Bellowing Elk MTG Card

Bellowing Elk encourages strategic trades and can bolster board presence, offsetting its lack of card draw. It doesn’t guarantee mana acceleration but can alter game dynamics through favorable attacks. Albeit sorcery speed, the Elk works well with instant-speed spells, providing flexibility in combat.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Elk
Released	2019-06-14
Set symbol
Set name	Modern Horizons
Set code	MH1
Power	4
Toughness	2
Number	157
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Lucas Graciano

Text of card

As long as you had another creature enter the battlefield under your control this turn, Bellowing Elk has trample and indestructible.

"Their two-tone vocalization contains a whistle and a roar. Both mean get away." —Vivien Reid

Cards like Bellowing Elk

Bellowing Elk offers a unique dynamic in the realm of creature cards in MTG. With its protection ability when boosted, it shares some similarities with cards like Mowu, Loyal Companion. Mowu gains indestructible when boosted with a +1/+1 counter, giving it a resilience similar to that of the Elk when it comes to avoiding removal from the battlefield.

Considering another card with comparable traits, we find Kraul Harpooner. This creature has a power play with its reach ability and can gain extra power upon entering the battlefield under the right conditions, much like the Elk’s activated growth during your turn. However, whereas the Harpooner is more focused on anti-air utility, Bellowing Elk emphasizes versatile protection during your turn.

The adaptive nature of Bellowing Elk sets it apart in green creature decks. While not as aggressively inclined as Pelt Collector, which grows with each creature that dies, Bellowing Elk maintains a consistent board presence and forces opponents to strategize differently, particularly in combat. Its protective ability makes it a valuable asset in any game, ensuring it can’t be easily dismissed from play.

Mowu, Loyal Companion - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Bellowing Elk by color, type and mana cost

Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - MTG Card versions

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Monkey Monkey Monkey - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While not directly allowing you to draw cards, Bellowing Elk’s undeniable presence on the board can lead to advantageous trades and help maintain your board strength against your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: The Elk doesn’t directly accelerate resources. Yet, it’s sturdy enough to enable attacks that can lead to an advantageous board state, indirectly speeding up your game plan.

Instant Speed: Even though Bellowing Elk operates at sorcery speed, its interplay with other instant speed cards could defend it from removal or buff it during combat, creating unexpected turns of events mid-game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Bellowing Elk itself doesn’t have a discard requirement, it’s important to consider that using it in synergy with other cards may introduce this type of trade-off, which can deplete your hand and reduce your playing options.

Specific Mana Cost: Bellowing Elk calls for a mix of generic and green mana sources. Its specific requirement for green can make it less flexible for multicolored decks that might struggle to produce enough green mana consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost demanding three mana, including two green, Bellowing Elk is not the cheapest creature you could be playing. Players must evaluate whether its abilities justify the cost, especially when other creatures in the same mana range might offer more immediate board presence or utility.

Reasons to Include Bellowing Elk in Your Collection

Versatility: Bellowing Elk adapts well to numerous deck archetypes because of its solid stats and its unique ability to gain indestructible. It fits easily into green decks looking for durable creatures that can withstand removal.

Combo Potential: Its synergy with other cards that grant abilities makes it a prime candidate for combos. In decks with numerous ways to activate its indestructible trait, Bellowing Elk can become a formidable force in both offense and defense.

Meta-Relevance: Given the current gameplay environment that often features heavy removal, the Elk’s resilience to such strategies allows it to persist on the board, giving players a consistent threat against opponents.

How to beat

Bellowing Elk enters the battlefield as a creature that demands attention due to its formidable ability to gain indestructibility whenever it’s activated with other creatures with power 3 or greater. To tackle this sturdy beast, removal spells that don’t destroy but exile or force a player to sacrifice a creature become excellent tools. Spells like Path to Exile or Sacrifice effects found in cards like Liliana of the Veil can bypass its indestructible nature effortlessly.

Alternatively, controlling the battlefield with effects that prevent the Elk’s ability from activating is key. Countering the spells that would buff it or locking down the Elk with enchantments like Pacifism can effectively neutralize the threat without having to remove it. Efficient blockers also serve as a great strategy to mitigate the impact of Bellowing Elk, as its power can be matched or exceeded by other creatures. Managing your resources wisely and maintaining control over the Elk’s ability to become indestructible will ascertain your dominance over this formidable creature.

While the Bellowing Elk has potential to be a powerhouse on the battlefield, players armed with the right strategies can easily circumvent its strengths, ensuring it doesn’t trample over their chances of victory.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bellowing Elk MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons, 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 Bellowing Elk and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bellowing Elk has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Bellowing Elk card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2019-06-14	Bellowing Elk’s effect applies even if the other creature entered the battlefield under your control before Bellowing Elk entered the battlefield, and it continues to apply even if that creature leaves the battlefield.
2019-06-14	Bellowing Elk’s effect checks each turn whether it applies during that turn. It doesn’t check only during the turn it enters the battlefield.