Timberwatch Elf MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 11 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Elf
Power 1
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. With the ability to pump power at instant speed, Timberwatch Elf adds a dynamic edge to combat scenarios.
  2. The elf demands a green-centric board, which may limit its versatility but strengthens mono-green or elf-heavy decks.
  3. Its higher mana cost and requirement of other elves in play can restrict deck-building and board development strategies.

Text of card

: Target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of Elves in play.

Even through the Mirari's voice, the elves still hear the call of their kinship.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Timberwatch Elf provides an incremental advantage, enabling significant boost of one creature’s power each turn. This can tip the scale during combat, drawing out removal spells from opponents or culminating in decisive swings in life totals.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting your mana pool, Timberwatch Elf effectively accelerates your board presence by enhancing your creature’s capabilities, equating to resource acceleration through bolstered offense and defense.

Instant Speed: The Elf’s ability to pump a creature’s power at instant speed offers considerable tactical flexibility. Activate it during the declare blockers step or in response to spells, surprising opponents and potentially disrupting their strategies.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Timberwatch Elf does not directly demand a card from your hand, but its ability’s reliance on having other elves in play can indirectly pressure you to overcommit to the board, making you more vulnerable to sweepers and inconvenient if you’re trying to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Timberwatch Elf requires green mana, making it less flexible for multi-colored decks that may need to manage their mana base carefully. This can demand adjustments in the deck-building stage to ensure the mana is available when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of three, including two generic and one green, Timberwatch Elf isn’t the cheapest creature you can deploy. While its ability can be game-changing in elf decks, in faster-paced metagames or mana-tight situations, the cost could delay your momentum when cheaper creatures could be played instead.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Timberwatch Elf slides effortlessly into a variety of green-focused decks, particularly those that capitalize on elf synergies or require a potent booster for their creatures in combat.

Combo Potential: The ability to significantly increase a creature’s power can be used strategically in combos, especially with cards that benefit from large power values or with untap mechanics to use the ability multiple times in a single turn.

Meta-Relevance: As elf decks continue to be a mainstay in many formats, having Timberwatch Elf can prove crucial when facing opponents, offering substantial late-game power swings that can turn the tides in your favor.


How to beat

Timberwatch Elf is a distinctive creature card that has earned its place in the hearts of MTG players who favor green decks. Its ability to boost another creature’s power exponentially with the number of Elves on the field makes it a key player in Elf-themed strategies. However, knowing the tactics to counter this card can turn the tides of the game in your favor.

To effectively counter Timberwatch Elf, removal spells are your best friends. Instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can take out the Elf before its ability can be activated. Board wipes such as Wrath of God or Blasphemous Act can also be instrumental in clearing out multiple Elves, weakening the potency of Timberwatch Elf’s ability. Control strategies benefit from countering creature-based synergies, so employing cards that can neutralize creature abilities or prevent creatures from entering the battlefield, like Cursed Totem or Torpor Orb, can be invaluable.

Adapt your strategy to deal with Timberwatch Elf and similar threats efficiently. By focusing on crucial timing and the right spell selection, you can dismantle an Elf deck’s momentum and navigate your way to victory even against the densest green canopies.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering your MTG plays involves knowing your cards’ strengths and weaknesses like the back of your hand. Timberwatch Elf has crowned itself as a staple in green-infused elf decks, praising its ability to tilt combats in your favor. But strategy doesn’t stop at playing the right card; it’s about anticipating and disarming threats. Removals and board wipes are your arsenal against this mighty elf, navigating you to a win. Want to outsmart your opponent with tactical plays and powerhouse creatures? Dive deeper with us to enhance your MTG strategy and grow your collection with pivotal cards.


Cards like Timberwatch Elf

The allure of Timberwatch Elf lies in its ability to significantly amp up the strength of your creatures in Magic: The Gathering. This elf mimics the power-boosting traits found in cards like Elvish Archdruid, which not only increases the might of your elf allies but also generates additional green mana analogous to the number of elves on the battlefield. Still, Timberwatch Elf focuses solely on individual power boosts rather than providing an expansive tribal advantage.

Ivy Lane Denizen presents another parallel, granting a single +1/+1 counter to a creature whenever another green one enters the battlefield. Its ability is more gradual, yet it provides a permanent enhancement compared to the temporary pump Timberwatch Elf offers. Conversely, Ezuri, Renegade Leader also deserves a mention, equipped with an overrun ability yielding a similar, but more widespread and robust, strengthening effect to your elf legion. Although this latter requires more commitment of mana resources, it comes with the upside of granting trample, which could prove decisive during gameplay.

To wrap up, Timberwatch Elf secures its spot within the elves’ bolstering suite by providing targeted, significant power buffs with potential for formidable combat manipulations each turn.

Elvish Archdruid - Magic 2010 (M10)
Ivy Lane Denizen - Gatecrash (GTC)
Ezuri, Renegade Leader - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Timberwatch Elf MTG card by a specific set like Legions and Salvat 2005, 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 Timberwatch Elf and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Timberwatch Elf Magic the Gathering card was released in 10 different sets between 2003-02-03 and 2021-02-05. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12003-02-03LegionsLGN 1401997normalblackDave Dorman
22005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL B192003normalwhiteDave Dorman
32005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL B182003normalwhiteDave Dorman
42007-11-16Duel Decks: Elves vs. GoblinsDD1 132003normalblackDave Dorman
52014-11-07Commander 2014C14 2202015normalblackDave Dorman
62014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Elves vs. GoblinsEVG 132015normalblackDave Dorman
72016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 1902015normalblackYohann Schepacz
82017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 1562015normalblackDave Dorman
92019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 13592015normalblackYohann Schepacz
102020-09-26The ListPLST EMA-1902015normalblackYohann Schepacz
112021-02-05Kaldheim CommanderKHC 762015normalblackYohann Schepacz

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Timberwatch Elf has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2016-06-08 The number of Elves on the battlefield is counted only as Timberwatch Elf’s ability resolves. If Timberwatch Elf is still on the battlefield, it’ll count itself.

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