The 35 Best Dinosaurs in Magic Ranked

Last updated on May 21, 2024

Gishath, Sun's Avatar | Illustration by Zack Stella

Ironically, dinosaurs are a relatively new addition to Magic. While there technically was one dinosaur card back in the ‘90s, this creature type didn’t start to see major printings until Ixalan. Since then, Wizards has made up for lost time by printing quite a few powerful dinosaur cards.

There are now enough good dinosaurs in Magic that you can easily run dinosaurs as a typal group, and you have a few commanders to choose from to do so. There are also some great dinosaur cards that work well in just about any deck they can fit into.

Let’s take a look at the best dinosaurs that have been printed in Magic so far!

What Is a Dinosaur in MTG?

Polyraptor | Illustration by Mark Behm

Dinosaurs in Magic are one of the game’s many creature types. Although Magic’s first dinosaur was printed back in Ice Age (1995), it wasn’t until Ixalan (2017) that dinosaurs became much more heavily represented in Magic.

While dinosaurs can be found in all five of Magic’s colors, they’re most strongly represented in Naya (). Some of the best dinosaur commanders are Naya commanders, as is the latest dinosaur-themed Commander precon: Veloci-ramp-tor.

#35. Quartzwood Crasher

Quartzwood Crasher can create some powerful token creatures. Since the tokens also have trample, they can help contribute to making future tokens that are even stronger, giving this dinosaur beast a possible snowball effect. Even if you’re just getting a little bit of damage through, it’s still nice to get an extra body that could potentially do some damage or soak up a big attack.

#34. Shifting Ceratops

Shifting Ceratops has high power and toughness for a 4-mana creature, with a lot of other built-in advantages. This green creature can be particularly punishing against a blue control deck. Plenty of other meaningful keywords are just one green mana away, making this card very versatile.

#33. Illuna, Apex of Wishes

Illuna, Apex of Wishes can be a very strong addition to any deck built around the mutate mechanic. Because you can mutate creatures on top of this card, you can also have multiple creatures with Illuna, Apex of Wishes’s ability on the field at once in non-singleton formats. Illuna, Apex of Wishes could also become an even more powerful Temur commander if future Magic sets bring back the mutate mechanic.

#32. Tetzimoc, Primal Death

Tetzimoc, Primal Death’s ability to remove multiple creatures when it enters the battlefield can have a huge impact on a game. The main issue with this black creature is that you often have to show your opponents what’s coming, giving them a chance to prepare some sort of response.

#31. Zetalpa, Primal Dawn

Zetalpa, Primal Dawn is a simple but effective white creature. It’s powerful as both an attacker and a blocker, and being indestructible makes it somewhat difficult to remove. Adding any sort of additional buffs or protection to this elder dinosaur makes it even more powerful. Zetalpa, Primal Dawn is also a decent budget commander option if you want to make a Voltron deck focused around it, since this card can deal out good amounts of commander damage.

#30. Zilortha, Strength Incarnate

Plenty of dinosaurs, Zilortha, Strength Incarnate included, have a higher power than toughness. This Gruul dinosaur's ability gives those creatures better staying power. Even if you aren’t building around dinosaurs specifically, there are plenty of cheap creatures with high powers, like Atarka Efreet, which become harder to kill thanks to Zilortha, Strength Incarnate.

#29. Pantlaza, Sun-Favored

Pantlaza, Sun-Favored can be a powerful dinosaur commander if your deck is built to take advantage of its discover ability. Some players aren’t big fans of relying on chance and might get frustrated when Pantlaza, Sun-Favored forces them to stick an important card on the bottom of their library. However, if you’re open to a little RNG in your deck, this legendary dinosaur can be a great way to get additional value out of every dinosaur you cast. Including dinosaurs with high toughness can also help mitigate some of the risks of using this card.

#28. Curious Altisaur

Curious Altisaur is a good inclusion for any dinosaur-themed deck. Dinosaur decks typically focus on winning through combat, so you’ll have plenty of chances to draw cards whenever your dinos deal combat damage to a player. This helps keep your games more consistent, since you have more resources to use each turn.

#27. Etali, Primal Storm

Etali, Primal Storm is a staple in red-inclusive Commander decks for good reason. Getting even one attack off with this great red card can swing the game heavily in your favor. Of course, there’s always the risk that you’ll whiff, but even if you do you’re denying your opponents access to some of their cards. Unfortunately, Etali, Primal Storm is a prime candidate for removal, so be prepared for this red creature to be countered or taken out the moment it hits the battlefield.

#26. Ripjaw Raptor

Ripjaw Raptor is the first of several dinosaurs on this list with the enrage mechanic. Enrage is powerful for multiple reasons. It’s a deterrent for your opponents to chump-block and it gives you an additional benefit even if your creature dies in combat. There are also plenty of ways to deal damage to your own creatures, either with direct damage spells, or cards like Forerunner of the Empire. Ripjaw Raptor can therefore be a pretty consistent draw engine in the right deck, or just a solid attacker that your opponents may be reluctant to block.

#25. Topiary Stomper

Topiary Stomper is good for both mana ramp and mana fixing in multicolor decks. Even though it might not be able to attack right away, you’re still getting a good amount of value out of your 3 mana. This is especially true in decks that have other uses for creatures outside of attacking, like sacrificing them or tapping them for mana with abilities like convoke.

#24. Wayward Swordtooth

Wayward Swordtooth is similar to Topiary Stomper, but it could potentially get you more extra lands per turn, depending on your hand. Getting the city’s blessing can also happen more quickly than getting seven lands since all your permanents count toward the 10 you need to ascend.

#23. Rotting Regisaur

Rotting Regisaur’s power and toughness are absurdly high for its low mana cost. Although this is offset by it making you discard cards, it’s often worth the trade. Some decks don’t mind dumping cards into the graveyard, making this zombie dinosaur an easy choice for decks using mechanics like madness or delve. This card also works well with fling effects, allowing you to deal some serious damage and get rid of its discard ability when it starts becoming a problem for you.

#22. Dinosaurs on a Spaceship

Dinosaurs on a Spaceship works well in both a dinosaur deck and a suspend deck. This card generates some of its own dinosaurs to buff if you suspend it, which can be worth the wait since the tokens have flying and are relatively strong once you get this Boros creature on the field. Alternatively, it can just be a solid buff to a deck running a lot of dinosaurs, and you can simply cast it for 1 additional mana, giving all your creatures an instant benefit.

#21. Zacama, Primal Calamity

Zacama, Primal Calamity’s mana cost is pretty expensive, but it makes up for it by untapping your lands. This card’s multiple abilities – direct damage, lifegain, killing artifacts, and destroying enchantments – makes it very versatile and gives you good mana sinks if your hand is running low on cards. On top of that, Zacama, Primal Calamity is also a powerful attacker and blocker. Given its wide range of utility, it isn’t surprising that this card is a popular choice for a commander.

#20. Gigantosaurus

I know it might be weird to see a vanilla creature like Gigantosaurus so high on this list, but even without an ability this green fatty is very strong. 5 mana for a 10/10 is an incredible deal, and easy to accomplish in a mono-green deck.

#19. Carnage Tyrant

Carnage Tyrant isn’t super splashy, but it’s very consistent which is often better. You know your mana won’t be wasted on it because it can’t be countered, and hexproof makes it difficult for your opponents to remove once it’s on the field.

#18. The Tarrasque

There are plenty of decks where 9 mana isn’t too high of a price, especially not for a creature like The Tarrasque. Ward 10 forces your opponents to spend even more mana to remove it, making it a good trade for you either way. Thanks to its attack trigger, it can also fight and remove creatures that your opponents typically wouldn’t defend with.

#17. Wrathful Raptors

If an enrage ability on a single dinosaur is good, having one on all your dinosaur creatures is even better. That’s essentially what Wrathful Raptors does for you. It also makes your dinosaurs incredibly powerful chump blockers, since they can deal damage back to the creature that attacked it, or directly to other players. It’s important to remember this ability still triggers when your creature or Wrathful Raptors is dealt lethal damage.

#16. Gishath, Sun’s Avatar

Like Zacama, Primal Calamity, Gishath, Sun's Avatar is another popular dinosaur commander. I also think Gishath, Sun's Avatar is the stronger of the two creatures, despite having less versatile options. For one, this card’s abilities don’t cost any mana to activate. A 7/6 with trample also won’t have too much trouble doing some combat damage, especially with haste. As long as you’re including a lot of dinosaurs in your deck, this dinosaur avatar can give you a lot of added value starting the turn you drop it.

