Argothian Swine MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Argothian Swine shines in generating card advantage by potentially turning your opponent’s noncreature permanents into creatures, which you can then target with removal or affect with board wipes designed to deal with creatures, thus maximizing the efficiency of your cards.

Resource Acceleration: While the card itself may not produce mana or Treasure tokens, converting noncreature permanents to creatures can indirectly lead to resource acceleration if paired with other cards that benefit from controlling a greater number of creatures or sacrificing creatures for additional mana.

Instant Speed: The aspect of instant speed grants you the strategic upper hand by allowing you to wait for the most opportune moment to cast Argothian Swine. This reactive playstyle ensures you can adapt to the board state without committing to a strategy too early in the turn, maintaining versatility and the element of surprise in your gameplay.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Argothian Swine card necessitates discarding another card from your hand to unleash its potential. This action can be particularly detrimental during late-game scenarios when your hand is already depleted, making it harder to maintain a strong board presence and momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: The card’s mana cost demands a strict combination of green mana. This requirement can be restrictive and may not seamlessly fit into multi-colored or hybrid mana decks, potentially limiting its versatility across various playstyles.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a demanding and somewhat bulky mana cost, Argothian Swine may not always represent the best value for a player’s mana investment. When evaluated against other creatures or spells at similar costs, the Swine might lag in terms of the benefits it brings to the battlefield, making it a less optimal choice in competitive gameplay scenarios.

Reasons to Include Argothian Swine in Your Collection

Versatility: Argothian Swine shines as a versatile card, capable of slotting into various deck archetypes. Its impact in games that focus on creature-based strategies or those that empower trample synergies is significant.

Combo Potential: The card can be a crucial component in combos, particularly in decks that exploit trample mechanics or benefit from having a high power creature on the board. It can enable surprise wins and synergize with various support cards.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment crowded with control decks or those relying on numerous small blockers, Argothian Swine can prove to be extremely effective. It can help maintain pressure on the opponent by forcing through damage, making it a valuable asset in the right meta.

How to beat

Armed with relentless trample ability, Argothian Swine can be a true nuisance on the battlefield for many MTG players. This powerful creature might seem daunting, but there are several smart strategies one can employ to neutralize its impact. The most straightforward method is to ensure that you have sufficient removal spells in your deck, such as Path to Exile or Murder, to eliminate the Swine before it can cause any significant damage.

Another tactic is to use enchantments that prevent the creature from attacking or blocking, such as Pacifism or Arrest. By controlling the Swine’s combat abilities, its effectiveness is vastly reduced. Alternatively, players can focus on building a strong defense with creatures that have a higher toughness than the Swine’s power, negating the potential trample damage it can deal. Lastly, utilizing counter spells helps to intercept the Swine as it enters the battlefield, preventing it from ever becoming a threat. By applying these techniques, one can successfully contain the power of Argothian Swine and maintain control over the game.