Selvala's Enforcer MTG Card


Selvala's Enforcer - Conspiracy
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Elf Warrior
Abilities Parley
Released2014-06-06
Set symbol
Set nameConspiracy
Set codeCNS
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number40
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJesper Ejsing

Key Takeaways

  1. Card draw through parley increases hand size, giving more strategic options.
  2. Mana generated aids in casting spells earlier, enhancing game tempo.
  3. Instant speed mana can lead to unexpected plays, keeping opponents guessing.

Text of card

Parley — When Selvala's Enforcer enters the battlefield, each player reveals the top card of his or her library. For each nonland card revealed this way, put a +1/+1 counter on Selvala's Enforcer. Then each player draws a card.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Selvala’s Enforcer features a parley ability that potentially lets you draw an extra card each turn. This can significantly increase your hand size over the course of a game, giving you more options and ways to outmaneuver your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: In addition to card draw, every time the parley ability is activated, you add one green mana to your mana pool for each nonland card revealed. This can ramp up your available resources quickly, enabling you to cast more spells or use more abilities earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: While Selvala’s Enforcer itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, the mana it generates through its parley ability can be used to fuel instant-speed spells and abilities during your turn, thereby increasing the flexibility and potential for surprise plays within your strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: As part of Selvala’s Enforcer’s ability, you may find yourself having to discard a card, which isn’t ideal when your hand is already dwindling or each card holds significant strategic value.

Specific Mana Cost: Sporting a green and white mana requirement, this card demands a dedicated mana base, which can be a tad restrictive if your deck doesn’t consistently produce both colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you consider the current pool of creatures available in MTG, Selvala’s Enforcer comes with a mana cost that’s on the higher side for its stats and abilities, potentially slowing down your gameplay as you wait to gather the necessary resources.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Selvala’s Enforcer thrives in Green and White deck builds, complementing strategies from elf synergies to soldier tribal themes. Its role in a variety of deck styles makes this card a diverse tool for any player’s arsenal.

Combo Potential: With its parley ability, it has the capability to unexpectedly provide card advantage and mana, acting as an engine in combos that capitalize on drawing cards or playing numerous creatures.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to generate extra cards and mana, Selvala’s Enforcer can be particularly effective in formats where such resources are pivotal. It’s a solid inclusion for games that may extend into longer, grindier battles where every card and mana counts.


How to beat

Tackling Selvala’s Enforcer in MTG requires a blend of strategy and timing. This card thrives in formats where commanders can influence the match, so one approach is to limit the card’s abilities immediately. Use spot removal spells or abilities as soon as Selvala’s Enforcer hits the battlefield to prevent your opponent from capitalizing on its parley ability, which can provide advantageous card draw and mana.

Countering this card’s impact also involves controlling opponents’ creature counts since Selvala’s Enforcer’s strength partially depends on the number of creatures in play. Board wipes or selective removals can keep the creature count low, reducing both the value of its triggered ability and its overall power as a blocker or attacker on the field.

Moreover, employing hand disruption tools can be effective. These tools prevent the card from being played in the first place. Cards like Thoughtseize can extract Selvala’s Enforcer from your opponent’s hand, nipping potential problems in the bud. Fine-tuning your deck with the right countermeasures ensures you stay one step ahead, maintaining control over the game’s pace against cards like Selvala’s Enforcer.


Cards like Selvala's Enforcer

Selvala’s Enforcer is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering that players might consider for their elf or soldier-centric decks. Comparable to other cards like Lys Alana Huntmaster, Selvala’s Enforcer offers a creature-based route to grant you an advantage. While Lys Alana Huntmaster allows you to create an additional elf token whenever you play an elf spell, Selvala’s Enforcer boasts a parley ability that has the potential to draw you a card and put counters on itself, benefiting from each opponent’s deck.

Another related card is Wirewood Symbiote, which also emphasizes elf synergies, allowing for the return of an elf you control to your hand to untap another creature. Unlike Selvala’s Enforcer, the Symbiote is more of a utility card, offering reuse of beneficial enter-the-battlefield effects or protection from removal. Lastly, Elvish Archdruid provides a different form of utility by boosting the power of your other elves while also serving as a mana dork to accelerate your plays, although it lacks the card draw potential inherent in Selvala’s Enforcer’s parley.

When evaluating the diversity of functions these cards provide, Selvala’s Enforcer stands out for those strategies that benefit from the information and the incremental advantage afforded by the parley mechanic in a multiplayer MTG setting.

Lys Alana Huntmaster - MTG Card versions
Wirewood Symbiote - MTG Card versions
Elvish Archdruid - MTG Card versions
Lys Alana Huntmaster - Lorwyn (LRW)
Wirewood Symbiote - Scourge (SCG)
Elvish Archdruid - Magic 2010 (M10)

Cards similar to Selvala's Enforcer by color, type and mana cost

Giant Spider - MTG Card versions
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Scarwood Bandits - MTG Card versions
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Viridian Lorebearers - MTG Card versions
Giant Spider - Tenth Edition (10E)
Marsh Viper - The Dark (DRK)
Scarwood Bandits - The Dark (DRK)
Carnivorous Plant - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Erhnam Djinn - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
War Mammoth - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Aurochs - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Lhurgoyf - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Jackalope Herd - Exodus (EXO)
Rootwater Alligator - Exodus (EXO)
Golden Bear - Portal Second Age (P02)
Argothian Swine - Urza's Saga (USG)
Elvish Piper - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Erithizon - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Saber Ants - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Skyshroud Cutter - Nemesis (NEM)
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Ravenous Baloth - Duel Decks: Garruk vs. Liliana (DDD)
Fungusaur - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Viridian Lorebearers - Fifth Dawn (5DN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Selvala's Enforcer MTG card by a specific set like Conspiracy, 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 Selvala's Enforcer and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Selvala's Enforcer has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-05-29 Except in some very rare cases, the card each player draws will be the card revealed from the top of their library.
2014-05-29 If Selvala’s Enforcer leaves the battlefield before its ability resolves, the top card of each library will still be revealed and drawn, although no +1/+1 counters will be placed.

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