The 1994 Dragon Con promotional card featuring the Nalathni Dragon. This rare Magic: The Gathering creature offers unique gameplay mechanics for serious collectors.
1994 • Magic: The Gathering • Dragon Con
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$3.67
The Nalathni Dragon holds a distinct place in Magic: The Gathering history as the lead card of the 1994 Dragon Con promotional set. Released exclusively for attendees of the Atlanta comic convention, this card serves as a tangible piece of the game's early ecosystem. Collectors often seek this card for its historical significance and its status as the first numbered card in this rare promotional series. As a Rare creature, the Nalathni Dragon brings unique strategic options to the table. Its rules text combines the Flying ability with Banding, allowing it to attack in groups with other creatures. The banding mechanic permits the controller to divide combat damage among blockers, offering tactical flexibility in early Magic gameplay. Additionally, it features a powerful activated ability: for one red mana, the dragon gains +1/+0 until end of turn. However, this power comes with a steep cost; activating this ability four times in a single turn forces the player to sacrifice the creature at the beginning of the next end step. For Magic historians and set builders, the Nalathni Dragon represents a fascinating glimpse into the game's experimental design phase. The flavor text references the lore of Olesian allies fighting against Pashalik Mons's goblin hordes, grounding the card in the rich narrative world created by the developers. Michael Whelan’s artwork remains iconic among fans, capturing the essence of the dragon in a compact format. Whether you are completing a comprehensive collection of Dragon Con releases or building a vintage-themed deck, the Nalathni Dragon is a valuable addition to any Magic: The Gathering library. Its combination of mechanical complexity and promotional rarity makes it a standout piece for dedicated hobbyists.
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The catalog profile below summarizes the card identity, featured subject, and notable collectible traits.
The core identity of the card within the set.
The subject, team, league, and sport context tied to this card.
Featured
Nalathni Dragon
Game
Magic: The Gathering
Rarity, print treatment, and game-specific stats for this card.
Rare
Michael Whelan
Card Stock
English
{2}{R}{R}
Creature — Dragon
1 / 1
R
Abilities, attacks, oracle text, and flavor text printed on the card.
Flying; banding (Any creatures with banding, and up to one without, can attack in a band. Bands are blocked as a group. If any creatures with banding you control are blocking or being blocked by a creature, you divide that creature's combat damage, not its controller, among any of the creatures it's being blocked by or is blocking.) {R}: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn. If this ability has been activated four or more times this turn, sacrifice this creature at the beginning of the next end step.
These small but intelligent Dragons and their Olesian allies held back the tide of Pashalik Mons's hordes of Goblin Raiders. *DragonCon 1994*
