I like Student of Warfare better than him, but I can`t deny how good this card is. Simply amazing!
AngelxLegna
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Sooo Good!!!!
BobTheBuillder
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(3 votes)
Hellkite Overlord is better in my opinion. You can get it out on turn 3-5 with dragon's herald, This is 11 red
wolfbear2
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
it's ok, but I think other levelers will end up being better.
HairlessThoctar
★★☆☆☆ (2.7/5.0)(6 votes)
Something inside of me dies a little when I see a card that is so very, very Spike at Mythic Rare.
thrallallmighty
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0)(6 votes)
Lord of Shatterskull is better but he is still good shouldnt be a mythic rare
DonRoyale
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Well, I like it, but having the restriction of being only levelled by red mana hurts. Firebreathing and trample is hella fun, though, especially in the air.
NeoSin
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
much better card than you all think. Got one at pre release, he wins games if hes allowed to reach level 4, that simple.
coyotemoon722
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Yeah took me a sec to realize how good this guy is, but he is good. Turn 5 he's basically a 12/8 flying trampler. But come on, you gotta run protection for this guy, which means you have to splash. Which also means you may not have the right mana for your Turn 5 Level 8. This guy's pretty mythic in the fact that once he get's going he's crazy with the damage, but you better have that counterspell or two handy.
Donovan_Fabian
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(4 votes)
I still think this card isn't that good at mythic rare, at rare maybe.. realistically its still a slow leveler that can only be leveled in red mana and is actually worse than sveral similiar cards you could be playing for the same mana. It also dies to anything, which normally wouldn't matter so much, except you have to sink so much mana into it. With smother in standard I just plain wouldn't play this.
I could see more application with time of heroes.
Robert_G
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(10 votes)
Yeah....he's nothing more then a pumpable 8+/8 flying trample attacking creature at turn 5.
5/5...no questions asked.
ninjaboy05
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Use with Venerated Teacher Automatic 2 level counters to all levelers. Therefore midgame it leaves you a couple mana open to do other things like burn, or LD (if people still do that.)
Talcos
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(8 votes)
I disagree with coyotemoon722. This creature doesn't need protecting to be good.
He's a fantastic removal magnet. He's a two-drop that, if unanswered, can win you the game. He lets you commit powerful creatures to the board early without fear of overextending. And he's a great top-deck late game.
No reasonable opponent will let him get to his ultimate form, obviously, but that your opponent *has* to do something to not die to what started out as a 2/2 for RR is good.
So in the end he's rarely going to be the star of the show. But he's rarely irrelevant.
Jin15
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I really dig this card, it's probably my favorite from the RoE expansion. It's pretty much a huge fire breathing dragon on an installment payment plan. Pay a little bit up front to put it in play and then as turns progress any spare red mana producing sources left untapped after playing whatever it is you wanted to play that turn can be put towards leveling up Kargan. This works well since they made him so cheap to cast and dirt cheap to level up that pretty much any mostly red or mono red deck will be able to level him up a bit almost every turn with whatever unused mana production sources are left at the end of the turn.
So yeah, I like him. He's won me a few FNM matches already and the only real complaint I could make about him is that his creature type doesn't change from Human Warrior to Dragon as he levels up, so Crucible of Fire or any other dragon buffer does nothing for him. If he had a Dragon creature type he'd be solid gold in my book.
Aun
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Should have Flying, Trample, First Strike, Haste, Firebreathing at last Level to be Mythic.
Which is actually just First strike because Haste won't matter for a 2/2.
thornraven
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I think this leveler should have had the 1 cost level up. Would make him so much better. At the moment he's in an awkward position, being strongest in a mono red deck that doesn't want to run him. Or if his cost was 1R, he'd be vastly more appealing to include in a creature based...Naya deck? ... *sigh* It's just too bad. He's soooo cool.
mdakw576
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This guy is good because he eats up your free mana, especially for mono red. Not because he's an "omg he's an 8/8 flying trampler on turn 5!" He doesn't suck because of the "omg he needs 10 mana". He helps fix up your mana curve.
For example, suppose it's turn 3. You unfortunately don't have ball lightning or hell's thunder in hand. But you can play this guy, then spend your last mana to level him up (assuming you don't need the mana open for bolt). Turn 4 comes around, you topdeck ball lightning. Throw him down and spend your last mana to level this guy up. Turn 5, you need to burn a few things, so you do that, and then spend your leftover mana on this guy. Oh hey, now he's level 4, you have a 4/4 flier. Swing with him now.
Did you lose anything in this play? Not really, just extra mana that would've gone unspent anyway. Unless, say, on turn 3 you actually needed that last mana open to bolt something on your opponent's turn, but you should be aware of stuff like that and not blame this guy for poor plays.
