Last updated on August 20, 2024
Hero of Iroas | Illustration by Willian Murai
Not all heroes are created equal. Achilles was an impressive warrior, but that ankle tho. Hercules, strong as can be, was also a haughty son of a gun. His Twelve Labors were mostly to purge the blood poison from *checks notes* committing a bunch of murders.
Itโs this flavor of hero from the Greek epics that inspired the heroic mechanic. Imagine Poseidon, or Athena, or Ares nudging this fighterโs shield or that oneโs spear in a large-scale battle like the Iliad. Heroes have both natural abilities and the godsโ favor, after all.
Strap into your armor and crank the Bonnie Tyler; weโre getting heroic in this house!
What Are Heroic Cards in MTG?
Setessan Battle Priest | Illustration by Wesley Burt
Heroic is a creature ability that triggers when the creature is targeted by a spell its controller casts. The heroic trigger usually gives the creature or the controlling player a benefit, like a token or a +1/+1 counter.
Instants and sorceries are the main sources of triggers, but auras also target thanks to their enchant ability. Equip and other activated abilities donโt trigger heroic. Your opponentsโ spells also donโt trigger heroic.
Notably, bolster and proliferate effects donโt target, so they donโt trigger heroic abilities. Heroic Intervention doesnโt target either, but I thought Iโd bring it up given its name. Goldspan Dragon has a heroic-esque trigger, although itโs an ETB/target combo, and any player targeting this dragon triggers that ability.
Zada, Hedron Grinder has an ability thatโs like heroic, but the copies it creates wonโt trigger heroic. Heroic is a casting trigger, but Zadaโs copies enter the stack without being cast.
Heroic appears on 43 cards in a keyworded fashion, mostly from Theros and the rest of its block. Theros Beyond Death features five cards that have a heroic-like ability that isnโt keyworded, and theyโre included here for posterity.
Honorable Mention: Weird Angel Flame
Weird Angel Flame is a sticker sheet from Unfinity and includes a 2-ticket sticker that grants a heroic ability that grows the creature by two +1/+1 counters a pop. I personally like this sheet more for the โWeirdโ and โAngelโ names it gives you.
Best White Heroic Cards
#15. Elite Skirmisher
It dies to a pinger, so is this guy really that elite?
Regardless, Elite Skirmisherโs heroic ability gives you optional tapping. This is going to be a theme of some of the worse heroic abilities, but Iโd rather just tap the creature with something else than rely on triggering this ability. Heroic makes the effect more repeatable in theory, but itโs also more work.
If Elite Skirmisher goes up against a minotaur (like in the flavor text), my moneyโs on the minotaur.
#14. Setessan Battle Priest
Iโd rather have lifelink. Or a tap ability. Setessan Battle Priest wants you to trigger its heroic to gain life, and thatโs just plain inefficient.
#13. Leonin Iconoclast
I want to smack my head against my desk. Enchantment creature-specific hate on a heroic, huh? Leonin Iconoclast has no claws. I think thatโs the worst insult I can give it.
#12. Hero of the Winds
Theros: Beyond Death may have mildly revisited heroic in a non-keyword form, but I think its implementation isnโt that great. Every creature with the ability is a Hero- or Heroes-named card, and the ability is the same across the board: trigger it to give your creatures +1/+0 until end of turn. No variety, all the same.
Hero of the Winds has an underwhelming stats/cost/ability package to boot.
#11. Hero of the Pride
Hero of the Pride is a common cat with a common cat cost and common cat-level abilities and stats. I wouldnโt be surprised if a few of these have gone stray since release.
#10. Wingsteed Rider
Mono-white heroic was the first 60-card deck I ever built, the first deck I ever had and playtested. This whole section is memory lane for me. Theyโre the first cards I pulled from a deckbuilder toolkit, and the cards I later found to replace themโฆ. Oh, to be young and innocent.
Wingsteed Rider was one of those later cards I found, and looking back I could have probably left it behind.
#9. Dawnbringer Charioteers
I could have bundled Wingsteed Rider with Dawnbringer Charioteers. Theyโre nearly the same cost and stats, separated only by the lifelink on the Charioteers. But I havenโt bundled any other entries and I want to keep this one clean.
