Elderscale Wurm MTG Card
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 7 |
Rarity | Mythic |
Type | Creature — Wurm |
Abilities | Trample |
Released | 2012-07-13 |
Set symbol | |
Set name | Magic 2013 |
Set code | M13 |
Power | 7 |
Toughness | 7 |
Number | 167 |
Frame | 2003 |
Layout | Normal |
Border | Black |
Illustred by | Richard Wright |
Text of card
Trample When Elderscale Wurm enters the battlefield, if your life total is less than 7, your life total becomes 7. As long as you have 7 or more life, damage that would reduce your life total to less than 7 reduces it to 7 instead.
Cards like Elderscale Wurm
Elderscale Wurm is a green creature with a powerful ability that shapes the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. It offers a unique protective measure by preventing your life total from dropping below 7 as long as you have it on the field. Comparable giants like Pelakka Wurm also bring considerable value, as it not only bolsters your life upon entering the battlefield but also when it leaves, you draw a card.
Another relative is Thragtusk, a creature that, while smaller, also provides life gain and leaves behind a token creature when it exits the game. Elderscale Wurm stands out in its role as a safeguard against life loss, something Thragtusk can’t claim. However, creatures like Serra Avatar truly echo Elderscale Wurm’s lifelink ethos, with its power and toughness equal to your life total, becoming a formidable force when life totals are high.
In essence, while there are several creatures that offer life gain and battlefield presence, Elderscale Wurm’s unique combination of sizable bulk and a defensive life threshold establishes it as a distinctive option among MTG’s colossal creatures. Its ability to stabilize a game offers a strategic advantage that few similar cards can match.
Cards similar to Elderscale Wurm by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Elderscale Wurm offers a unique form of card advantage in green decks by providing a resilient threat that’s tough to remove. Once it lands on the battlefield, it demands an answer from your opponent, effectively forcing them to use up resources. Even if they deal with the Wurm, just having it on the field can buy you several turns to draw into more threats or answers.
Resource Acceleration: While Elderscale Wurm doesn’t directly accelerate your resources in terms of mana, its presence can indirectly contribute to resource acceleration. By stabilizing your life total at 7, it allows you to utilize life as a resource more effectively, tapping lands like Ancient Tomb without the downside or aggressively using cards like Sylvan Library to draw extra cards.
Instant Speed: Although Elderscale Wurm itself is not an instant, it pairs well with instant-speed cards and tricks. For instance, flashing it in with cards like Quicksilver Amulet or Vivien, Champion of the Wilds can surprise an unsuspecting opponent and flip the board state in your favor, emulating the benefit of instant-speed deployment.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Unlike other cards that don’t affect your hand, Elderscale Wurm requires you to build a strategy that can compensate for its late game arrival, as holding onto it early on might restrict your play options.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring three green mana, Elderscale Wurm demands a heavy commitment to green, which may not seamlessly fit into multicolored or less mana-flexible decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a seven mana cost, this card can be a slow addition to your field, potentially overburdening your mana resources and leaving you vulnerable to faster, more agile plays by your opponent.
Reasons to Include Elderscale Wurm in Your Collection
Versatility: Elderscale Wurm can be a powerful addition to different MTG deck archetypes, offering a substantial life buffer that keeps you at a safe seven life as long as it’s on the battlefield. Ideal for decks that need time to build momentum or protect a lead against aggressive opponents.
Combo Potential: This card works well with various strategies that center around life gain or life total manipulation. It synergizes with mechanics that trigger off having a higher life total or life changes, adding depth and options to your playstyle.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where burn or direct damage decks are prevalent, Elderscale Wurm can be a game-changer. Its presence on the board ensures your life total stays out of critical range, making it a valuable countermeasure against certain meta strategies.
How to beat
The Elderscale Wurm is a challenging creature to encounter in an MTG game, defined by its hefty 7/7 stats and an ability that often turns the tide by setting a player’s life total to a constant 7. Overcoming this colossal wurm requires strategic play and a solid understanding of removal tactics. While the wurm’s ability can be a roadblock, it doesn’t make it invincible. To bypass its effect, employing board wipes like ‘Wrath of God’ or ‘Damnation’ can effectively clear the field without targeting the wurm directly.
Another viable strategy is to use exile effects. Cards such as ‘Path to Exile’ or ‘Swords to Plowshares’ can neatly sidestep the wurm’s life-lock ability and remove it from the game entirely. It’s also pertinent to keep control of the game by preventing your opponent from ever casting the Elderscale Wurm. Counterspells like ‘Counterspell’ or ‘Dissipate’ can ensure that the wurm never hits the battlefield. Remember, in MTG, knowing when and how to deal with specific threats like the Elderscale Wurm can significantly influence your path to victory.
Consider the wurm as your incentive to tailor your deck with varied answers, and maintain patience as you wait for the right moment to strike. This approach will give you the upper hand against such dominating creatures.
BurnMana Recommendations
Dive into the world of MTG with insight and finesse, utilizing the unique qualities of Elderscale Wurm to bolster your green decks. This formidable creature can be the cornerstone of strategies that thrive on life stabilization and resource utilization. Understanding its pros and cons is key to crafting a battle plan that turns potential vulnerabilities into strengths. As you refine your collection and adapt to dynamic meta challenges, consider the tactical edge Elderscale Wurm provides. Enhance your gameplay and deck-building skills with us—explore more tips, tricks, and tactics for commanding the battlefield and securing victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Elderscale Wurm MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2013, 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 Elderscale Wurm and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
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- MTG Mint Card
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- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Elderscale Wurm has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Commander | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Modern | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Elderscale Wurm card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
Date | Text |
---|---|
2012-07-01 | Elderscale Wurm’s last ability doesn’t affect the loss or payment of life. |
2012-07-01 | Elderscale Wurm’s last ability doesn’t prevent damage. It only changes the result of damage dealt to you. For example, a creature will lifelink that deals damage to you will still cause its controller to gain life, even if that damage would reduce your life total to less than 7. |
2012-07-01 | If damage is dealt to you and Elderscale Wurm at the same time, and that damage is enough to destroy Elderscale Wurm and reduce your life total to 7 or less, Elderscale Wurm’s ability will still apply. For example, if you have 10 life and a spell deals 10 damage to you and 10 damage to Elderscale Wurm, you’ll end up at 7 life and Elderscale Wurm will be destroyed. |
2012-07-01 | If you have less than 7 life, damage dealt to you reduces your life total as normal. |
2012-07-01 | In a Commander game, combat damage you’re dealt by a commander is still tracked, even if it doesn’t change your life total. |