Of course if you had a perfect starting hand (e.g goblin guide -> hellspark -> ball lightning -> bolt + hell's thunder or something) then this guy isn't really relevant. But stuff like that rarely happens.
KnockK
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I honestly don't think that this or any leveler is a good card. This card can cause you to commit yourself to it for a couple of turns only for it to get doom blade/terminate/path/obilivion/ring/etc..
RowanKeltizar
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The fact that it only takes to level up is especially good.
Sironos
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(5 votes)
Please remove that guy with the spear from that incredibly majestic dragon.
cloneffect
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Very good indeed. Early game board presence, late game evil mania destruction. This guy is simply an efficient, well-costed threat that has to be answered, because if he isn't, he gets out of hand in a very, very...mythic way. Surely a big red deck somewhere can use him.
thaprodigy58
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
*sigh* everyones missing the point.... When you play RDW what are the FIRST cards a player reaches for in their sideboard? Who is the GREATEST enemies to RDW? Who can simply stop RDW in its tracks and just about end them if they get 2 hits?
Answer: Kor Firewalker/ Wall of Omens...
Rebuttal: Ill fly Kargan over you
Gomorrah
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
The thing is, this card works in RDW as two things.
1. Removal Magnet- if anything screams Path/Doom Blade/Condemn me, it's this. One removal card on this is one less on your Ball Lightning next turn.
2. Mana investment- RDW goes into top deck mode pretty soon. This acts not as a primary win con, but a mana dump when you have nothing else to play/unearth. Thus, ideally and eventually, it becomes a big threat when you have no more cards.
Caturdayz
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(5 votes)
I disagree that he should become a dragon upon leveling, as he would then be unable to block Baneslayer
Lionhawk
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card...it's just mean! 5/5
EvilCleavage
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If you can level this guy up he seriously is unstoppable! Seriously this guy is a beast!! Well not completely unstoppable, but with Terminate and PtE leaving standard soon, I think he's gonna get even better.
Omenchild
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Honestly, only a handful of the cards from RoE will ever see tournament play outside of Limited. This creature is a joke next to any format with Doom Blade and terror. Lol imagine someone trying to use this in extended and someone just bounces it hahaha
@thewrathofshane its worse than a grizzly bear to start, how is RR for a 2/2 cool. And like i said, this card is already out of the spotlight, and only handful of cards like the eldrazi con***ion and vengevine are actually doing anything in standard. Jund still is top dog as of San Juan
to all those who say he eats up free mana, he does it as a sorcery. so you have to be painfully obvious when you leave a single red open for your bolt. then again, rdw is painfully obvious in the first place >.>
and like i said, again, eldrazi consciption and vengevine, and thats it
Arachibutyrophobia
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
turn 2 - he's good turn 4- he's excellent turn 5 - he's a Hellkite Overlord
sure, he sucks up all your mana and any removal will really ruin your day, but I'd say he's worth the risk
Zenzei
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
In Kargan Dragonlord we trust!
- Max lvl Red
Mattmedia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If left unchecked, he wins games in a matter of turns, RDW loves him, in draft format, he is insane, Very hard to be killed after he is level 4 (vendetta or Narcolepsy).
any hoo, an 8/8 on turn 5 is nothing to be laughed at, sure it is RRRRRRRRRR for him, but atleast it is not all in one turn.
although, as they say he does die to doom blade, but so does BSA and everyone knows how shit she is.
mxruka
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
If only he was a Knight...
Kitty_the_Kat
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This guy is amazing for Dragon decks because it can take out Baneslayer and will be ready o fight Baneslayer before that shit even hits the field. They better have some removal before this guy becomes too much for them. If he became a Dragon type, that ability would than be ruined. It would be better if he was a Knight, so he would combo with Knight Exemplar.
i totally agree with robert_G its 8/8 flying turn 5 with awesome abilities, definetly worthy of mythic and defnitly 5/5
Bahamut0ne
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This guy and koth are best friends: i'm surprised at the relative lack of RDW decks in standard as of SoM. The only thing I don't like is that he doesn't ever become a dragon type creature, so he can't benefit from things like karrthus, crucible of fire, and Sarkhan the Mad in a Dragon Tribal deck.
Smauls
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
That art is simply amazing. I can hear the dragonlord yelling, "he11 yeah! Told you I could do it" (look at the art again).
Also, on your 2nd turn, when you tap two mountains to play this guy, the artwork really shows off how powerful this card can be. Your opponents will do one of the "let me see that real quick" manuevers, haha.
10Fold
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
throw in a Seething Song for an interesting combo ;)
luckyduck4
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
hes better than figure of destiny...and why does everyone say "doomblade kills it" ..DUH doomblade kills alot of creatures, that doesn't mean the creature isn't good!
Kamidii
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
he should also have "As long as kargan dragonlord has four of more level counters on it, it is a dragon in addition to its other types.".
GengilOrbios
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
how to kill a baneslayer in monored? FAIL PROTECTION, KARGAN DRAGONLORD IN YOUR FACE!!!
Polychromatic
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I wish I were this guy.
DacenOctavio
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Koth's mana dump.
smokiermatthias
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
ninjaboy05. i'm sorry but your wrong. venerated teacher cost 3 mana for two levels. when it only cost one mana to level this card up. So your not really saving yourself any mana.
Eved
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(8 votes)
This is all wrong, it can't learn to fly until it's a Charizard. Next we'll be getting turtles that get Hydro Pump at their 2nd stage. Love this card even if it is a misprint.
Saying it was a misprint was me continuing my joke about Pokemon, I'm in no way actually saying this card was misprinted.
Ninjazilla
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
its like he rides a bigger dragon each time he levels up....
Mode
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
@10Fold: throwing in a Seething Song for an interesting combo, huh? So you mean...using mana on a card?
That, indeed, is ingenious!
WarioMan
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
nothing like a turn 5 12/8 flier with trample to make your opponents cry.
Hayw00d0909
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Absolutely LOVE this guy. I have four in my RDW, and they have won me so many games.
I know people hate on the ROE levelers, and I can see where they are coming from, but this guy is just THAT GOOD. a pumpable 8/8 with both flying & trample dropped on turn five simply cannot be ignored. to cast, and just to level... I cannot for the life of me see why anyone could give this less than 5 stars.
Zoltantf
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The art is great. It makes me happy to smash face with this guy, even at level 4. In my RDW deck, Koth of the hammer, combos very nicely with him. Your opponent must answer to him, or he will be a turn five win condition in your favor. 5/5 for power and art.
pedrodyl
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(7 votes)
I always read his name as Kargan Druglord... maybe because he's so dope. (yeah, that was bad)
TherealphatMatt
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Level 4-7: Get a dragon Level 8: Dump the old dragon, get a new one that actually breathes fire.
Shadoflaam
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
FUS RO DAH!
Shredmonster
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This guy and Doubling Season are great friends. I love Jund!
PineappleDisciple
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
When you're riding a DRAGON, why do you need to carry a spear?
Rancid_Raptor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I run him in A Green Red EDH deck. Witht he Ramp and creature Tutors its not hard to pump him up fast.
plus when he gets to his final level, with that Trample and green pump up spells, its going To do tons of damage. Plus my general is Stonebrow, so he gives it an extra +2/+2 when it attacks.
Pipikako
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
12/8 flying trample on turn 5 ? Sing me up ! You can all stick you removal in ur azz, im playing 4 of them...
5/5
deggdegg
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Raise your hand if you've ever been solo'd by him in limited! *raises hand*
MightySqueeth
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is a stupid comment but remember that even though you rarely need to level it up past level 4, it CAN go to level 8. I run him in a mono red burn deck as a Figure of Destiny replacement (He is WAY more fun than Figure of Destiny and his art is worlds better) I was so used to just levelling him up to 4 and leaving him, then spending my mana on burn spells. I was in a game where the only creatures I could profitably swing with had to have flying and I had to win this turn or I was done. He was on 9 life, I had a Dragonlord out on level 4 and 5/ maybe 6 mana open. I completely blanked on levelling him up to 8 and lost the game. My friend told me afterwards that I could have won and I was mad. Usually he only needs to go level 4 though. He really is an amazing card
DoragonShinzui
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is a red card.
How red is it?
Just about...all of it.
Goatllama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Shouldn't be mythic.
CogMonocle
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@luckyduck4
figure of destiny is NOT worse than this by any stretch of the imagination:
figure's cost/abilities are combined R/W, very relevant in 3+ colors figure changes at instant speed (can leave mana open to do things on opponents turn, and level up (or down, for that matter) figure in response to a spell).
they fit two completely different roles and each have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Shamangic
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i rate the art 10 stars
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This, Student of Warfare, and Coralhelm Commander are all very well done level-ups. Powerful but need to be leveled to be "worth it." I like that they start out as a below the curve creature (color heavy for on-curve) and turn into monsters that are on curve later, but with psuedo-haste.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hes a removal magnet that can win you the game if unanswered.
I would like him much better if he was a 1/1 for and his first lvlup was a 3/3 flying for lvl 2.
