Ebony Treefolk MTG Card


Ebony Treefolk - Apocalypse
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Treefolk
Released2001-06-04
Set symbol
Set nameApocalypse
Set codeAPC
Power 3
Toughness 3
Number97
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byMatt Cavotta

Key Takeaways

  1. Ebony Treefolk excels with its instant speed activation, growing in power as a direct threat.
  2. Strategic deck design is needed due to its specific mana and high activation costs.
  3. Its power to adapt makes Ebony Treefolk a wise pick for Golgari-themed collections.

Text of card

o Bo G: Ebony Treefolk gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

Its roots are equally happy to drink the water of a clear stream or the oily blood of a Phyrexian warrior.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ebony Treefolk provides a dynamic presence on the battlefield that can become a recurring threat. Its ability to grow larger with the proper mana investment can outpace opponents’ creatures, creating a card that demands an answer and can easily become a card advantage if left unchecked.

Resource Acceleration: The flexibility of Ebony Treefolk’s ability allows for an efficient use of resources. By utilizing spare mana, you’re able to accelerate the threat level of Ebony Treefolk, making it a larger creature potentially at the end of your opponent’s turn, all without committing additional cards from your hand.

Instant Speed: Ebony Treefolk’s activation at instant speed offers significant in-game advantages. This allows players to remain flexible, using mana to grow the Treefolk in response to an opponent’s actions or at the end of their turn, thus optimizing resource use and maintaining the element of surprise.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While not explicitly necessary for Ebony Treefolk, managing your hand is crucial. Cards that synergize by requiring discards could put you at a disadvantage when looking to maximize your Treefolk’s potential, especially when your hand is essential for late-game strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Ebony Treefolk’s cost includes both green and black mana, restricting it to decks that run these colors. Players not running a Golgari (black-green) deck or a multi-color deck with these colors will be unable to benefit from this card, limiting its versatility across different deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including one green and one black, Ebony Treefolk can be considered a solid creature. However, its ability also requires additional mana to activate. This cumulative mana investment might be higher than other creatures of similar stats, making it a potentially less mana-efficient option in a deck.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Ebony Treefolk adapts easily to various play styles, as it can be a robust addition to any deck featuring green and black mana. Its ability to gain +1/+1 for each black or green mana spent makes it an adaptable creature on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: With this card, players can create synergies in decks that focus on utilizing mana of any color to strengthen creatures. The Treefolk’s flexibility in scaling its power and toughness presents numerous strategic combinations, especially in multicolored decks.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based strategies prevail, the sturdy nature of Ebony Treefolk secures its relevance. The card can easily become a formidable force, especially in metagames that favor prolonged combat scenarios and gradual board state development.


How to Beat Ebony Treefolk

Ebony Treefolk, in MTG, presents itself as a formidable adversary with its ability to boost its stats through its activated abilities. This creature thrives in formats that support multicolor decks, especially where green and black mana are abundant. Its versatility allows it to scale into a significant threat if left unchecked on the board.

However, overpowering the Ebony Treefolk relies on strategic removal. Spells that don’t target, such as board wipes like Wrath of God, bypass the potential for pump-ups, sweeping the Treefolk away with other creatures. Efficient targeted removal like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can also manage this creature before the opponent amasses enough mana to make it a larger problem. Additionally, countering the Treefolk upon casting can prevent it from ever taking root. Mana leak or Counterspell are excellent tools for this preemptive approach.

Ultimately, addressing the Ebony Treefolk promptly is key. By deploying timely removal or countermeasures, players can mitigate the Treefolk’s impact, maintaining control over the game state and paving the way to victory against such a scalable threat.


Cards like Ebony Treefolk

Ebony Treefolk presents a unique twist within the creature cards category in Magic the Gathering. It bears a resemblance to other creature cards like Sakura-Tribe Elder for its ability to influence mana resources. However, Ebony Treefolk offers a flexible advantage with its ability to boost its own power and toughness for each black or green mana spent.

When considering kinship, it’s natural to compare it to another mana-centric creature like Llanowar Elves which also interacts with mana but pivots on generating it rather than enhancing its own stats. In contrast, Krosan Tusker shares some similarity with the aforementioned in its interaction with lands, although through a cycling ability that includes card draw rather than stat augmentation.

Delving deeper, we find creatures like Quirion Dryad that, while not directly related to the mana pool, dynamically grows in strength with each green spell cast. Its growth is more passive compared to Ebony Treefolk’s active ability, requiring constant mana investment. Overall, Ebony Treefolk offers a balance of mana adaptability and power increase, making it a worthy candidate for decks that prioritize flexibility and creature strength.

Sakura-Tribe Elder - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Krosan Tusker - MTG Card versions
Quirion Dryad - MTG Card versions
Sakura-Tribe Elder - Junior Super Series (PSUS)
Llanowar Elves - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Krosan Tusker - Onslaught (ONS)
Quirion Dryad - Planeshift (PLS)

Cards similar to Ebony Treefolk by color, type and mana cost

Harald, King of Skemfar - MTG Card versions
Grakmaw, Skyclave Ravager - MTG Card versions
Chatterfang, Squirrel General - MTG Card versions
Reyhan, Last of the Abzan - MTG Card versions
Willowdusk, Essence Seer - MTG Card versions
Shambling Shell - MTG Card versions
Wormwood Dryad - MTG Card versions
Rhys the Exiled - MTG Card versions
Stalker Hag - MTG Card versions
Hag Hedge-Mage - MTG Card versions
Quillspike - MTG Card versions
Rendclaw Trow - MTG Card versions
Glissa, the Traitor - MTG Card versions
Stonefare Crocodile - MTG Card versions
Dreg Mangler - MTG Card versions
Varolz, the Scar-Striped - MTG Card versions
Quagmire Druid - MTG Card versions
Shaman of the Pack - MTG Card versions
Catacomb Sifter - MTG Card versions
Autumnal Gloom // Ancient of the Equinox - MTG Card versions
Harald, King of Skemfar - Kaldheim (KHM)
Grakmaw, Skyclave Ravager - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Chatterfang, Squirrel General - Modern Horizons 2 (MH2)
Reyhan, Last of the Abzan - Commander Legends (CMR)
Willowdusk, Essence Seer - Commander 2021 (C21)
Shambling Shell - The List (PLST)
Wormwood Dryad - Time Spiral (TSP)
Rhys the Exiled - Morningtide (MOR)
Stalker Hag - Eventide (EVE)
Hag Hedge-Mage - Eventide (EVE)
Quillspike - Eventide (EVE)
Rendclaw Trow - Eventide (EVE)
Glissa, the Traitor - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Stonefare Crocodile - Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska (DDM)
Dreg Mangler - Return to Ravnica Promos (PRTR)
Varolz, the Scar-Striped - Dragon's Maze (DGM)
Quagmire Druid - Commander 2013 (C13)
Shaman of the Pack - Explorer Anthology 2 (EA2)
Catacomb Sifter - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)
Autumnal Gloom // Ancient of the Equinox - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ebony Treefolk MTG card by a specific set like Apocalypse, 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 Ebony Treefolk and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ebony Treefolk has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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