Elderfang Venom MTG Card


Boosts elves, granting advantageous effects upon creature death, particularly in multiplayer scenarios. Encourages opponents not to block your elves, creating tempo gain and resource retention. Instantly alters battlefield dynamics, complementing instant-speed plays and elf tribal synergies.
Elderfang Venom - Kaldheim Commander
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Released2021-02-05
Set symbol
Set nameKaldheim Commander
Set codeKHC
Number15
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byAlessandra Pisano

Text of card

Attacking Elves you control have deathtouch. Whenever an Elf you control dies, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

"The Cosmos Serpent favored us with his venom. As thanks, we sink fangs into those who dishonor the old ways."


Cards like Elderfang Venom

Elderfang Venom is an intriguing addition to the range of tribal support enchantments in MTG. It bears similarities to other cards that bolster specific creature types, such as Coat of Arms. Nonetheless, Elderfang Venom has a distinctive ability that gives it an edge in decks focusing on Elves or Rogues. While Coat of Arms indiscriminately boosts all creatures’ power and toughness based on shared types, Elderfang Venom offers a targeted approach. It not only strengthens your creatures but also penalizes your opponent with life loss whenever your Elves or Rogues perish.

Likewise, Elvish Promenade is another card that pairs well with Elderfang Venom by bolstering your Elf population, although it lacks the direct adversarial impact of Venom’s life-draining feature. Then we find Underworld Connections, which similarly provides a consistent advantage with its card drawing capability but demands individual life sacrifice rather than affecting opponents.

In essence, Elderfang Venom presents a unique dual-threat to adversaries in MTG by enhancing the offensive capacities of Elves and Rogues while also creating a taxing deterrent for opponents aiming to remove your creatures. Its singular blend of offensive and defensive qualities makes it a noteworthy card in its category.

Coat of Arms - MTG Card versions
Elvish Promenade - MTG Card versions
Underworld Connections - MTG Card versions
Coat of Arms - MTG Card versions
Elvish Promenade - MTG Card versions
Underworld Connections - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Elderfang Venom by color, type and mana cost

Bloodbond March - MTG Card versions
Deathreap Ritual - MTG Card versions
Harald Unites the Elves - MTG Card versions
A-Harald Unites the Elves - MTG Card versions
Binding the Old Gods - MTG Card versions
Bloodbond March - MTG Card versions
Deathreap Ritual - MTG Card versions
Harald Unites the Elves - MTG Card versions
A-Harald Unites the Elves - MTG Card versions
Binding the Old Gods - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Elderfang Venom encourages deck strategies that revolve around sacrifice and death-trigger abilities, offering a consistent means to convert creatures into advantageous effects. In multi-player games, the potential for card advantage is even more notable, as multiple opponents can be affected.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, the card can indirectly lead to resource acceleration. By incentivizing opponents to avoid blocking your Elves, you get uninterrupted attacks that can contribute to victory and retention of your resources on the board, which is a form of tempo gain.

Instant Speed: Although Elderfang Venom is not an instant itself, it influences the battlefield instantaneously upon resolution. When combined with creatures that can be flashed in or tribal spells that can be played at instant speed, Elderfang Venom amplifies those strategies, integrating seamlessly with the fast-paced, reactive nature of instant-speed interactions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Elderfang Venom demands that you have other elves to reap its benefits. Without a wide elvish presence, its utility drops significantly, potentially becoming a dead draw in a mixed or non-elf focused deck.

Specific Mana Cost: Sporting both black and green in its casting requirements, Elderfang Venom can strain your manabase. For decks that don’t naturally run both colors, this can lead to tricky situations, making it less versatile overall.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing four mana, Elderfang Venom competes with other impactful four-drops in your deck. Given its dependence on a solid elf board presence, some players might find it less optimal compared to more universally powerful cards at the same cost.


Reasons to Include Elderfang Venom in Your Collection

Versatility: Elderfang Venom is a card that can seamlessly integrate into elf tribal decks or those focused on attrition strategies. Its ability to give all your elves deathtouch not only makes them better defenders but also more threatening attackers.

Combo Potential: This enchantment pairs well with cards that create numerous elf tokens or those that benefit from creatures dying, such as Poison-Tip Archer, synergizing to whittle down an opponent’s life total or creature base.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment filled with creature-heavy decks, Elderfang Venom stands out by turning all your elves into potent threats that cannot be ignored in combat, thereby shifting the dynamics of board control in your favor.


How to beat

Elderfang Venom is a cunning enchantment that grants your Elves and Shaman not only a power boost but also a sneakily detrimental effect upon their death. Each time your adversary loses an Elf or Shaman, they suffer the price of sacrificing a creature. This turns each of your opponent’s creature eliminations into a Pyrrhic victory. If you’re looking to counter the venomous impact of Elderfang Venom, consider focusing on exiling or bouncing effects rather than just destruction. By using spells like Path to Exile or the versatile Cyclonic Rift, you can bypass the sacrificial clause that Elderfang Venom plants like a landmine on the battlefield.

Control decks that can manage the board without relying on direct removal are well-suited to withstand the toxic tide. Enchantment removal, like Disenchant, is also pivotal in these match-ups, swiftly clearing away the problematic Elderfang Venom before it can wreak havoc. As an additional tactic, grave hate can inhibit recursion strategies that might aim to repeatedly benefit from Elderfang Venom’s effect. Cards such as Relic of Progenitus make sure that the deceased Elves and Shaman don’t get a second chance to bite.


BurnMana Recommendations

With its unique ability to make every elf a lingering threat, Elderfang Venom adds a strategic layer to any MTG player’s deck that focuses on elves or attrition tactics. Whether you’ve discovered its potential through our analysis or you’re just delving into the nuances of deck-building, there’s always more to learn. Consider incorporating Elderfang Venom into your collection to give your elves the edge they need in battle, and get creative with how you leverage its deathtouch ability and life-loss mechanic for maximum impact. Ready for deeper insights and more advanced strategies? Join our community and continue to refine your MTG expertise.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Elderfang Venom MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim Commander, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Elderfang Venom and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Elderfang Venom has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal