Tribal themes get a boost in MTG from 5 Rare M21 tribal lords

The upcoming Core Set 2021 will contain five new tribal lord cards that support Dogs, Spirits, Rogues, Goblins, and Cat tribal themes. 

Tribal themes are the foundation of the upcoming Jumpstart set in Magic: The Gathering. Five of the MTG tribal themes received new cards in M21, forming a Tribal lords cycle. These Rare creatures are Pack Leader, Shacklegeist, Thieves’ Guild Enforcer, Conspicuous Snoop, and Feline Sovereign, supporting the tribal themes of Dogs, Spirits, Rogues, Goblins, and Cats. 

Tribal lord M21 cycle

The Tribal lord cycle in M21 contains one Rare lord within each color in Magic. Mana costs vary for each creature, as do their abilities and the ways in which tribal themes are supported. 

Pack Leader

Pack Leader supports the renamed Hound tribal, now known as Dog. He’s a two-cost 2/2 in White who’s primary static ability gives all Dogs a player controls +1/+1. Pack Leader will also prevent combat damage to all Dogs a player controls when he attacks. 

• CMC: 1W
• Type: Dog
• 2/2
• Passive Ability: Other Dogs you control get +1/+1.
• Ability: Whenever Pack Leader attacks, prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn to Dogs you control.
• Flavor text: “He will be your loyal champion, and his pack your protectors. All he asks for is a full belly, a spot by the fire, and all the love in your heart.”

Shacklegeist

Shacklegeist is another 2/2 creature in Blue who supports the Spirit tribal theme. It’s a two-cost flyer with an ability to tap target an opponent’s creatures. Tapping down a target creature is a solid ability if it’s affordable. But with Shacklegeist, the ability comes with the additional cost of tapping two untapped Spirits you control. It also has a downside of only being able to block creatures with Flying. 

• CMC: 1U
• Type: Spirit
• Flying 2/2
• Shacklegeist can block only creatures with flying.
• Tap two untapped Spirits you control: Tap target creature you don’t control.
• Flavor text: “The Blessed Sleep doesn’t come easily to a mind chained by regrets.”

Thieves’ Guild Enforcer

Thieves’ Guild Enforcer is the lord of the tribal theme Rogue, supporting a build that mills an opponent. It’s a cheap Flash 1/1 who gets pumped with +2/+1 stats while gaining the Keyword Deathtouch when an opponent has eight or more cards in their graveyard.

• CMC: B
• Type: Human Rogue
• Flash 1/1
• Whenever Thieves’ Guild Enforcer or another Rogue enters the battlefield under your control, each opponent mills two cards.
• As long as an opponent has eight or more cards in their graveyard, Thieves’ Guild Enforcer gets +2/+1 and has Deathtouch.

Conspicuous Snoop

Goblins are a popular theme in Magic. Conspicuous Snoop is a 2/2 who allows its controller to cast spells from the top of their library. A downside to this, however, is that an opponent can see what the top card of your library is. But there’s an upside to this, too. If the top card is a Goblin, Conspicuous Snoop gains the activated abilities from that Goblin card. 

• CMC: RR
• Type: Goblin Rogue
• 2/2
• Play with the top card of your library revealed.
• You may cast Goblin spells from the top of your library.
• As long as the top card of your library is a Goblin card, Conspicuous Snoop has all activated abilities of that card.

Feline Sovereign

Cats have predominantly dominated over Dogs in MTG, which is why their tribal lord is slightly better than Pack Leader. Feline Sovereign gives all other Cats +1/+1 and protection from Dogs. It also gives its controller the ability to destroy a target Artifact or Enchantment if a Cat deals combat damage to a player. Feline Sovereign also has one more health than Pack Leader, making it slightly harder to remove.

• CMC: 2G
• Type: Cat
• 2/3 
• Other Cats you control get +1/+1 and have protection from Dogs.
• Whenever one or more Cats you control deal combat damage to a player, destroy up to one target artifact or enchantment that player controls.
• Flavor text: Dogs beg. Cats lay claim.