Given its rarity and mana cost, I think Iโd want just a little more out of Dawnbringer Charioteersโ heroic ability. I know, Iโm asking for a lot. Iโve already got a flying lifelinker and I want more.
#8. Lagonna-Band Trailblazer
I find this 1-drop centaur scout so much better than the costlier green guys youโll meet later. It wonโt pack much of a punch to start, but itโll serve as a solid early game blocker.
Lagonna-Band Trailblazer sells for more than most commons, which suggests to me that itโs probably still useful in some formats Iโm less familiar with. Pauper players, lemme know in the comments!
#7. Akroan Skyguard
Akroan Skyguard is a 2-drop flier with a heroic ability that lets it grow with +1/+1 counters. Itโs a decent early game creature, fit to enchant or target with other spells.
#6. Favored Hoplite
Favored Hoplite is a little more evasive with its heroic ability that prevents damage on top of giving it a counter. Itโs a neat little 1-drop, almost like a Savannah Lions with extra stuff.
#5. Tethmos High Priest
I definitely had this in my first deck, but looking at it now Iโd almost expect Tethmos High Priest to be black? Or at least have some black in it.
Regardless, returning up to 2-mana value creatures to the field is useful, though far from broken. This usually isnโt going to return your commander, but itโll get a lot of the creatures that are lower on your curve.
#4. Fabled Hero
Whip in the card art. Double strike. Flavor text that reads like Chris Hemsworth Thor.
Itโs precisely the double strike that elevates Fabled Hero above many of the other similar heroic abilities. Growing its stats grows its damage potential that much more quickly, all on a 3-mana creature.
#3. Phalanx Leader
Two white pips and a lot of creature buffing. Phalanx Leader gives all your creatures +1/+1 counters when its heroic ability triggers. It doesnโt trigger heroic again, which is either a shame or incredibly balanced.
#2. Vanguard of Brimaz
I get a profound sense of satisfaction any time I read a card thatโs a 2/2 for two. I dunno, itโs a Zen moment or something. Vanguard of Brimaz was my, er, โmaneโ man in the early iterations of my first deck.
This cat is still relevant for its vigilant kittens. Eep! The Vanguard and its tokens are hissing at me in unison.
#1. Hero of Iroas
Hero of Iroas is still plenty useful in aura decks. It gets counters like many basic white heroic abilities, but its aura cost-reduction is why you want to run this soldier.
Almost half the Light-Paws, Emperor's Voice decks on EDHRec use it.
Best Blue Heroic Cards
#10. Mindreaver
Letโs get this out of the way: Mindreaverโs activated ability is useless in a singleton format. Itโs not as though youโre going to be exiling your own cards on the off-chance someone else casts it so you can counter it, right? Thatโs just convoluted and inefficient.
Mindreaverโs heroic ability exiles cards and leaves them inaccessible to their owner, which is basically millingโs cousin.
#9. Chorus of the Tides
Donโt let these sirens tempt you. Chorus of the Tides gives you scrying when you trigger its heroic. You can get that plus a +1/+1 counter on a cheaper creatureโs heroic, so you can afford to pass over this.
#8. War-Wing Siren
Itโs not bad design overall. There are just better ways to spend three mana than War-Wing Siren.
That card art thoughโฆ nope, focus. The counters are fine, but weโll see a better card that gives you something to do with those counters.
#7. Wavecrash Triton
Wavecrash Triton is unique in that it taps a creature when its heroic is triggered. The tapped creature doesnโt untap during its controllerโs next untap step either.
Unique doesnโt mean good. Twiddle is literally right there.
#6. Triton Cavalry
Oh, Theros block and its enchantments.
Triton Calvary gives you enchantment-hate heroism in return-to-hand form, whichโฆ look, Iโd rather have destruction or exiling, but that would probably need another color splashed onto this. The body is fine but expensive as-is. Itโs more of a situational ability, a two-step process that youโd often rather be streamlined.
#5. Meletis Astronomer
There are definitely worse heroic abilities available. You only get to look through the top three cards of your library with Meletis Astronomer, and youโre forced to put anything you donโt reveal on the bottom of your library. Iโd be willing to pay one or two more mana to search my entire library.
Hey, itโs restricted to enchantments at least. Although, this block had its fair share of enchantment creaturesโฆ uh-oh.
