MTG · Card

◇ Catalog #1529

Skyline Despot

sld·#1529·rare·borderless

Illus. Erol Otus

View concept →

—

in vault

—

for trade

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wishlisted

Feb '25

1 yr ago

Value

$4.17+$0 (+4.2%)

30 days high $4.32 · low $3.93

NM$4.17

LP—

MP—

HP—

DMG—

$3.85–$4.40modeled

30 days ago
today

90-dayhigh $4.67low $3.69range 26.6%n 53

Where to buy / sell

TCGplayer eBay sold Cardmarket EU Star City

Search links · prices vary by venue

Buy this card

Played in EDH

EDHrec rank #3,522 · Niche pick

Variants

Borderless$4.17

Gameplay

Creature — Dragon

Flying When this creature enters, you become the monarch. At the beginning of your upkeep, if you're the monarch, create a 5/5 red Dragon creature token with flying.

5/5

Legalities

tlrnot legal

duellegal

brawlnot legal

pennynot legal

PreDHnot legal

Rulings · 5

2016-08-23wotc

Being the monarch carries two inherent triggered abilities. “At the beginning of the monarch's end step, that player draws a card” and “Whenever a creature deals combat damage to the monarch, its controller becomes the monarch.”

2016-08-23wotc

The last ability of Skyline Despot checks to see if you're the monarch as your upkeep begins. If you're not, the ability won't trigger at all. You won't be able to do anything that would make you the monarch during your upkeep in time to have that ability trigger. The ability will also check to see if you're the monarch as it tries to resolve. If you're not the monarch at that time, the ability will have no effect.

2016-08-23wotc

If the triggered ability that causes the monarch to draw a card goes on the stack, and a different player becomes the monarch before that ability resolves, the first player will still draw the card.

Context

Last observed on Scryfall 2 months ago at $4.17. Over the trailing 90 days the price moved between $3.69 and $4.67 across 53 observations. Cross-checked across TCGplayer, eBay sold, Cardmarket EU, and Star City.

This printing is one of 2 catalogued treatments from SLD — the lineup includes Borderless alongside the standard finish. Across our catalog the Rarix library tracks every variant in the same family so collectors can compare price, scarcity and demand inside a single lineage.

Card #1529 of *Secret Lair Drop*, the set that shipped alongside the February 2025 Secret Lair Drop release.

Card type: Creature — Dragon, color identity red, printed at rare. Rares occupy the bottom-of-pack rare slot in standard boosters. Mana cost: {5}{R}{R} (7 converted). Keyword abilities: Flying.

Legal in Legacy, Vintage, and Commander.

EDHrec ranks this card #3,522 in Commander, putting it in the niche-pick tier of the format's playable pool.

Illustrated by Erol Otus. Rarix catalogs 6 other cards credited to this artist.