Summary
New creature types inMagic: The Gatheringare becoming rarer and rarer, seeing as the game has existed for over 30 years. But Outlaws of Thunder Junction introduced the Mount creature type, which goes hand-in-hand with the saddle mechanic.
While Mount creatures work quite synergistically together, there are obvious differences in power level among them. Let’s saddle up our horses and mosey on down to the saloon as we rank the best Mount creatures. Giddy up!
The saddle mechanic allows you to tap any number of other creatures you control with total power X or more, depending on what the saddle cost is, to saddle a Mount until end of turn. This can only be done as a sorcery. Once saddled, myriad positive effects occur for the saddled attacking creature.
10Stubborn Burrowfiend
Mill Me, Kill You
While there are no shortage of strong common-rarity Mount creatures (Giant Beaver, Trained Arynx), this uncommon 2/2 for one colorless and one green mana works well in milling decks – of which there are many.
One way to make terrific use of the Burrowfiend is alongside another Thunder Junction card: Rise of the Varmints. This card creates 2/1 Varmint creature tokens based on the number of creature cards in your graveyard. With myriad ways to fill your graveyard, including the Burrowfiend itself, you’ll likely be swinging for big damage with the Burrowfiend and the Varmints – especially if you can find a way to give them haste.
9Congregation Gryff
A Mount And Saddle Mechanic “Lord”
As it stands, this card isquite strong in Limited, especially if you’re in a position in your draft pod to be able to take any and all Mounts that come your way.
While a saddle cost of three is quite high, this card’s combination of evasion and lifegain could certainly swing a Limited game or two. Its rate of three mana for a 1/4 creature isn’t the best, however, so there are definitely stronger mounts you could work with.
8Bounding Felidar
Expensive But Powerful
An extremely high casting cost means that this one should really end the game when it hits the battlefield. While that isn’t necessarily the case with Bounding Felidar, it is eminently strong – though a 4/7 creature for six mana isn’t the best rate.
Still though, putting a +1/+1 counter on all creatures you control and gaining one life for each of those creatures is a big swing, but the question is whether you’ll even make it to the next turn after dropping a fairly underpowered six-drop onto the battlefield and then telling your opponent “go.”
7Archmage’s Newt
A Fun Build-Around For “Spells Matter” Decks
While it might not scream “massively powerful,” Archmage’s Newt registers as the only blue creature with the saddle mechanic, as it’s mostly found in Selesnya colors (green/white). Casting spells for free from your graveyard is always nice, and for the low, low cost of “Saddle 3,” you could play some game-warping spells for nothing.
This tricky little amphibian can serve up some impressive plays, especially when paired with draw/discard spells such as Faithless Looting or Cathartic Reunion and massively powerful instant or sorcery spells in the graveyard such as Cruel Ultimatum, Inspired Ultimatum or Casualties of War.
6Fortune, Loyal Steed
Limited Powerhouse That Loves ETB Effects
Another Limited star in the Thunder Junction draft format, Fortune, Loyal Steed has the best saddle cost (Saddle 1) and can also serve as a powerhouse blink engine. The saddle mechanic’s ability to tap any number of creatures with power one or more means you’re able to flicker the strongest ETB trigger back onto the battlefield alongside Fortune.
The added touch of this creature having scry 2 by itself is a terrific design choice, as even if you don’t saddle something with an ETB ability, you’ll still always get to scry 2 after attacking with this creature.
5Caustic Bronco
Dark Confidant In Mount Form
Dark Confidantwas one of the strongest cards around when it debuted in the Ravnica: City of Guilds set, and itsupkeep triggerof putting a card from the top of your library into your hand at the cost of life loss is still among the strongest around (especially in Commander). Caustic Bronco, the lone monoblack Mount creature in Thunder Junction, aims to do its best Dark Confidant impression thanks to its saddle ability.
This Snake Horse Mount creature, which is an awesome combination, produces the Confidant’s ability when it attacks (look at the top card of your library, put it into your hand, lose life equal to its mana value), but if it is saddled, instead of you being the one who loses life it’s actually each of your opponents. That sounds like a rather strong Commander card.
4Seraphic Steed
Perfect For Angelic Equestrians
Absolutely terrific artwork highlights this strong Mount. A 2/2 with lifelink and first strike for only one green and one white mana is already quite impressive, but if you’re able to reach this card’s saddle cost of four when you attack with the steed, you’re gifted with a free 3/3 Angel creature token with flying.
Combining this card with Congregation Gryff and the next card on our list could make for a rather strong Mount deck archetype, though of course, the Steed does die to Shock, Play with Fire, Invasion of Tarkir and any number of notable red burn spells that are constantly hitting the stack in a Standard game of MTG.
3Ornery Tumblewagg
A Brushwagg With A Saddle? Yes, Please
+1/+1 counters are a real treat in MTG. Over the years, myriad sets have put power-and-toughness-boosting counters at the forefront of specific sets, and, at this point, it seems that almost every set will have some sort of payoff for cards that care about +1/+1 counters.
One of the best Mount creatures is Ornery Tumblewagg. It adds a +1/+1 to target creature every combat, and when it attacks when saddled, it doubles the number of +1/+1 counters on target creature. Single-card synergy like that is always a treat, especially when it involves the beloved Brushwagg creature type.
2Calamity, Galloping Inferno
Deal Huge Damage Out Of Nowhere
Now this is a good Mount. Calamity is a six-mana legendary 4/6 creature with haste. Not great on the surface, but its ability is where it truly shines. If you attack with it while it’s saddled, you get to create a copy of a nonlegendary creature that saddled it that’s attacking.
When combined with bombs such as Terror of the Peaks or Titan of Industry, Calamity can end the game very quickly, especially since it can be cheated into play early using cards such as Smuggler’s Surprise or using any of the various ramping options available to Gruul (green/red) decks.
1The Gitrog, Ravenous Ride
It’s Always Nice To Meet A New Gitrog
Both Calamity and The Gitrog, Ravenous Ride are extremely powerful, but the combination of card advantage and ramp was too much, and thus, the best Mount is a rideable version of a beloved legendary creature: The Gitrog Monster.
Again, what many of these Mounts lack is speed – something that The Gitrog now has thanks to gaining haste in this printing. It also features the best saddle cost of one and its saddle ability is uber-powerful, as it allows you sacrifice a creature that saddled it then draw X cards equal to the sacrificed creature’s power, and then also put that many land cards onto the battlefied tapped. Not too shabby, Gitrog.
