Wirewood Lodge MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
RarityUncommon
TypeLand

Key Takeaways

  1. Wirewood Lodge provides repeated utilization of Elf abilities, enhancing gameplay and strategy.
  2. It specializes in ramping mana, pivotal for casting high-cost spells early on.
  3. Offers flexibility with instant speed untapping, crucial for tactical plays.

Text of card

oc T: Add o1 to your mana pool. o G, oc T: Untap target Elf.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wirewood Lodge enables a repeated use of elves with tap abilities, effectively letting you get the benefit of those abilities twice in a single turn. This can translate to more card draw, more token generation, or whatever unique effects your elves bring to the table.

Resource Acceleration: This card excels in ramping up your mana pool. By untapping mana-producing elves, you can significantly boost your resources, propelling you ahead to cast high-cost spells much earlier than your opponent anticipates. It’s a cornerstone in elf-based strategies aiming for quick and overwhelming board presence.

Instant Speed: The ability to untap an elf at instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s actions or to generate surprise blockers. The functional aspect of Wirewood Lodge doesn’t require it to be used only during your main phases, opening up possibilities for tactical plays in tight situations.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Wirewood Lodge does not directly require you to discard a card, its ability to untap Elves might make you overcommit to the board, leaving you with fewer cards in hand and vulnerable to discard effects from opponents.

Specific Mana Cost: Activating Wirewood Lodge’s ability demands one green mana. This specificity means that players running multicolored decks might find it slightly restrictive, favoring those who are heavily invested in green mana or running Elf-centric decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even though one mana might not seem a lot, the cost adds up over multiple uses or when you need to maintain mana for other spells and abilities. In fast-paced games, the cost of using Wirewood Lodge could mean missing out on other potentially more impactful plays.


Reasons to Include Wirewood Lodge in Your Collection

Versatility: Wirewood Lodge offers an invaluable ability to untap Elves, a cornerstone creature type in many MTG decks. Its utility isn’t restricted by the type of Elf deck you play, whether it’s aggressive, combo-oriented, or control.

Combo Potential: This land can be a critical piece in Elf-based combo decks. By untapping key creatures such as “Priest of Titania” or “Elvish Archdruid”, you can generate vast amounts of mana in a single turn, enabling game-winning plays.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame that is dense with creature-based strategies, Wirewood Lodge’s ability to reactivate your Elf creatures can mean the difference between victory and defeat. It allows your creatures to be used for both offensive and defensive plays within the same turn, keeping you ahead of the competition.


How to beat

Wirewood Lodge is a specialized land card that can untap Elves, which is a potent ability in elf-centric decks capable of generating vast amounts of mana and overwhelming boards. Defending against this requires strategic disruption. Land destruction spells can directly target Wirewood Lodge to prevent elves from reaping its benefits. However, a more subtle and versatile approach involves using cards that inhibit activated abilities, such as Linvala, Keeper of Silence, to keep the elves tapped down without the need for land removal.

Moreover, counteracting elf synergies directly can diminish Wirewood Lodge’s impact. Cards that limit the number of creatures that can be played, like Rule of Law, or that punish players for overextending, like Wrath of God, can be quite effective. Additionally, instant-speed removal can disrupt the key combo pieces before they have a chance to use the lodge’s untapping capability. Recognizing the significant threat of elf synergies and targeting the critical elements of the strategy is crucial to overcoming the challenge presented by Wirewood Lodge.


Cards like Wirewood Lodge

Wirewood Lodge holds a unique position in Magic: The Gathering for its ability to untap Elves, providing strategic advantages in Elf-themed decks. It’s often compared to other lands like Maze of Ith, which also untaps creatures but doesn’t require a specific creature type. However, unlike Maze of Ith, Wirewood Lodge allows the untapped creature to continue its attack, thus supporting aggressive Elf strategies.

In terms of synergy with creatures, its closest relative may be Deserted Temple, which ambiguously untaps any land, including itself, potentially creating a loop with other cards capable of untapping it. Cradle of Vitality is another land that shares the concept of untapping creatures, emphasizing the critical importance of creature-based synergies in a deck’s dynamics.

While specific to Elves, Wirewood Lodge is an invaluable tool in MTG. It offers immediate utility in pressing situations or can be used preemptively to maximise the number of uses of an Elf’s ability in a single turn. Such an asset is essential for players who rely heavily on Elf-based combos and tactics to overwhelm opponents.

Maze of Ith - The Dark (DRK)
Deserted Temple - Odyssey (ODY)
Cradle of Vitality - Shards of Alara (ALA)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wirewood Lodge MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught 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 Wirewood Lodge and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Wirewood Lodge Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2002-10-07 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Anthony S. Waters.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-10-07OnslaughtONS 3291997normalblackAnthony S. Waters
22005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL B282003normalwhiteAnthony S. Waters
32007-11-16Duel Decks: Elves vs. GoblinsDD1 262003normalblackAnthony S. Waters
42014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Elves vs. GoblinsEVG 272015normalblackAnthony S. Waters
52019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 16942003normalblackAnthony S. Waters
62020-09-26The ListPLST DD1-262003normalblackAnthony S. Waters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wirewood Lodge has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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