Centaur Chieftain MTG Card


Centaur Chieftain swings games by reviving creatures and providing team buffs with its threshold ability. The necessity to manage graveyard resources efficiently explores more intricate deck-building strategies. Despite its versatility, careful consideration is required due to its specific mana cost and higher casting requirements.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Centaur
Abilities Haste,Threshold
Power 3
Toughness 3

Text of card

Haste Threshold When Centaur Chieftain comes into play, creatures you control get +1/+1 and gain trample until end of turn. (You have threshold if seven or more cards are in your graveyard.)


Cards like Centaur Chieftain

Centaur Chieftain harnesses the power of creature buffs in the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to grant other creatures haste and increased power, it shares similarities with cards like Craterhoof Behemoth. Craterhoof, however, offers a significant boost in power and trample, making it a game-ender in many scenarios, albeit at a higher mana cost.

Another parallel can be drawn with the likes of Garna, the Bloodflame, which also grants haste to other creatures. Garna, though, comes with the added benefit of returning creatures from your graveyard to your hand when it enters the battlefield, providing a different kind of strategic advantage. Still, Centaur Chieftain’s threshold ability to bolster your entire team after reaching a certain number of cards in your graveyard sets it apart, offering a synergy with graveyard-focused strategies at a more moderate mana cost.

Thus, while assessing the tactical edge each creature provides, Centaur Chieftain emerges as a solid choice for players looking to swing in with a hastened army, especially in decks designed to hit the threshold mark quickly and efficiently.

Craterhoof Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Garna, the Bloodflame - MTG Card versions
Craterhoof Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Garna, the Bloodflame - MTG Card versions

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Scarwood Bandits - MTG Card versions
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Erhnam Djinn - MTG Card versions
War Mammoth - MTG Card versions
Aurochs - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Jackalope Herd - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Alligator - MTG Card versions
Golden Bear - MTG Card versions
Argothian Swine - MTG Card versions
Elvish Piper - MTG Card versions
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Saber Ants - MTG Card versions
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Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - MTG Card versions
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Decks using this card

MTG decks using Centaur Chieftain. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Gruul AggroGruul Aggro PremodernEternal Weekend Europe 2023 Premodern Mainevent

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Centaur Chieftain enables players to potentially create card advantage by bringing smaller creatures back from the graveyard when it enters the battlefield. This feature can help players who have built up their graveyard over the course of the game to suddenly have a more impactful board presence.

Resource Acceleration: With its ability to boost other creatures, the Centaur Chieftain acts as a form of resource acceleration for your board state. When it hits the battlefield and you have the threshold of seven or more cards in your graveyard, your team gets an immediate power and toughness increase, making your existing resources more valuable.

Instant Speed: This card itself may not be cast at instant speed, but its synergy with flash creatures or other instant-speed spells can lead to unexpected combat tricks and strategies, enhancing its utility during complex board states and allowing for strategic plays that can surprise the opponent during their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To harness Centaur Chieftain’s full potential, you may need to discard a card, which could set you back when your hand options are already limited.

Specific Mana Cost: The creature requires both green and generic mana, making it a commitment for decks strongly aligned with green or those capable of generating multiple mana types effortlessly.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost demanding four mana, including three that must be green, some players might find Centaur Chieftain less efficient when compared to lower-cost creatures or spells that offer similar or better board impact.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Centaur Chieftain can seamlessly integrate into various deck themes, especially those centered around creature buffs and graveyard mechanics. Its ability to enhance creatures and provide a substantial power surge makes it adaptable to changing game conditions.

Combo Potential: Paired with cards that fill the graveyard, Centaur Chieftain’s threshold ability can lead to explosive turns, empowering your entire battlefield presence. This adds a layer of strategic depth, giving players the chance to orchestrate game-changing combos.

Meta-Relevance: With creature-based strategies commonly found in many metas, the Chieftain’s potential to suddenly buff creatures and create substantial board presence can disrupt opponents’ plans and make it a relevant choice for competitive play.


How to beat

Centaur Chieftain is a formidable creature card in Magic: The Gathering that brings a unique dynamic to the table with its combination of trample and potential to buff other creatures. To effectively navigate a game against this card, one should focus on maintaining control over the battlefield. Keeping removal spells handy is key, particularly those that can handle creatures with a substantial amount of toughness or that provide instant-speed interaction. Cards like Doom Blade or Path to Exile are excellent examples of spells that can dispatch the Centaur Chieftain before its buff ability can be activated.

Another tactic is minimizing the creature’s impact by negating the Chieftain’s abilities. Cards that can exile or bounce it to its owner’s hand can mitigate the potential buffs it intends to bestow upon other creatures. Furthermore, counter spells act as a preventive measure when the Chieftain is cast, ensuring it never touches the field. Players might also consider using combat tricks to overpower it in battle or strategic blocks to eliminate it without the need for a spell. In essence, controlling the pace and having the right answers at the right time are the cornerstones of outplaying a Centaur Chieftain.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Centaur Chieftain MTG card by a specific set like Torment and Eternal Masters, 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 Centaur Chieftain and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Centaur Chieftain Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2002-02-04 and 2016-06-10. Illustrated by Justin Sweet.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-02-04TormentTOR 1221997NormalBlackJustin Sweet
22016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 1602015NormalBlackJustin Sweet

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Centaur Chieftain has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2016-06-08 All creatures under your control when Centaur Chieftain’s triggered ability resolves are affected, including Centaur Chieftain itself. Ones that come under your control or become creatures later in the turn are not.
2016-06-08 If you don’t have enough cards in your graveyard at the moment Centaur Chieftain enters the battlefield, its threshold ability won’t trigger. If the number of cards in your graveyard changes and Centaur Chieftain loses the ability once it has triggered, the ability will still resolve.