Elmar, Ulvenwald Informant MTG Card


Elmar, Ulvenwald Informant - Secret Lair Drop
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Human
Abilities Friends forever,Haste,Investigate
Released2019-12-02
Set symbol
Set nameSecret Lair Drop
Set codeSLD
Power 3
Toughness 2
Number345
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byGreg Staples

Key Takeaways

  1. The card’s ability to scry improves deck manipulation, giving players control over their upcoming draws.
  2. Elmar’s instant speed activation adds flexibility, allowing responses during crucial moments of the game.
  3. Its mandatory discard and specific mana cost could limit its broad utility across various deck types.

Text of card

Haste Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, untap target creature, then investigate. (Create a colorless Clue artifact token with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.") Friends forever (You can have two commanders if both have friends forever.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Elmar Ulvenwald Informant boasts an ability that can potentially churn through your deck to get to the key cards you need. This can tilt the game in your favor by ensuring you have access to your best spells when you need them most.

Resource Acceleration: The card’s synergy with land-based strategies can help ramp up your available resources quickly. This enables you to deploy heavier-hitting spells ahead of curve, keeping the pressure on your opponents.

Instant Speed: This card’s ability to be activated at instant speed gives you the flexibility to adapt to the unfolding game. You can opt to wait until the most opportune moment within your turn or even during your opponent’s turn to make your move uninterrupted by their strategies.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Elmar Ulvenwald Informant necessitates that you discard a card to activate its ability. This can result in a setback, especially if you’re already dealing with a depleted hand and need to maintain all available options.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires green mana, which means it fits primarily within green or multicolored decks. Its specific mana cost can restrict its inclusion in decks that are not heavily invested in green.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost being on the higher side for its effects and stats, players might find that investing in the Elmar Ulvenwald Informant might not provide the most efficient use of mana, particularly when there might be alternatives that provide greater value for a lower cost.


Reasons to Include Elmar Ulvenwald Informant in Your Collection

Versatility: Elmar Ulvenwald Informant is a flexible addition to various deck types. It supports strategies that center on creature synergies and deck manipulation, making it a dynamic choice for players looking to adapt their game.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to scry aligns well with combos that require setup. Ensuring the right card is on top of your library can be crucial for executing game-winning strategies, and Elmar Ulvenwald Informant delivers just that.

Meta-Relevance: With the game often shifting and presenting new challenges, the informant’s role in anticipating opponent’s moves and adjusting strategies accordingly keeps it relevant. Its insight into upcoming draws enables players to remain competitive in an evolving play environment.


How to beat

Elmar, Ulvenwald Informant, presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to manipulate the top of a player’s library. Although not a powerhouse in itself, defeating this card demands a strategy that disrupts this influence. Adaptation and card awareness are key, as Elmar can quickly become an asset to an opponent’s resource planning and deck functionality.

To effectively counter Elmar’s capabilities, focus on removal spells that can handle creatures at instant speed, enabling you to respond to its ability activation. Cards with the ability to exile such as “Swords to Plowshares” or “Path to Exile” offer a clean solution. Alternatively, utilize hand disruption tactics to prevent Elmar from being played in the first place. Instants and sorceries like “Thoughtseize” or “Inquisition of Kozilek” can effectively remove threats early on. Efficient creature control, coupled with a well-timed hand attack, can mitigate the advantages Elmar, Ulvenwald Informant brings to the table. Remember, staying one step ahead in strategy can nullify its impact and steer the game to your advantage.


BurnMana Recommendations

When it comes to deepening your understanding of MTG, getting to grips with cards like Elmar Ulvenwald Informant can give you a true edge. The card offers depth in strategic gameplay, be it through churning key cards more efficiently or ramping up resources to outpace your opponents. It’s all about finding that sweet spot in your deck’s ecosystem. Whether you’re considering card advantage, speed, or flexibility, there’s much to ponder. For those aimed at mastering their decks and the field of play, we’re here to provide essential insights. Join us as we dive into the potential and tactics that can turn a good deck into a great one in MTG.


Cards like Elmar, Ulvenwald Informant

In the vast library of cards in MTG, Elmar Ulvenwald Informant offers a unique blend of abilities that cater to deck strategies focusing on card advantage and creature synergy. Comparable to cards like Satyr Wayfinder, Elmar Ulvenwald Informant also allows players to delve into their library, albeit in a different fashion. Whereas Satyr Wayfinder offers immediate card advantage by revealing the top four cards of your library and putting a land card from among them into your hand, the Informant’s ability leans towards a more selective and strategic reveal.

Analogous to the playstyle encouraged by Elmar Ulvenwald Informant, Seekers’ Squire similarly enables a peek at the top cards of your library, providing you with knowledge of what’s to come. Its explore ability reveals the top card, allowing you to put it into your hand if it’s a land or receiving a +1/+1 counter otherwise. While Seekers’ Squire is a one-time effect upon entering the battlefield, the Informant’s ability can be activated multiple times, offering a recurring resource at the cost of mana and creature tapping.

Overall, though there are a handful of cards with similar effects, Elmar Ulvenwald Informant stands out with its tantalizing promise of repeated deck manipulation, crucial for building the desired hand and battlefield presence that can give players a strategic edge in MTG.

Satyr Wayfinder - MTG Card versions
Seekers' Squire - MTG Card versions
Satyr Wayfinder - MTG Card versions
Seekers' Squire - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Elmar, Ulvenwald Informant MTG card by a specific set like Secret Lair Drop, 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 Elmar, Ulvenwald Informant and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Elmar, Ulvenwald Informant has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal