Grollub MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Beast
Released	1998-06-15
Set symbol
Set name	Exodus
Set code	EXO
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	63
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Chippy

Key Takeaways

Grollub’s ability indirectly saves resources, making opponents waste their removal spells.
Despite its discard condition, Grollub’s life gain can define defensive and aggressive tactics.
Its unique abilities offer strategic depth, especially in decks focused on life-total management.

Text of card

For each 1 damage dealt to Grollub, each opponent gains 1 life.

Mogglings caught in a misdeed often blame the grollub. Even though the creature is usually innocent, no taskmaster can resist an excuse to beat it.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Grollub stands out by offering indirect card advantage. Although it does not allow you to draw cards directly, its ability to become a consistent threat forces opponents to use their removal resources, potentially leaving them at a deficit.

Resource Acceleration: This creature doesn’t provide direct resource acceleration in the form of mana generation, but its modest casting cost aids in curving out your plays efficiently without hindering the development of your board state.

Instant Speed: Grollub’s effects aren’t at instant speed. However, this creature benefits from playing at instant speed in other aspects. Casting spells or activating abilities at end of turn to clear the path for Grollub to attack can be an effective strategy, leveraging the speed of your other cards to its advantage.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Grollub prompts players to discard a card, which can deplete your hand and reduce your tactical options, particularly harmful in decks that rely on card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise combination of swamp mana to cast, potentially complicating the mana base for multicolored decks and limiting its inclusion to predominantly black mana-focused decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that may be considered steep relative to its board impact, it’s possible to find alternative creatures or spells that offer more value or lower-costed versatility for your deck’s strategy.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Grollub’s unique ability to potentially gain life with each attack introduces new dynamics in both aggressive and defensive decks. This attribute makes it a flexible choice for a variety of MTG playstyles.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards or abilities that capitalize on life gain, Grollub becomes a strategic piece in powerful combos, enhancing its utility and synergy within specialized decks.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where life totals can drastically change the tide of the game, Grollub can be a key card. Its contribution to life gain can be especially relevant in matchups against burn or aggro decks.

How to Beat

Grollub, a peculiar creature card in Magic: The Gathering, offers unique challenges with its automatic life gain for opponents when dealing damage. Confronting Grollub on the battlefield means strategizing around its life-giving ability to maintain the upper hand. Relying on removal spells such as Murder or Path to Exile can be a straightforward solution to remove Grollub from the game. Direct damage spells or abilities that can bypass its effect, like Lightning Bolt or Shock, also contribute to a swift resolution.

Setting up a strong defense can prevent the life gain from becoming a drawback in your gameplay. It’s essential to consider the timing of your moves and keep control over the board to neutralize threats Grollub may pose. By staying ahead of your opponents’ strategies and choosing the right moments to strike, Grollub’s presence can be mitigated. Effective creature management supported by a mix of controlled offensive tactics can ensure that Grollub’s potential benefit to your opponent doesn’t become an overwhelming obstacle.

Overall, Grollub demands a careful balance between offense and control. A solid understanding of the card interactions within your deck will guide you toward the best approach for dealing with this life-giving threat in your MTG games.

Cards like Grollub

Grollub is an intriguing creature card that invites comparison with other similar beings in the MTG world. Evenly matched in terms of converted mana cost, we can look at Grizzly Bears, a simple creature with no additional abilities but serves as a straightforward staple in creature line ups. Grollub, distinctively, presents a duality with its peculiar life-gain ability upon damage dealt to it by creatures. This feature sets it apart, offering a strategic edge in life-total management.

Morphing our attention to Fog Elemental, it boasts resilience through its return-to-hand mechanism, while Grollub offers sustained advantage through bolstering a player’s life total instead. Each creature shines in different strategic plays, with Grollub accentuating a more defensive style of play, incentivizing opponents to think twice before attacking.

Gauging these comparisons, Grollub occupies an interesting niche in MTG. It shines in decks that emphasize life gain and presents a nuanced choice for players who value defense and strategic depth in their creature selections. Its unique mix of low cost and defensive utility can make it a surprising asset in many MTG matchups.

Cards similar to Grollub by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grollub MTG card by a specific set like Exodus, 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 Grollub and other MTG cards: