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Retaliator Griffin

{1}{R}{G}{W}

Creature — Griffin

ARBAlara Reborn#123rare

For every eye, an eye. For every tooth, a tooth. Griffins are nothing if not fair.

Finishes
Nonfoil · Foil
Border
black
Frame
2003
Pull rate
about 1 per booster–1 in 1185
Illustrator
Jesper Ejsing
Found in
Alara Reborn MTGO Redemption Foil · Alara Reborn MTGO Redemption · 3 more
Printings3EDHREC rank#22,045
CommanderLegalModernLegalStandardNot legal
Format legality

Constructed

StandardNot legal
PioneerNot legal
ModernLegal
LegacyLegal
VintageLegal
PauperNot legal

Commander

CommanderLegal
Pauper CommanderNot legal
Duel CommanderLegal
PreDHLegal
OathbreakerLegal
Tiny LeadersNot legal

Arena

AlchemyNot legal
HistoricNot legal
TimelessNot legal
BrawlNot legal
Standard BrawlNot legal
Competitive BrawlNot legal
GladiatorNot legal

Other

PremodernNot legal
Old SchoolNot legal
Penny DreadfulLegal
Future StandardNot legal
Flying Whenever a source an opponent controls deals damage to you, you may put that many +1/+1 counters on this creature.
2/2
Flying
Market · per finishspark updated 13h ago · prices as of 2026-08-30
Nonfoil+2.7%
$0.38
$0.22 low$0.18 gapTCGplayer
Foil+6.2%
$1.20
$0.68 low$0.08 gapTCGplayer
Cheapest playable copy$0.33· across 3 printings· view the cheapest printing ›

Rulings

5 · latest May 1, 2009
  • WotCMay 1, 2009

    If Retaliator Griffin is dealt lethal damage at the same time that you’re dealt damage by a source an opponent controls, Retaliator Griffin will be put into a graveyard before it would receive any counters. Its ability will still trigger, but it will do nothing when it resolves.

  • WotCMay 1, 2009

    If a spell causes damage to be dealt, that spell will always identify the source of the damage. In most cases, the source is the spell itself. For example, Breath of Malfegor says “Breath of Malfegor deals 5 damage to each opponent.”

  • WotCMay 1, 2009

    If an ability causes damage to be dealt, that ability will always identify the source of the damage. The ability itself is never the source. However, the source of the ability is often the source of the damage. For example, Deathbringer Thoctar’s ability says “Deathbringer Thoctar deals 1 damage to any target.”

  • WotCMay 1, 2009

    If the source of the damage is a permanent, Retaliator Griffin checks whether an opponent controls that permanent at the time that damage is dealt. If the permanent has left the battlefield by then, its last known information is used. If the source of the damage is a spell, whether it’s controlled by an opponent is obvious. If the source of the damage is a card in some other zone (such as a cycled Jund Sojourners), Retaliator Griffin checks whether the card’s owner, rather than its controller, is an opponent.

  • WotCMay 1, 2009

    The source of combat damage is the creature that dealt it.