Elephant Guide MTG Card
2002-05-27 - Number 111
2014-06-06 - Number 162
2014-06-16 - Number 205
2014-12-05 - Number 18
2016-06-10 - Number 163
2019-11-07 - Number 1192
2020-09-26 - Number EMA-163
| Card sets | Released in 7 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3. When enchanted creature is put into a graveyard, put a 3/3 green Elephant creature token into play.
Nature's strength outlives the strong.
Cards like Elephant Guide
Elephant Guide is a unique enchantment card in MTG that offers a blend of creature enhancement and resilience. It’s often compared to other auras like Boar Umbra, which gives a similar boost in power and toughness, along with the added benefit of Totem armor to protect the creature from destruction. Where Elephant Guide shines is in its death trigger, providing a 3/3 Elephant token when the enchanted creature dies. This gives players a lasting presence on the board even when their creature is removed.
Looking at other cards, Rancor is also a frequently mentioned comparison due to its lower cost and return-to-hand ability when it goes to the graveyard from play. However, it lacks the ability to leave a creature behind after the enchanted creature’s demise. Ancestral Mask is another enchantment that boosts a creature’s power, potentially by a larger amount, depending on the number of enchantments in play. It excels in enchantment-heavy decks, but doesn’t offer the post-death creature benefit that Elephant Guide provides.
In essence, Elephant Guide offers a blend of offensive enhancement with a defensive afterlife ability, making it a multifaceted card that can maintain your board state in precarious situations, setting it apart in the realm of creature auras in MTG.
Cards similar to Elephant Guide by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Elephant Guide. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mono-Green Aggro | Pauper | Mono-Green Aggro | Pauper Challenge 32 2023-11-12 |
 | Mono-Green Stompy | Pauper | Mono-Green Aggro | Sprint Wheel Event - Geddon Series 2^ tappa MILANO 2024 |
| Gruul Aggro | Pauper | Mono-Green Aggro | BLUE - SAT - 1PM - Chicago Pauper Cup |
| Rogue Decklists | Pauper | Mono-Green Aggro | Nacional Pauper 2023 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Elephant Guide grants an effective two-for-one deal by buffing a creature and later providing a 3/3 green Elephant creature token if the enchanted creature meets its end. This dual benefit keeps your hand effectively fuller and your board presence intimidating.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly ramping your mana pool, the Elephant Guide can be considered a form of resource acceleration by bolstering your creatures’ stats. This enhancement helps you overpower opponents quickly, acting as an indirect method to speed up your victory clock.
Instant Speed: Although the Elephant Guide itself is not an instant, the resulting Elephant token enters the battlefield as a sudden new threat after the enchanted creature is destroyed. This can strategically blindside an opponent during combat or in response to removal, adding an element of surprise akin to the advantages provided by instant speed actions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Elephant Guide necessitates having a creature to enchant when it’s played. While not a discard in the traditional sense, it’s similar in that you must have another resource available to gain this card’s benefit, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage if your field is clear.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both green mana and generic mana, Elephant Guide can be less fluid to cast in multicolored decks. This constraint makes it less versatile compared to colorless or single mana costed enchants that could fit into any deck type with ease.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana, Elephant Guide is on the higher end of the curve for aura buffs. In situations where mana efficiency is key, this might deter players from including it over other lower-cost options that provide similar or better enhancements to their creatures.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Elephant Guide offers a broad appeal to various deck builds by providing an enchant creature ability that can significantly boost its power and toughness. Whether you’re looking to enhance a creature-heavy green deck or a build that centers around bolstering single creatures, Elephant Guide fits the bill seamlessly.
Combo Potential: Not only does Elephant Guide augment an existing creature, but its death-trigger effect transforms the loss of your buffed up creature into an opportunity by creating a 3/3 green Elephant creature token. This synergizes effectively with strategies that rely on creature abilities and sacrifice mechanics.
Meta-Relevance: In a game climate where creature-based strategies have a stronghold, Elephant Guide shines by making key creatures more formidable and ensuring board presence even after your enchanted creature is dealt with, thus maintaining a consistent level of threat on the battlefield.
How to beat
Elephant Guide is an enchantment aura that offers a blend of resilience and power boost to creatures in the game of Magic: The Gathering. One might compare its impact to that of Rancor, which serves to enhance a creature’s aggression without a similar protective measure. However, Elephant Guide offers a unique benefit – upon the enchanted creature’s demise, it leaves behind a 3/3 green Elephant creature token as a parting gift, ensuring your board presence is sustained.
Where it excels in buffing and providing insurance via the token, Elephant Guide can be a double-edged sword if not dealt with correctly. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant serve as clean answers to remove Elephant Guide, preventing token creation altogether. Strategic removal of the enchanted creature with instant-speed spells like Path to Exile before the aura’s effect can manifest is another efficient way to bypass the token generation. Board wipes such as Wrath of God can also reset the playing field, stripping the opponent of the benefits bestowed by Elephant Guide.
Ultimately, understanding when to dismantle your opponent’s strategies is as crucial as crafting your board. The timing and choice of removal are key in ensuring Elephant Guide does not become an overwhelming obstacle, thus preserving your path to victory in Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Elephant Guide MTG card by a specific set like Judgment and Conspiracy, 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 Elephant Guide and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Elephant Guide Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2002-05-27 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2002-05-27 | Judgment | JUD | 111 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Jim Nelson | |
| 2 | 2014-06-06 | Conspiracy | CNS | 162 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 3 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 205 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 4 | 2014-12-05 | Duel Decks Anthology: Garruk vs. Liliana | GVL | 18 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jim Nelson | |
| 5 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 163 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 6 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1192 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 7 | The List | PLST | EMA-163 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Elephant Guide has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Elephant Guide card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-06-08 | If Elephant Guide enchants an opponent’s creature, you get the Elephant when that creature dies. |