Elder of Laurels MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Elder of Laurels offers a significant tactical edge as it empowers you to potentially draw out more utility from each creature you control. By boosting a creature’s power, it indirectly extends the value and utility of your board presence.

Resource Acceleration: In terms of resource acceleration, Elder of Laurels can be seen as a force multiplier. While it doesn’t directly add mana or ramp, the ability to increase creature power at a moment’s notice means each creature can potentially be a bigger threat, making all your resources more effective.

Instant Speed: The versatility of this card is further highlighted by its instant speed ability activation. This not only allows reactive gameplay, adapting swiftly to the unfolding game but also disguises your true combat strength until the very last moment, potentially leading to favorable combat exchanges or even ending games unexpectedly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Elder of Laurels does not have a discard requirement, so this does not apply to the evaluation of this card’s downsides.

Specific Mana Cost: The Elder of Laurels demands a dedicated green mana presence, necessitating a strong commitment to that color within a player’s deck. This can restrict deck-building flexibility and make it challenging to include in multi-color decks that rely on a balanced mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two generic and one green, Elder of Laurels may seem reasonably priced, but it is important to consider the overall mana efficiency. Given that its ability also requires an additional investment of three mana, including two generic and one green, to activate, the total cost for a single boost can become significant, especially considering the pace of standard MTG gameplay where speed and efficiency are key.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Elder of Laurels serves as a flexible boost to any creature-heavy deck. Its ability to give a substantial power increase to a creature not only aids in combat but also supports strategies relying on creature stats.

Combo Potential: This creature’s inherent ability can work wonders with untap mechanics or with cards that allow you to use its power-boosting effect multiple times within a turn, giving it notable synergies in various combo scenarios.

Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment that appreciates creature-based tactics, Elder of Laurels can be an essential piece, adding a layer of threat to your board that opponents must answer or face overwhelming force on the battlefield.

How to beat

Elder of Laurels is a creature known for its ability to significantly increase another creature’s power, which can turn the tide of a game in MTG. When strategizing against Elder of Laurels, it is crucial to anticipate this power pump. Removal spells are the most straightforward method for countering this threat. Utilizing instant-speed removal such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile can ensure the Elder never gets a chance to activate its ability, especially during the combat phase.

Moreover, playing creatures with the ‘reach’ or ‘flash’ abilities can provide a line of defense that’s both flexible and robust. Countering it outright with spells like Negate or Essence Scatter also proves to be effective, targeting the card before it ever claims a presence on the battlefield. Remember, removal and counterspells are vital when facing cards with the potential to buff other creatures, and in this case, thwarting the Elder of Laurels’ ability can be key to maintaining control of the game.