Elvish Lyrist MTG Card
1998-10-12 - Number 248
1999-08-04 - Number ml248
1999-11-12 - Number 23
1999-12-01 - Number 5
2001-04-11 - Number 241
2001-04-11 - Number 241★
2003-07-28 - Number 242★
2003-07-28 - Number 242
2002-06-24 - Number 36118
| Card sets | Released in 9 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Elf |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
o G, oc T, Sacrifice Elvish Lyrist: Destroy target enchantment.
Bring the spear of ancient briar; Bring the torch to light the pyre. Bring the one who trod our ground; Bring the spade to dig his mound.
Cards like Elvish Lyrist
In the vast array of utility creatures within Magic: The Gathering, Elvish Lyrist holds a unique place. This little green elf shares similarities with cards like Caustic Caterpillar and Viridian Zealot, which also serve as naturalization agents on a stick. Elvish Lyrist distinguishes itself with a lower mana value, enabling you to play it as early as turn one to prepare for enchantment control.
Another card with parallel abilities is Ainok Survivalist. While boasting a higher casting cost, the Survivalist further includes Megamorph, giving it the potential surprise factor of removing an enchantment when it is least expected by your opponents. Next in line is Reclamation Sage, which eliminates the need to pay additional costs for the enchantment removal effect, and brings a more substantial body to the battlefield upon its casting.
Elvish Lyrist proves to bring a balance of early enhancement disruption and creature presence to the table, marking its own ground among green’s enchantment control arsenal. While not the strongest option in terms of creature stats, it’s the tempo and utility that make it a valuable pick, especially in formats where enchantments play a pivotal role.
Cards similar to Elvish Lyrist by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Elvish Lyrist itself might not directly increase the number of cards in hand, its ability to eliminate key enchantments offers a different sort of advantage. By dealing with enchantments that could cause cumulative disadvantages over time, this nimble Elf ensures a more stable board state, keeping the scales of momentum in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: Although not a traditional ramp card, Elvish Lyrist aids resource acceleration indirectly. Removing an opponent’s enchantment that restricts your resources or gameplay liberates you to play your strategy more freely. This can result in gaining effective turns to deploy your resources while setting back the opponent’s board development.
Instant Speed: The Lyrist’s enchantment destruction ability works at instant speed, granting dynamic interaction during your opponent’s turn. You can efficiently maneuver through the match, responding swiftly to the threats they play when it’s most inconvenient for them. This tempo swing can be crucial in maintaining control of the game’s pace and gives Elvish Lyrist a subtle edge in numerous situations.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One aspect of Elvish Lyrist that some players might find limiting is the need to use it as a resource for its ability. Activating its effect requires sacrificing it, which could deplete your board presence and cost you a blocker or attacker.
Specific Mana Cost: Elvish Lyrist requires green mana for you to cast it. This specific mana requirement can restrict deck-building flexibility, making it primarily suitable for mono-green or green-inclusive multicolor decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost for utilizing Elvish Lyrist’s ability might be seen as steep, particularly when factoring in the associated sacrifice. There are alternative cards within MTG that offer enchantment removal without losing a creature in the process.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Elvish Lyrist offers a flexible solution for green decks to combat enchantments. Its low casting cost makes it an easy fit in various deck archetypes and allows for early interaction against troublesome enchantments.
Combo Potential: By providing a repeatable enchantment removal effect, Elvish Lyrist synergizes with strategies focused on recursion or untap mechanics. This can create a loop, effectively controlling opponents’ enchantment-based strategies.
Meta-Relevance: With enchantments being a consistent part of many powerhouse decks, Elvish Lyrist remains relevant by allowing green to deal with enchantments without dedicating a card slot to narrow answers. This utility is especially useful in formats where enchantments see heavy play.
How to beat
The Elvish Lyrist presents a unique aspect in the realm of utility creatures in MTG, bridging the gap between board presence and enchantment removal. Its ability to destroy an enchantment can be pivotal in games where enchantments play a significant role. Understanding the ideal moment to utilize this ability is key to disrupting your opponent’s strategy.
Counteracting the Elvish Lyrist’s potential involves a blend of timing and threat evaluation. It’s crucial to bait out its ability with a less impactful enchantment before playing your game-winning piece. Additionally, spot removals or creature-based advantages will solve the problem this elf poses. Think along the lines of Lightning Bolt or Fatal Push to quickly remove the Lyrist from the field. An alternative is to overpower the board, rendering single-target enchantment removal a lesser concern.
Ultimately, your aim is to make the Elvish Lyrist’s ability seem obsolete or too costly to employ. Whether through smart play or card choice, overcoming this green creature’s trick is a matter of playing around its strengths and forcing your opponent into difficult decisions.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Elvish Lyrist MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and World Championship Decks 1999, 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 Elvish Lyrist 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 Elvish Lyrist Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2003-07-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1998-10-12 | Urza's Saga | USG | 248 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Rebecca Guay | |
| 2 | 1999-08-04 | World Championship Decks 1999 | WC99 | ml248 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Rebecca Guay | |
| 3 | 1999-11-12 | Battle Royale Box Set | BRB | 23 | 1997 | Normal | White | Rebecca Guay | |
| 4 | 1999-12-01 | Junior Super Series | PSUS | 5 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Rebecca Guay | |
| 5 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 241 | 1997 | Normal | White | Michael Koelsch | |
| 6 | 2001-04-11 | Seventh Edition | 7ED | 241★ | 1997 | Normal | Black | Michael Koelsch | |
| 7 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 36118 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Rebecca Guay | ||
| 8 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 242★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Michael Koelsch | |
| 9 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 242 | 2003 | Normal | White | Michael Koelsch |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Elvish Lyrist has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |