Lu Meng, Wu GeneralHow it works & interactions with other cards

Understanding Horsemanship

Horsemanship is an evasion keyword that functions similarly to flying but with a much stricter restriction. According to the comprehensive rules, a creature with horsemanship cannot be blocked except by other creatures that also have the horsemanship ability. Since very few cards in the history of Magic possess this keyword, Lu Meng, Wu General will effectively be unblockable in the vast majority of games, allowing you to pressure opponents or trigger 'combat damage to a player' effects with ease.

Resolution and Combat Steps

When you move to the declare blockers step, your opponent must check if their potential blockers have horsemanship. If they do not, they cannot legally be assigned to block Lu Meng. It is important to note that horsemanship is checked only at the moment blockers are declared; if Lu Meng somehow loses horsemanship after he has already been legally blocked, he remains blocked. Conversely, giving a creature horsemanship after it has already been left unblocked will not change its status.

Common Misconceptions

The most frequent mistake players make is assuming that horsemanship interacts with other evasion keywords. Official rulings clarify that despite its similarity to flying, horsemanship does not interact with flying or reach. A creature with flying cannot block a creature with horsemanship, and a creature with reach cannot block a creature with horsemanship. They are entirely distinct mechanics.

When to Play Lu Meng

Lu Meng, Wu General is best utilized when you need a guaranteed way to deal damage to an opponent. Because he is a Human and a Soldier, he fits perfectly into tribal synergies that care about these types. While his mana cost is five, the lack of effective blockers for horsemanship often makes him a safer finisher than creatures with higher power but less reliable evasion.

Interaction examples

Establishing Field Presence

Solemn Simulacrum

You cast Solemn Simulacrum to ramp into your fifth land, ensuring you have the blue mana required for Lu Meng. On the following turn, you cast Lu Meng, Wu General. While Solemn Simulacrum provides value through land searching and card draw, Lu Meng provides the inevitable clock. If your opponent attacks back with a ground force, you can sacrifice Solemn Simulacrum to block and draw a card, while Lu Meng continues to attack safely over their heads using horsemanship.

Strategic Type Synergy

Roaming Throne

You have Roaming Throne on the battlefield, having chosen 'Human' as the creature type when it entered. Lu Meng, Wu General is a Human Soldier. Although Lu Meng's horsemanship is a static ability and not a triggered ability, Roaming Throne itself becomes a Human Soldier. Because Roaming Throne now shares a type with Lu Meng, any other triggered abilities you control that key off Humans will trigger an additional time, while both creatures can pressure the opponent—though Roaming Throne lacks Lu Meng's horsemanship and can be blocked normally.