Elturgard Ranger MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Elf Ranger |
| Abilities | Reach |
| Released | 2021-07-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms |
| Set code | AFR |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 182 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Francisco Miyara |
Key Takeaways
- Elturgard Ranger provides card advantage, accelerating momentum by offering more resources than opponents.
- Its instant speed casting and token generation significantly enhance battlefield strategies.
- While powerful, it requires careful mana balancing and can compete with lower-cost alternatives.
Text of card
Reach When Elturgard Ranger enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 green Wolf creature token.
Since the fall of Elturel, they've walked the Sword Coast from Tethyr to Icewind Dale, eyes always on their prey.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Elturgard Ranger shines by providing card advantage upon entering the battlefield. This helps you stay ahead in the game by ensuring you have access to more cards than your opponent, which can be crucial for maintaining momentum.
Resource Acceleration: By bringing along a trusty companion in the form of a token creature, Elturgard Ranger effectively pressures the battlefield. This additional creature not only becomes a resource for various strategies, but it also complements your board presence, accelerating your plan to outmaneuver your opponent.
Instant Speed: The Elturgard Ranger can be cast at instant speed, making it a versatile tool in your arsenal. This allows for strategic plays, bluffing opportunities, and the ability to respond to your opponent’s moves on their turn, increasing the potential for advantageous interactions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Elturgard Ranger demands a card be tossed aside to unleash its potential, a steep price when your hand is already dwindling.
Specific Mana Cost: The Ranger’s casting cost necessitates a precise blend of mana, which can be a hurdle in decks that juggle multiple colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Bearing a substantial mana cost, Elturgard Ranger stands in the shadow of lower-cost creatures that might fit more seamlessly into your game strategy.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Elturgard Ranger card brings adaptability to green-focused decks, offering both a sizeable creature and a way to potentially draw a card when it enters the battlefield, enhancing options for players during gameplay.
Combo Potential: Known for its synergistic qualities, Elturgard Ranger can integrate smoothly with decks that capitalize on creature-based strategies or those that benefit from card draw mechanics, offering numerous possibilities for creative deck-building.
Meta-Relevance: In a game state that rewards proactive board presence, Elturgard Ranger can be particularly effective. Its ability to provide additional card advantage while maintaining a solid creature on the board can be a decisive factor against various popular decks.
How to beat
The Elturgard Ranger presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. With its ability to boost other creatures you control, overcoming it requires a strategic approach. When facing an opponent with an Elturgard Ranger on their side, prioritizing removal spells can be key. Spells that can eliminate the ranger before it has a chance to start buffing should be in your arsenal. This can include instant-speed removal such as Murder or Shock, which can disrupt your opponent’s plans before they come to fruition.
Counterspells also offer a proactive solution, preventing the Elturgard Ranger from ever hitting the board. Look for efficient options like Counterspell or Mana Leak to keep your mana open and respond at the crucial moment. Another tactic is to outpace your opponent by focusing on building a more aggressive board presence that forces them to react, thus rendering the ranger’s abilities less impactful. Aggressive decks can often push through enough damage before the ranger’s advantages can be leveraged, which can be the key to clinching victory over decks that employ this formidable card.
In essence, when you plan your game with the knowledge of how to effectively counter cards like Elturgard Ranger, you maintain an upper hand, allowing you to navigate through matches with confidence and strategy.
Cards like Elturgard Ranger
Elturgard Ranger stands out in the MTG card pool as a versatile creature with an interesting set of abilities. As we delve into cards with a similar feel, we can draw comparisons with Loyal Unicorn, another card that offers a protective advantage in the form of Vigilance. Yet, Elturgard Ranger takes it further by allowing other creatures you control to avoid damage during your turn, a benefit not found with the Unicorn.
Moving further, Battlefield Raptor shares the First Strike ability with the Ranger, giving its controller an edge in creature combat. That being said, Elturgard Ranger combines First Strike with a power boost when equipped, something that Battlefield Raptor, strictly a 1/2 flyer, does not provide.
Other creatures like Fiend Hunter also offer utility by exiling target creatures, albeit temporarily. Elturgard Ranger doesn’t interact with opponent creatures in the same manner; instead, it places the emphasis on enhancing your own battlefield position.
In summary, while other MTG cards may share features with Elturgard Ranger, it’s the unique combination of its abilities that defines its strategic place, ensuring it shines as a card that balances both offense and defense quite elegantly.
Cards similar to Elturgard Ranger by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Elturgard Ranger MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, 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 Elturgard Ranger and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Elturgard Ranger has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
