Zhao Zilong, Tiger General
Legendary Creature — Human Soldier Warrior
Horsemanship (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with horsemanship.)
Whenever Zhao Zilong blocks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- W
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Portal Three Kingdoms
- Price
- $101.90
- EDHREC rank
- #25730
Zhao Zilong, Tiger General lands as a 4/4 with double strike and vigilance that also pumps your entire attacking team — that's a closing threat and a force multiplier on the same card. The rate is exceptional for four mana, and any deck that wants combat wins should be running it.
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 | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is the natural home for Zhao Zilong, Tiger General — the format's multiplayer dynamics reward wide attacks, and a card that pumps every attacker scales with the size of your board rather than a single target. In Legacy and Vintage, where it's technically legal, four mana for a creature with no immediate protection is far too slow against the format's threat density and interaction density. Oathbreaker could theoretically support it in an aggressive shell, but the 20-life format often ends before the pump bonus compounds enough to matter. Play it in Commander.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Budget Alternatives
Cheaper options that do most of the same work
Temur Battle Rage and similar pump spells cover the double strike angle on a single attacker for pennies, but they don't replicate Zhao Zilong, Tiger General's permanent presence or the team-wide boost. Krenko's Commander, Adriana, Captain of the Guard is the closest functional replacement — she also rewards attacking with multiple creatures — though she lacks double strike and the static vigilance that lets Zhao Zilong both attack and hold back.
Price Context
Current price
$101.90 premium tier
At $101.90, Zhao Zilong, Tiger General sits firmly in premium territory, driven by its status as a serialized or limited-print promo rather than open-set supply. That price reflects collector demand as much as gameplay demand — if you need the effect, check whether a reprint has entered the market before paying full retail.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.