Arlinn's Wolf MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Arlinn’s Wolf’s ability to bypass blockers when controlled by an Arlinn planeswalker could ensure more consistent damage to your opponent, indirectly pressuring their resources.

Resource Acceleration: While this card itself doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, its synergy with Arlinn planeswalkers can lead to more efficient utilization of your cards and mana.

Instant Speed: Although Arlinn’s Wolf operates at sorcery speed, its inherent ability could complement strategies that capitalize on instant-speed interactions, as it demands an immediate answer from your opponent.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging with Arlinn’s Wolf can sometimes feel restrictive due to the deckbuilding constraints it imposes. The card doesn’t directly require a discard, but in a strategy centered around harnessing its full potential, you might find it necessitating the inclusion of cards that enable discard to achieve synergy, thereby indirectly influencing your hand management and possibly constraining your play options.

Specific Mana Cost: Tailoring a deck that accommodates Arlinn’s Wolf demands attention to its mana cost, as the necessity for both green mana can shape the entire mana base of your deck. For players who have a penchant for versatility and flexibility, this might limit the card’s inclusion to mostly dedicated green or werewolf-themed decks where its cost is a natural fit.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the efficiency of a card like Arlinn’s Wolf, its mana cost can seem disproportionate compared to other creatures in the same cost bracket. With a casting cost of three mana, including two green, players might find that there are alternative creatures or cards that offer more substantial board presence or beneficial effects for a similar, if not lower, investment in mana resources.

Reasons to Include Arlinn’s Wolf in Your Collection

Versatility: Arlinn’s Wolf is a flexible card that easily slots into wolf or werewolf tribal decks as well as any deck that values a solid three-mana creature. Its innate ability to be unblockable by creatures with defender adds a reliable way to chip in for damage every turn.

Combo Potential: This wolf synergizes well with cards that benefit from creatures attacking or dealing combat damage, adding strategic depth to your plays. It complements an aggressive strategy, helping you to maintain pressure on the opponent.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where defender-based strategies or passive decks are present, Arlinn’s Wolf becomes a consistent threat. Its ability ensures it remains relevant as a card that can consistently apply pressure and bypass common defense tactics.

How to beat

Arlinn’s Wolf may not be the most formidable creature on the battlefield, but it has its unique strengths. Specializing in fending off blockers, this Wolf makes a solid addition to any Green-themed deck that leverages creatures who can avoid being blocked by creatures with abilities. But what about when this creature is growling on the opponent’s side?

The key here lies in its inability to dodge creatures without abilities. Therefore, straightforward strategies to suppress Arlinn’s Wolf include using creatures with solid stats but no abilities as defenders. Think straightforward and efficient—those vanilla creatures can sometimes be your best line of defense. Don’t overlook the power of removal spells either. Simple direct damage or targeted removal spells effectively deal with Arlinn’s Wolf before it becomes a recurring threat. Sweepers are also a perfect solution if the wolf is part of a larger creature-based aggression. Overall, while Arlinn’s Wolf may dodge some blockers, it’s far from invincible, and with a well-thought-out deck, overcoming it becomes less of an ordeal and more of a strategic victory.