#4. Artisan of Forms
It doesnโt have shapeshifter typing, but Artisan of Forms sure acts like one. You can have it turn into a copy of a creature when you trigger its heroic, and it doesnโt lose the heroic by becoming something else.
#3. Battlefield Thaumaturge
Battlefield Thaumaturge gives you some cost reduction on a wizard body, a combination that screams blue. Its heroic ability makes it hexproof for the turn, which is a nice deviation from what weโve seen.
#2. Triton Fortune Hunter
Triton Fortune Hunter indeed. This merfolk gives you a card draw engine on its heroic. So blue, so good. Since you have to cast something to trigger heroic, this should leave your hand card-neutral.
#1. Sage of Hours
This is probably one of the more relevant heroic abilities in the current meta-game. Sage of Hours lets you trade in five +1/+1 counters for an extra turn, which is just plain powerful.
You donโt have to use heroic to give it counters either: its stats are great for an Ezuri, Claw of Progress deck, and that commanderโs experience counters give another avenue to pump up your Sage. ONE also brought us a swath of proliferation effects to consider.
Best Black Heroic Cards
#4. Tormented Hero
Even as 1-drops go, Iโd have to pass on this. It enters tapped, which is just gross (derogatory). Its heroic ability is a lifedrain/gain play, but you have to, you know, target Tormented Hero with a spell to get it.
There are better heroic and non-heroic targets to be pumping your spells into. Althoughโฆ โdestroy target creatureโ spells trigger heroic, right?
#3. Bloodcrazed Hoplite
Bloodcrazed Hoplite gains counters when you target it, which is something rather unexpected for black. Whatโs more expected is how it steals your opponentsโ +1/+1 counters.
If they have them.
#2. Ashiokโs Adept
If I were to redesign Ashiok's Adept, Iโd make it a 1/2 rather than a 1/3 and trim its mana value down to two. As is, this wizard forces all your opponents to discard when you target it, but youโd probably rather just run an instant or sorcery that does the same thing.
#1. Agent of the Fates
Iโm going to call this one โthread-cutter.โ Bone up on your Greek myths if you donโt get it.
Agent of the Fates gives you a lot of punch on a 3-drop creature. It also has deathtouch on top of its heroic ability that forces your opponents to sacrifice creatures. This fella just doesnโt want to play nice.
Best Red Heroic Cards
#9. Akroan Line Breaker
Personally, Iโm not a fan. Akroan Line Breaker is a total glass cannon.
Gaining +2/+0 and becoming more evasive is good aggression, especially when this cardโs flavor is breaking through defenses. Still, it dies to a non-morbid Tragic Slip, and I canโt really overlook that.
#8. Arena Athlete
Enjoy the spotlight while you can, buddy. Youโre miles away from Olympic Gold. And I donโt think Iroas is visiting you soon either.
Arena Athleteโs heroic ability prevents an opponentโs creature from blocking this turn. Youโre supposed to pole-vault over the bar, not under.
#7. Hero of the Games
Hero of the Games is a human soldier with the Theros: Beyond Death non-keyworded heroic ability.
There isnโt much to say here; a common 3/2 that costs three is fine, but I generally prefer permanent buffing from my heroic abilities. I want the effect to last if Iโm wasting another card to trigger it, you know?
#6. Heroes of the Revel
One of the non-keyworded Hero cards from Theros: Beyond Death, Heroes of the Revel is fine. No more, no less. I wish it gave you satyrs when any satyr ETBs, not just this one. Its heroic-adjacent ability is standard for the set, but Iโd look elsewhere before sleeving this up.
#5. Labyrinth Champion
Red sure has some diversity in its heroic effects, and Labyrinth Champion gives you some burn when you target it. For the same mana cost youโd probably rather sleeve up a creature with burn as an activated ability, or perhaps firebreathing.
#4. Satyr Hoplite
Satyr Hoplite is one of the cheaper creatures available to your Gallia of the Endless Dance deck. Itโs cheap and grows when you target it with spells, but thereโs not much else going on.
Itโs a solid little role-player.
#3. Rosnakht, Heir of Rohgahh
Rosnakht, Heir of Rohgahh is one of the newer heroic cards, coming to us from Dominaria United Commander. It pumps out tokens when itโs targeted, but its Kobolds are rather toothless offensively on their own. Rosnakhtโs battle cry should help with that, but kobolds arenโt as supported as, say, wizards, soldiers, or warriors.
