Jungle Delver MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Merfolk Warrior
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Jungle Delver grants progressive threat potential and can effectively utilize spare mana for growth.
  2. Multicolored decks may find the green mana requirement restrictive for card maximization.
  3. Includes Jungle Delver in various MTG deck types for its versatility and counter mechanics synergy.

Text of card

: Put a +1/+1 counter on Jungle Delver.

"There is no power too great to be used in the defense of our ancestral lands."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though Jungle Delver itself doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it’s a creature that can repeatedly leverage resources by placing +1/+1 counters on itself. Over the course of a game, the ability to grow stronger can force your opponent to answer it or face an increasingly menacing threat, effectively giving you a form of card value as they potentially spend more resources to deal with it.

Resource Acceleration: Jungle Delver offers a different spin on resource acceleration. By spending mana to increase its own power and toughness, you’re effectively investing in a long-term asset on the battlefield. This permits you to use mana that might otherwise go unspent during your turn, maximizing the efficiency of your resources.

Instant Speed: While Jungle Delver’s ability is not at instant speed, its mere presence can pressure an opponent to act prematurely or ineffectively. Since you can activate its ability any time you could cast a sorcery, opponents must consider the potential for Jungle Delver to grow out of control and may adjust their play or waste removal spells accordingly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Jungle Delver’s growth mechanism mandates tossing away valuable cards from your hand to activate its ability. This aspect can drain your hand and resource pool, making it a potentially risky play if you’re not carrying enough cards to maintain a strategic reserve.

Specific Mana Cost: The card necessitates green mana for both summoning and using its ability. It’s especially limiting when you’re operating a multicolored deck and could be competing for that particular mana type with other critical plays.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: To utilize Jungle Delver’s power-up feature, you’re investing one green mana each time to get just one additional +1/+1 counter. When you compare that to other creature cards that provide more significant buffs or advantages for similar or lesser mana investments, the trade-off may not always be in your favor.


Reasons to Include Jungle Delver in Your Collection

Versatility: Jungle Delver reveals its flexibility by fitting into various deck archetypes. As a one-mana creature, it offers an early board presence that can be critical for aggressive strategies, while its ability to scale throughout the game adds value in longer matches.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to repeatedly put +1/+1 counters on itself makes it a compelling choice for decks that synergize with counter mechanics. It pairs well with cards that benefit from, or contribute to, the proliferation of counters, thus unlocking powerful combinations that can overwhelm opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where games tend to extend beyond the early turns, Jungle Delver’s value increases. It may start small, but given time, it can evolve into a significant threat. Its low casting cost and scalable threat level maintain its relevance in a variety of metas, particularly those that encourage incremental board development.


How to Beat Jungle Delver

Jungle Delver, a creature card on the greener side of Magic the Gathering, might seem unassuming with its base power and toughness. But don’t let its initial appearance fool you, as its ability to place +1/+1 counters can turn it into a significant threat over time. Thwarting this card involves timely interference. Removal spells are the most straightforward way to deal with Jungle Delver before its power scales up. Early game spells like Shock or Fatal Push can eliminate it quickly and cost-effectively.

Control tactics also work wonders. Countering Jungle Delver as it hits the battlefield keeps your opponent from investing future resources into it. Unsummon and other bounce effects will reset any progress made by returning it to its owner’s hand. Alternatively, preventing it from attacking or blocking using cards like Pacifism or Frost Lynx can diminish its impact on the game. In conclusion, when encountering Jungle Delver, prioritize early disruption to prevent this creature from growing out of control and swinging the game in your opponent’s favor.


Cards like Jungle Delver

Jungle Delver finds its niche within the green creature cards of Magic: The Gathering. It’s a creature card that, like many in its family, benefits from and contributes to a strategy of creature growth and mana utility. Its resemblance to Llanowar Elves cannot be ignored, as both cards allow for a mana advantage. However, Jungle Delver’s ability to bolster its own power gives it a unique edge as you delve deeper into the game.

Another comparable card is Mist-Cloaked Herald. Both are low-cost creatures, but Mist-Cloaked Herald carries the advantage of being unblockable. While it doesn’t grow like Jungle Delver, it offers consistent damage potential. On the flip side, Stonewood Invoker, like Jungle Delver, offers the chance for growth later in the game. With enough mana, Stonewood Invoker can become a force, although Jungle Delver’s lower activation cost allows for flexibility and earlier threats in the game.

In terms of utility and scaling potential, Jungle Delver maintains a solid position amongst its peers. It’s a testament to the versatility of green creatures in Magic: The Gathering, offering a cumulative threat that can scale up as the game progresses, ensuring it remains relevant from early gameplay to the later stages of a match.

Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Mist-Cloaked Herald - MTG Card versions
Stonewood Invoker - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Mist-Cloaked Herald - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)
Stonewood Invoker - Legions (LGN)

Cards similar to Jungle Delver by color, type and mana cost

Scryb Sprites - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogre - MTG Card versions
Shanodin Dryads - MTG Card versions
Wall of Wood - MTG Card versions
Rime Dryad - MTG Card versions
Village Elder - MTG Card versions
Willow Dryad - MTG Card versions
Spike Drone - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Elite - MTG Card versions
Elvish Berserker - MTG Card versions
Tree Monkey - MTG Card versions
Norwood Ranger - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogress - MTG Card versions
Wild Dogs - MTG Card versions
Elvish Herder - MTG Card versions
Pouncing Jaguar - MTG Card versions
Taunting Elf - MTG Card versions
Sacred Prey - MTG Card versions
Stampede Driver - MTG Card versions
Scryb Sprites - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Llanowar Elves - 30th Anniversary History Promos (P30H)
Ghazbán Ogre - Masters Edition (ME1)
Shanodin Dryads - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Wall of Wood - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Rime Dryad - Ice Age (ICE)
Village Elder - Mirage (MIR)
Willow Dryad - Portal (POR)
Spike Drone - Tempest (TMP)
Skyshroud Elite - Exodus (EXO)
Elvish Berserker - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Tree Monkey - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Norwood Ranger - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Ghazbán Ogress - Unglued (UGL)
Wild Dogs - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Elvish Herder - Urza's Saga (USG)
Pouncing Jaguar - Urza's Saga (USG)
Taunting Elf - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Sacred Prey - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Stampede Driver - Masters 25 (A25)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Jungle Delver MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan and Game Night, 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 Jungle Delver and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Jungle Delver Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2017-09-29 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Kieran Yanner.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-09-29IxalanXLN 1952015normalblackKieran Yanner
22018-11-16Game NightGNT 452015normalblackKieran Yanner
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 12452015normalblackKieran Yanner
42020-08-13Arena Beginner SetANB 992015normalblackKieran Yanner
52020-09-26The ListPLST XLN-1952015normalblackKieran Yanner

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Jungle Delver has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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