Comments (68)
but he is still good
shouldnt be a mythic rare
I could see more application with time of heroes.
5/5...no questions asked.
He's a fantastic removal magnet.
He's a two-drop that, if unanswered, can win you the game.
He lets you commit powerful creatures to the board early without fear of overextending.
And he's a great top-deck late game.
No reasonable opponent will let him get to his ultimate form, obviously, but that your opponent *has* to do something to not die to what started out as a 2/2 for RR is good.
So in the end he's rarely going to be the star of the show. But he's rarely irrelevant.
So yeah, I like him. He's won me a few FNM matches already and the only real complaint I could make about him is that his creature type doesn't change from Human Warrior to Dragon as he levels up, so Crucible of Fire or any other dragon buffer does nothing for him. If he had a Dragon creature type he'd be solid gold in my book.
Which is actually just First strike because Haste won't matter for a 2/2.
It's just too bad. He's soooo cool.
For example, suppose it's turn 3. You unfortunately don't have ball lightning or hell's thunder in hand. But you can play this guy, then spend your last mana to level him up (assuming you don't need the mana open for bolt). Turn 4 comes around, you topdeck ball lightning. Throw him down and spend your last mana to level this guy up. Turn 5, you need to burn a few things, so you do that, and then spend your leftover mana on this guy. Oh hey, now he's level 4, you have a 4/4 flier. Swing with him now.
Did you lose anything in this play? Not really, just extra mana that would've gone unspent anyway. Unless, say, on turn 3 you actually needed that last mana open to bolt something on your opponent's turn, but you should be aware of stuff like that and not blame this guy for poor plays.
Of course if you had a perfect starting hand (e.g goblin guide -> hellspark -> ball lightning -> bolt + hell's thunder or something) then this guy isn't really relevant. But stuff like that rarely happens.
Answer: Kor Firewalker/ Wall of Omens...
Rebuttal: Ill fly Kargan over you
1. Removal Magnet- if anything screams Path/Doom Blade/Condemn me, it's this. One removal card on this is one less on your Ball Lightning next turn.
2. Mana investment- RDW goes into top deck mode pretty soon. This acts not as a primary win con, but a mana dump when you have nothing else to play/unearth. Thus, ideally and eventually, it becomes a big threat when you have no more cards.
@thewrathofshane its worse than a grizzly bear to start, how is RR for a 2/2 cool. And like i said, this card is already out of the spotlight, and only handful of cards like the eldrazi con***ion and vengevine are actually doing anything in standard. Jund still is top dog as of San Juan
to all those who say he eats up free mana, he does it as a sorcery. so you have to be painfully obvious when you leave a single red open for your bolt. then again, rdw is painfully obvious in the first place >.>
and like i said, again, eldrazi consciption and vengevine, and thats it
turn 4- he's excellent
turn 5 - he's a Hellkite Overlord
sure, he sucks up all your mana and any removal will really ruin your day, but I'd say he's worth the risk
- Max lvl Red
any hoo, an 8/8 on turn 5 is nothing to be laughed at, sure it is RRRRRRRRRR for him, but atleast it is not all in one turn.
although, as they say he does die to doom blade, but so does BSA and everyone knows how shit she is.
Also, on your 2nd turn, when you tap two mountains to play this guy, the artwork really shows off how powerful this card can be. Your opponents will do one of the "let me see that real quick" manuevers, haha.
FAIL PROTECTION, KARGAN DRAGONLORD IN YOUR FACE!!!
Saying it was a misprint was me continuing my joke about Pokemon, I'm in no way actually saying this card was misprinted.
So you mean...using mana on a card?
That, indeed, is ingenious!
I know people hate on the ROE levelers, and I can see where they are coming from, but this guy is just THAT GOOD. a pumpable 8/8 with both flying & trample dropped on turn five simply cannot be ignored.
maybe because he's so dope. (yeah, that was bad)
Level 8: Dump the old dragon, get a new one that actually breathes fire.
plus when he gets to his final level, with that Trample and green pump up spells, its going To do tons of damage. Plus my general is Stonebrow, so he gives it an extra +2/+2 when it attacks.
Sing me up !
You can all stick you removal in ur azz, im playing 4 of them...
5/5
How red is it?
Just about...all of it.
figure of destiny is NOT worse than this by any stretch of the imagination:
figure's cost/abilities are combined R/W, very relevant in 3+ colors
figure changes at instant speed (can leave mana open to do things on opponents turn, and level up (or down, for that matter) figure in response to a spell).
they fit two completely different roles and each have their own advantages and disadvantages.
I would like him much better if he was a 1/1 for
...... Yeah, that was scary......