#15. Silverclad Ferocidons

Silverclad Ferocidons has one of the most punishing enrage mechanics, especially because it doesn’t specify a permanent type. This means that, if one of your opponents has no other permanents, they’re forced to sacrifice a land. If you have a way to intentionally ping your own creatures, Silverclad Ferocidons can clear out a lot of the board for you.

#14. Spitting Dilophosaurus

Even on its own, Spitting Dilophosaurus gives you a lot of value for just 3 mana. It can remove a smaller creature as soon as it enters the battlefield or immediately shut down a powerful blocker. It can do the same each time it attacks, and it can help keep itself alive during attacks thanks to its ability. This black dinosaur can be especially powerful in a deck built around -1/-1 counters, as many of your opponents' creatures won’t be able to block. Infect decks or Yawgmoth, Thran Physician decks could be a good place for this card.

#13. Compy Swarm

Compy Swarm’s ability is very easy to trigger. There are plenty of Golgari and Jund decks built around sacrificing your own creatures that could get a lot of use out of this card. Not only does it snowball quickly by creating many copies of itself, but those copies can then also be used as sacrifice fodder. This allows Compy Swarm to continue growing, as long as you have a good sacrifice outlet.

#12. Displaced Dinosaurs

Displaced Dinosaurs’s effect allows you to easily generate a massive number of powerful creatures. Because artifact tokens are considered historic permanents, any time you create a Treasure token, or Food, or Clue token, you’re also making a 7/7 dinosaur. That makes Displaced Dinosaurs a solid inclusion for a variety of different decks.

#11. Trapjaw Tyrant

Trapjaw Tyrant can remove some major threats somewhat easily. Playing this white dinosaur along some form of protection can make this card even more powerful, allowing you to keep multiple creatures exiled indefinitely.

#10. Rampaging Ferocidon

Rampaging Ferocidon is a solid counter to several strategies. Lifegain decks are completely unable to do what they want until this card is off the battlefield, and token decks have to be very careful about how many token creatures they’re generating, or else they’ll lose to Rampaging Ferocidon’s triggered ability. This card also shuts down any infinite combo where a creature continuously enters the battlefield, since it would be a death sentence for the player doing it.

#9. Ghalta, Primal Hunger

Ghalta, Primal Hunger can be played surprisingly early in a game, despite its large casting cost. Mana dorks, cheap creatures with high power, and token generators are all great ways to increase your total power on the board. There’s likely plenty of times you can cast Ghalta, Primal Hunger for only 2 mana in a creature-heavy deck, leaving you extra mana to try to protect it with cards like Heroic Intervention or Mithril Coat.

#8. Etali, Primal Conqueror / Etali, Primal Sickness

Etali, Primal Conqueror fixes several issues with the original Etali, Primal Storm. Often, the original Etali would be removed before you got a single activation, and it could also whiff and hit cards that you weren’t allowed to cast. Etali, Primal Conqueror’s ability being an ETB means you’re guaranteed at least one card from each player that you can play for free, and its stipulations mean you won’t hit any duds. This elder dinosaur can also transform into Etali, Primal Sickness, a card that can take out a player in a single swing.

#7. Nezahal, Primal Tide

Nezahal, Primal Tide’s abilities can give you huge card advantage in a game. Not only will you be drawing cards consistently, especially in a multiplayer format like Commander, but having no maximum hand size means you’ll also be able to hold onto them without having to discard to seven during your cleanup step. Those extra cards can also help keep Nezahal, Primal Tide on your board for longer. This is the type of spell that would be a perfect target for a counterspell, making it so much better that this blue creature can’t be countered.

#6. Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant

Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant is essentially the inverse of Ghalta, Primal Hunger. Instead of other creatures making this card easier to cast, Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant gives you the chance to drop a lot of creatures from your hand onto the battlefield. Though this green dinosaur will likely have to be played later in the game, it’s worth the wait given the added benefit you get from playing it. Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant works well as a commander, since you’ll have it at the ready in your command zone once your hand is full of creatures.

#5. Hunting Velociraptor

Hunting Velociraptor may not be the number one card on this list, but I’d consider it the best card when just looking to build a dinosaur deck. This clever girl likely lets you pay far less mana for your dinosaurs than you normally would. This means dropping big threats like Etali, Primal Conqueror in the early turns of the game, making it easier to play every other great card on this list.

The only reason Hunting Velociraptor misses out on the number one spot is because of its specificity. This card won’t really be played outside of dinosaur-themed decks.

#4. Bonehoard Dracosaur

Bonehoard Dracosaur gives you extra cards to play each turn, which alone is pretty powerful. This dinosaur dragon also generates Treasure for you, providing the mana you need to cast the extra cards if you want them. You’ll get value out of this red creature no matter what you get, making it less risky than a typical impulsive draw. And the double creature type means that Bonehoard Dracosaur can slot into a dragon deck, too. It’s also just a solid choice for any red deck looking for some extra card draw.

#3. Invasion of Ikoria / Zilortha, Apex of Ikoria

Although Invasion of Ikoria is a battle rather than a dinosaur, it can be a good way for you to get one from your deck or reanimate one from your graveyard. Once you turn this green battle into Zilortha, Apex of Ikoria, you can do some serious damage in any deck running mostly non-human creatures. Being able to attack unblocked could allow you to take out a player who thinks they're safe behind a big board, and it can also help you benefit from combat damage triggers.

#2. Ravenous Tyrannosaurus

Ravenous Tyrannosaurus can get pretty massive in a deck that runs a lot of creatures. If you have a way to give this Gruul dinosaur haste, it can immediately deal a huge amount of damage to a creature and an opponent. It also works well in decks that have beneficial death triggers – I could easily see it as a good piece for a Jund sacrifice deck.

#1. Polyraptor

Polyraptor is a very easy card to break. Pairing it with something like Marauding Raptor allows you to create an infinite amount of Polyraptor clones. Then you can simply sacrifice them to something like Goblin Bombardment or just have a card like Warstorm Surge deal damage to your opponents.

Best Dinosaur Payoffs

Big powerful dinosaurs themselves are often the payoff for a dinosaur deck, so the best way to make the most of these creatures is by giving them additional buffs on top of their already good effects. Cards like Garruk's Uprising or Warstorm Surge that give you benefits for playing big creatures are good options.

There are also some effects like this that are specific to dinosaurs, like the saga on the backside of Huatli, Poet of Unity; Roar of the Fifth People gives your dinosaurs trample and double strike.

If you’re playing a dinosaur deck, you can also benefit from basic typal support like Coat of Arms or Kindred Discovery.

Which Sets Have Dinosaurs?

If you’re looking to open up some dinosaurs in packs, your best bet would be one of the Ixalan sets. That includes Ixalan, Rivals of Ixalan, and The Lost Caverns of Ixalan. Additionally, Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths included some dinosaur cards.

Dinosaurs also pop up occasionally in smaller numbers in supplemental sets and Universes Beyond products. For example, the Jurassic World UB cross-over introduced new dinosaurs in the form of Secret Lairs, and Set Booster/Collector Booster exclusive cards in The Lost Caverns of Ixalan.

What Is the Dinosaur Errata?

In 2017, Wizards of the Coast edited some old cards to be considered dinosaurs. In total, 14 cards that previously had creature types like beasts or lizards became dinosaurs. This was meant to coincide with the release of Ixalan which introduced far more dinosaurs to Magic. Before Ixalan and the errata, the only dinosaur in Magic was Pygmy Allosaurus.

Wrap Up

The Tarrasque | Illustration by Filip Burburan

Newer Magic players could be forgiven for thinking dinosaurs have been a part of Magic for a long time, given the large number of good dinosaur cards.  Even some of the cards that didn’t make this list are still pretty powerful and have their places in certain decks. Hopefully, dinosaurs serve as a model for how Magic can introduce newer creature types and give them the support they need to be effective.

What is your favorite dinosaur card? What newer creature types would you like to see get the kind of support dinosaurs have? Let me know in the comments or on Draftsim’s Twitter. You can check out more of our dinosaur-related articles on our blog, like this Atla Palani, Nest Tender Commander deck.

Thank you for reading, see you next time!