Mtenda Lion
Creature — Cat
Whenever this creature attacks, defending player may pay 
. If that player does, prevent all combat damage that would be dealt by this creature this turn.
- CMC
- 1
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- GU
- Rarity
- common
- Set
- Mirage
- Price
- $0.18
- EDHREC rank
- #30819
Mtenda Lion is a 2/1 for one mana with a conditional upside that almost never triggers — your opponent controls whether it becomes a 2/2 with banding, and they will simply decline. A one-mana 2/1 with no reliable ability is unplayable in any competitive context.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Mtenda Lion is legal in Commander, Legacy, Vintage, Pauper, and Oathbreaker, but legal and playable are different things. In Commander, a 2/1 for one with a negotiated upside has no business in any 99 — the card generates no value, no synergy, and no pressure at a table of four. In Pauper, where one-drops are judged harshly against White Weenie staples, Mtenda Lion's conditional banding clause will never resolve in your favor. Legacy and Vintage don't acknowledge it exists.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.18 bulk tier
At $0.18, Mtenda Lion is deep bulk — the price reflects demand accurately. There is no trajectory that makes this card worth more, so pick it up only if you're completing a set or building a themed oddity deck.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.