All I have to say about any Kobold isโฆ oh, good Grieg.
#2. Akroan Conscriptor
Akroan Conscriptorโs heroic ability fits its name: you gain control of a target creature until end of turn. You untap it and it gains haste, so thatโs all good, aggressive fun.
#1. Akroan Crusader
Hey, donโt knock the commons. Cheap 1-drops like Akroan Crusader are heckinโ useful, especially when you can get a little extra out of them.
The tokens you generate wonโt have heroic; donโt be greedy.
Best Green Heroic Cards
#6. Staunch-Hearted Warrior
Staunch-Hearted Warrior is a pretty basic green heroic creature. Two +1/+1 counters is the standard, but this particular creature is a little costly overall.
#5. Pheres-Band Thunderhoof
This centaur gets two +1/+1 counters when you target it, but itโs not all that impressive to start off. Pheres-Band Thunderhoof is more of a murmuring thunder than a clap or roar.
#4. Anthousa, Setessan Hero
As land animation spells go, Anthousa, Setessan Hero isnโt all that impressive. It doesnโt even untap the lands that youโre animating, and theyโre only 2/2s. The mana value and stats are right, but this grass roots recruitment ability doesnโt excite me.
#3. Centaur Battlemaster
A 3/3 that gets three +1/+1 counters when you target it is a tidy piece of business. Unfortunately Centaur Battlemaster doesnโt have trample, which feels like a slight misstep.
#2. Hero of Leina Tower
Hero of Leina Tower gives you a place to pump mana once youโve triggered its heroic ability. Growing by X can make this huge quickly, but itโll be pretty squishy to start.
#1. Setessan Oathsworn
Setessan Oathsworn has the same heroic ability as Staunch-Hearted Warrior except itโs cheaper and sports 1/1 base stats. Its satyr typing means it fits in with Gallia of the Endless Dance.
Best Multicolored Heroic Cards
#3. Battlewise Hoplite
Blue and white combine to give you a +1/+1 counter and a scrying opportunity when you target Battlewise Hoplite. Itโs a decent little 2/2 for two.
#2. Hero of the Nyxborn
Hero of the Nyxborn makes me a little worried. The heroic ability that grants all your creatures +1/+0 until end of turn is good, as is creating a token when it enters the battlefield.
The thing is, this Hero can be killed both by creature and enchantment removal.
#1. Anax and Cymede
Anax and Cymedeโs trigger gives you temporary creature buffing instead of counters. It affects all your creatures and gives them trample though, so can you really complain all that much?
Best Heroic Payoffs
A lot of white and green heroic creatures gain +1/+1 counters when their ability triggers, which is ripe for Doubling Season.
Feather, the Redeemed has an ability that effectively lets you recycle your instants and sorceries that also trigger heroic.
Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief also benefits from cards that would trigger heroic, although it wonโt benefit from any of your mass targeting spells.
Orvar, the All-Form is another potential commander that rewards you when you target your creature with spells, in this case by copying one of them.
Killian, Ink Duelist can reduce the cost of the spells you use to trigger your heroic abilities.
Be careful of your rules text if youโre looking to copy heroic triggers. Copies that are directly placed on the stack donโt trigger heroic; you have to cast the copies for them to trigger heroic. Cipher causes you to cast a copy, so itโs fair game. You might be better served by trying to copy the heroic trigger itself rather than the spell with something like Harmonic Prodigy or Veyran, Voice of Duality.
Wrap Up
Battlewise Hoplite | Illustration by Willian Murai
So ends the epic tale of heroic in Magic. It can be hit-or-miss so far; some abilities are great, but others just turn actions youโd rather do in one step into two-step actions. Why cast a spell to trigger an ability to do a thing when you can just cast a spell to do the thing?
At a five on the storm scale, itโs a mechanic that you probably wonโt see all that often but could pop up here and there. Theros: Beyond Death had a non-keyworded facsimile, so I wouldnโt be surprised if any return to that plane either had heroic or heroic-like abilities.
What say you? Which heroic cards are your favorite? Do you want to see heroic make a return, and how would you like that done? Let me know in the comments below, or hop on over to the Draftsim Discord to join the discussion.
On to the next adventure!
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