cards like Goblin Chieftain, which grants other goblin creatures you control a power boost and haste. Unlike Goblin Chieftain, Orc General offers more than just a static boost; it allows for a sacrificial mechanic to bolster your forces, albeit at the cost of another Orc creature.

Another comparable card would be Zombie Warchief, which not only empowers other Zombies with increased strength but also makes them less costly to cast. This contrasts with the sacrifice aspect of Orc General, focusing instead on providing a consistent advantage without loss of troops. Elvish Archdruid is also in this comparison, being the elven counterpart that provides a mana acceleration for each elf controlled while equally boosting their power.

When we examine the value of such tribal leaders, Orc General holds its own with a unique sacrifice-for-strength mechanic. Its approach to tribal synergy, requiring careful strategy and calculated sacrifices, offers a distinctive playstyle in the realm of tribal commander cards in Magic: The Gathering.

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

Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions

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Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions

Stinkdrinker Daredevil - MTG Card versions

Mudbutton Torchrunner - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Orc General MTG card by a specific set like The Dark and Masters Edition II, 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 Orc General and other MTG cards: