Valley Rannet MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Beast
Abilities Cycling,Forestcycling,Mountaincycling
Power 6
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Valley Rannet’s cycling ability ensures card variety and supports hand optimization for strategic plays.
  2. Its six-mana cost can be leveraged in mana curve strategies, making it a surprise force on the board.
  3. Cycling at instant speed allows continuous deck flow, maintaining game plan momentum on opponents’ turns.

Text of card

Mountaincycling , forestcycling (, Discard this card: Search your library for a Mountain or Forest card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: What sets Valley Rannet apart is its cycling ability. This capability allows you to trade it for a new card when it’s not the optimal time to play the creature, ensuring your hand remains fresh with options.

Resource Acceleration: This six-mana creature may seem costly at first glance, but its inclusion can be a nod to a deck’s mana curve strategy. By being a potential target for ramp spells, Valley Rannet can hit the battlefield ahead of schedule and assert pressure.

Instant Speed: While Valley Rannet itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its cycling ability does. This means that even during your opponent’s turn, you’re able to cycle Valley Rannet away for another card, seamlessly integrating with your game plan without skipping a beat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Valley Rannet doesn’t require a card to be discarded, but cycling it does demand one to be pitched for a new draw, which could be resource-draining in a tight situation.

Specific Mana Cost: When not cycling, Valley Rannet calls for a particular mana alignment, with a cost of four and a red and a green mana, potentially limiting its integration in decks that run on a multicolored or differing mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of six, including one red and one green, Valley Rannet may come into play later than desired. In high-speed formats or games where efficiency is key, there are creatures with similar or better stats or effects that hit the board sooner, possibly putting you at a strategic disadvantage.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Valley Rannet can effortlessly adapt to a variety of deck builds due to its flexible mana cycling ability, which allows for more consistent drawing and helps you get the lands or colors you need when you need them.

Combo Potential: Its cycling trait can be a subtle yet powerful enabler for decks focused on graveyard play or those utilizing cycling synergies, setting the stage for larger plays or interacting with cards meant to profit from cycling actions.

Meta-Relevance: Given that it can serve as a reliable creature in the mid-game, Valley Rannet holds its ground in environments where board presence and mana fixing are key aspects of prevailing against the opposition.


How to beat Valley Rannet

Valley Rannet has a notable presence in Magic: The Gathering as a sizeable creature with the flexibility of cycling. Getting around this six-mana behemoth, especially in limited formats where it shines, requires strategic planning. One effective approach is to use removal spells. Instant-speed removal such as Murder can cleanly take care of Valley Rannet before it has a chance to cause any damage. Even better if you can deal with it while it’s on the stack and prevent any cycling advantages.

Counterspells are another valuable tool in your arsenal. A well-timed Counterspell or Essence Scatter can negate the creature altogether. If your deck supports it, bounce spells that return creatures to the owner’s hand are a temporary but resource-draining solution for your opponent. And let’s not forget combat tricks. Boosting your creatures’ strength or using deathtouch can transform a defensive block into an elimination round for the Rannet.

Ultimately, playing around Valley Rannet involves a mixture of timing, resource management, and understanding the flow of the game. Efficient handling of this creature underscores the importance of flexible removal and disruption within a well-curated MTG deck.


Cards like Valley Rannet

Valley Rannet carves its niche in the realm of Magic: The Gathering as a versatile creature card. This beast bears a certain kinship with other flexible creatures like Farhaven Elf and District Guide. Each of these cards shares the ability to influence land dynamics, but Valley Rannet uniquely offers the option of cycling for a new card in place of adding a land to your hand. Farhaven Elf lacks this, but it does allow you to put the land onto the battlefield tapped.

In the landscape of creatures that interact with land, Sakura-Tribe Elder stands out as well. This snake shaman sacrifices itself to bring a land directly onto the battlefield, a more immediate effect compared to the Rannet’s cycling ability. While Valley Rannet’s power and toughness are more substantial, Sakura-Tribe Elder’s ability may have an edge in decks that aim to ramp quickly.

Evaluating these options, Valley Rannet offers a blend of potential aggression with its sizable body and strategic depth through its cycling ability. It’s a distinct choice for players looking to balance resource acceleration with the possibility of drawing into more impactful cards later in the game.

Farhaven Elf - MTG Card versions
District Guide - MTG Card versions
Sakura-Tribe Elder - MTG Card versions
Farhaven Elf - Shadowmoor (SHM)
District Guide - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)
Sakura-Tribe Elder - Junior Super Series (PSUS)

Cards similar to Valley Rannet by color, type and mana cost

Marhault Elsdragon - MTG Card versions
Livonya Silone - MTG Card versions
The Lady of the Mountain - MTG Card versions
Jerrard of the Closed Fist - MTG Card versions
Shambling Strider - MTG Card versions
Stangg - MTG Card versions
Rock Basilisk - MTG Card versions
Viashivan Dragon - MTG Card versions
Rubblehulk - MTG Card versions
Sarinth Greatwurm - MTG Card versions
Dragon Broodmother - MTG Card versions
Phylath, World Sculptor - MTG Card versions
Gruul Nodorog - MTG Card versions
Foxfire Oak - MTG Card versions
Wort, the Raidmother - MTG Card versions
Valleymaker - MTG Card versions
Morselhoarder - MTG Card versions
Cavern Thoctar - MTG Card versions
Dragonlair Spider - MTG Card versions
Ruination Wurm - MTG Card versions
Marhault Elsdragon - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Livonya Silone - Masters Edition III (ME3)
The Lady of the Mountain - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Jerrard of the Closed Fist - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Shambling Strider - Masters Edition (ME1)
Stangg - Masters 25 (A25)
Rock Basilisk - Mirage (MIR)
Viashivan Dragon - Visions (VIS)
Rubblehulk - RNA Guild Kit (GK2)
Sarinth Greatwurm - The Brothers' War Promos (PBRO)
Dragon Broodmother - The List (PLST)
Phylath, World Sculptor - Zendikar Rising (ZNR)
Gruul Nodorog - Guildpact (GPT)
Foxfire Oak - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Wort, the Raidmother - Commander 2020 (C20)
Valleymaker - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Morselhoarder - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Cavern Thoctar - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Dragonlair Spider - Planechase Anthology (PCA)
Ruination Wurm - Gatecrash (GTC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Valley Rannet MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn and Commander 2011, 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 Valley Rannet and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Valley Rannet Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2009-04-30 and 2013-11-01. Illustrated by Dave Allsop.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-04-30Alara RebornARB 612003normalblackDave Allsop
22011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 2322003normalblackDave Allsop
32013-09-06Duel Decks: Heroes vs. MonstersDDL 582003normalblackDave Allsop
42013-11-01Commander 2013C13 2242003normalblackDave Allsop

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Valley Rannet has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2009-05-01 A landcycling ability lets you search for any card in your library with the stated land type. It doesn’t have to be a basic land.
2009-05-01 Landcycling is a form of cycling. Any ability that triggers on a card being cycled also triggers on a card being landcycled. Any ability that stops a cycling ability from being activated also stops a landcycling ability from being activated.
2009-05-01 Unlike the normal cycling ability, landcycling doesn’t allow you to draw a card. Instead, it lets you search your library for a land card of the specified land type, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.
2009-05-01 You can choose to find any card with the appropriate land type, including nonbasic lands. You can also choose not to find a card, even if there is a land card with the appropriate type in your library.
2009-05-01 You may only activate one landcycling ability at a time. You must specify which landcycling ability you are activating as you cycle this card, not as the ability resolves.

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