Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Understanding Pride of Lions and its role in MTG set-by-set stability

If you’ve ever brewed a green-focused midrange or just enjoyed a good old-fashioned combat dance, Pride of Lions is the kind of card that sparks both nostalgia and competitive curiosity 🧙‍♂️🔥. Released in 2011 as part of the Duel Decks: Ajani vs. Nicol Bolas pairing, this uncommon Cat creature clocks in at a satisfying five mana for a sturdy 4/4 body. Its color identity is classic green, a color that has long valued big, resilient threats and clever combat tricks. The art and flavor text—“There’s only one thing worse than a hungry lion—many hungry lions.”—remind us that MTG has always thrived on a little bite-sized humor amid the bite-sized power. And yes, the card isn’t a modern standard staple, but it has a tidy, enduring footprint in older formats and in the broader Green archetype psyche 🎲🎨.

A quick glance at the card and why it mattered then (and still matters in retrospectives)

• Mana cost: 3GG (five mana, green-green). A premium that asks you to invest in a green-leaning board state and a capable 4/4 body.
• Type and rarity: Creature — Cat, Uncommon from the Duel Decks: Ajani vs. Nicol Bolas set.
• Power/toughness: 4/4—sturdy enough to trade with many early and midrange threats, and sturdy enough to survive into midgame with a bit of support.
• Oracle text: You may have this creature assign its combat damage as though it weren't blocked. A deceptively simple line that invites micro-play around combat steps and blockers.
• Flavor text and artist: Flavorful humor paired with Carl Critchlow’s art gives Pride of Lions its distinctive personality in the Ajani/Nicol Bolas dynamic.

In practical terms, Pride of Lions offered green decks a chance to threaten through denial-heavy board states in a manner that wasn’t purely "big trampler" or "ramp into haymaker." The ability to assign combat damage “as though it weren’t blocked” is a classic green-flavored twist: it nudges players toward clever combat math, unexpected trades, and the occasional poke-through of last-ditch blockers. It’s the kind of design that invites players to think not just about what a card does, but how it changes the tempo of a game when paired with other green tools like pump spells, a-slate-of-green ramp, or surprise combat tricks 🧙‍♂️💎.

Set context and the meta-stability arc

Primal old-school sets and the Duel Decks line aimed to showcase bold, thematic contrasts between two iconic planeswalkers. This card’s printing in the Ajani vs. Nicol Bolas pairing places it squarely in the era where green's internal balance—between raw power and tactical nuance—was used to illustrate distinct deck archetypes. In terms of “set-by-set stability,” Pride of Lions demonstrates how a single card can ripple across formats even after its initial release. While not legal in Standard or most post-2010 competitive environments, it remains a Legacy and Vintage-friendly option where green stompy and midrange flourishes exist. The fact that it was reprinted only as part of a larger duel deck means its long-tail value comes more from collector interest and historical curiosity than ongoing top-tier dominance 🔥⚔️.

From a design perspective, the card’s uptime in the meta is about versatility and misdirection. Green wants board presence, but Pride of Lions teaches that power can be paired with cunning. The card’s narrow but potent ability nudges players to think about combat in layers—blockers, damage assignment, and the potential to surprise opponents with an attack that feels unblocked even when it isn’t, depending on how the combat math lines up. In a game climate where green often leans on big bodies, Pride of Lions is a reminder that a well-timed instruction can tilt a duel in your favor without needing a flashy new mechanic. And yes, it’s a nice collectible in older sets, with a modest price tag that still respects its historical footprint 🧙‍♂️🎲.

Practical build ideas and why it still matters as a concept

• Deck synergy: Combine Pride of Lions with pump effects (like Giant Growth or similar spells) to pressure even potent blockers. The “as though unblocked” line becomes a temptation against résumés of zero-cost blockers and stalling boards.
• Tempo considerations: Use Pride of Lions to threaten non-blocking damage during wars of attrition, forcing your opponent to commit more resources to defense and opening up lines for other threats.
• Format awareness: In formats where it’s legal (Legacy, Vintage), the card can slot into green-based midrange shells that value resilient bodies and tricky combat decisions more than raw speed.
• Artistic and collector appeal: The 2011 Duel Decks era has a distinctive aesthetic, and the card’s flavor text plus Carl Critchlow’s illustration contributes to a tactile sense of MTG history—rare83 in focus for collectors 🧠💎.

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