Frilled Cave-Wurm MTG Card


This creature’s power enables card advantage by outclassing smaller foes during combat phases. Inclusion of resource acceleration makes it a vital addition to decks requiring high-power creatures. Synergy with instant speed spells enhances its combat effectiveness, making it a tactical asset.
Frilled Cave-Wurm - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Salamander Wurm
Abilities Descend
Released2023-11-17
Set symbol
Set nameThe Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Set codeLCI
Power 2
Toughness 5
Number57
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byAaron Miller

Text of card

Descend 4 — Frilled Cave-Wurm gets +2/+0 as long as there are four or more permanent cards in your graveyard.

"Remember that weird salamander thing we found in the jungle stream? I think we just met its god." —Carella, quartermaster of the *Windshark*


Cards like Frilled Cave-Wurm

In the realm of formidable creatures in Magic: The Gathering, the Frilled Cave-Wurm makes a notable entrance. Its parallels with other heavyweight creatures are clear, yet each monster brings its own edge to the battle. Take, for example, the Colossal Dreadmaw. While both creatures boast substantial power and toughness, the Colossal Dreadmaw also presents the threat of trample, giving it an advantage in getting damage through to opponents.

Another close relative in terms of board impact is the Bellowing Tanglewurm. It not only offers a sizeable presence on the battlefield but also confers intimidation to its green kin, potentially delivering significant damage by making them harder to block. However, Frilled Cave-Wurm’s lower mana cost gives it an edge in terms of mana curve efficiency, making it a viable option earlier in the game.

When assessing the capabilities of each of these colossal creatures, it’s evident that while the Frilled Cave-Wurm may not have some of the more intricate abilities of its peers, its balanced cost and stats make it a solid choice for players looking to populate their board with substantial beasts in Magic: The Gathering.

Colossal Dreadmaw - MTG Card versions
Bellowing Tanglewurm - MTG Card versions
Colossal Dreadmaw - MTG Card versions
Bellowing Tanglewurm - MTG Card versions

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Phantasmal Forces - MTG Card versions
Phantom Monster - MTG Card versions
Wall of Vapor - MTG Card versions
Tradewind Rider - MTG Card versions
Archivist - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Inga Rune-Eyes - MTG Card versions
Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions
Laboratory Drudge - MTG Card versions
Johnny, Combo Player - MTG Card versions
Dream Prowler - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions
Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions
Dreamborn Muse - MTG Card versions
Turtleshell Changeling - MTG Card versions
Glen Elendra Archmage - MTG Card versions
Fatestitcher - MTG Card versions
Argent Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Lumengrid Drake - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Frilled Cave-Wurm. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
DecklistDecklist Free formUOL LCI Sealed League

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Frilled Cave-Wurm can lead to card advantage by overpowering smaller creatures on the board. It’s able to swing the game in your favor by remaining a persistent threat that requires an answer from your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: With its substantial power and toughness, this creature can make an immediate impact on the board state. If you’re playing a deck that benefits from having high-power creatures, the Frilled Cave-Wurm can be a catalyst in those strategies, effectively accelerating your resource dominance on the battlefield.

Instant Speed: While the Frilled Cave-Wurm itself isn’t cast at instant speed, it pairs exceptionally well with instant speed spells that can clear the way for its attack or buff it during combat. This synergy allows you to maximize the impact of your instant speed interactions, making this creature a formidable presence during the combat phase.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For Frilled Cave-Wurm to truly shine, you need to meet certain board conditions, specifically having a creature with power 4 or greater. This can sometimes feel like an indirect discard requirement, as you must dedicate part of your strategy to facilitating its landfall ability.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost of Frilled Cave-Wurm is quite specific, needing two green mana as part of its cost. This makes it less flexible and can be difficult to cast in multicolored decks that aren’t heavily green.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of 5 mana, Frilled Cave-Wurm is competing with other high-impact creatures in the 5-mana slot. Considering the mana investment and its reliance on other creatures for optimal performance, some players might find it less appealing than other options available in the same range.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Frilled Cave-Wurm finds a home in numerous deck builds that capitalize on its Trample ability. Such a feature makes it a formidable creature in late-game scenarios and against decks that favor numerous smaller blockers.

Combo Potential: The formidable power of this beast makes it ripe for synergies with cards that enhance creature abilities or benefit from having a high-power creature on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment teeming with creature-based strategies, the Frilled Cave-Wurm can be a game-changer, often out-muscling smaller creatures and providing a significant presence that must be answered by opponents.


How to beat

The Frilled Cave-Wurm stands tall in Magic: The Gathering as a formidable creature card. With its significant toughness and the ability to have trample when you control a Mountain, strategizing to overcame this behemoth becomes essential during gameplay. Ensuring control of the board before this wurm makes its appearance is a valid approach. Efficient removal spells are key; consider options like Path to Exile or Murder which can handle the threat without condition.

Alternatively, counteracting the wurm’s trample advantage when a Mountain is present is also crucial. Employing cards with the reach attribute or concocting effects that reduce the creature’s power and toughness can be impactful. Ensnaring the wurm through enchantments that prevent it from attacking or blocking is another effective method to mitigate its board influence. Finally, never underestimate the power of playing a game of attrition through chump blocking and gradual damage to steadily wear down your opponent’s resources. With the right mix of removal, control, and defensive strategies, the imposing presence of the Frilled Cave-Wurm can be nullified, paving the way to claim victory in your next Magic: The Gathering match.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Frilled Cave-Wurm MTG card by a specific set like The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, 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 Frilled Cave-Wurm and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Frilled Cave-Wurm has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Frilled Cave-Wurm card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2023-11-10 Cards with the ability word "descend N" have abilities that care if you have at least N permanent cards in your graveyard.
2023-11-10 Some descend triggered abilities include intervening "if" clauses (i.e. "if you have
-our or eight] permanent cards in your graveyard" in the middle of the ability). Each of these abilities checks your graveyard at the moment it would trigger to see if it does. If you don't have the required number of permanent cards in your graveyard at that time, the ability doesn't trigger at all. If it does trigger, it will check again as it tries to resolve. If you don't have the required number of permanent cards in your graveyard at that time, the ability won't resolve and none of its effects will happen.