Galadhrim Guide MTG Card
2023-06-23 - Number 168
2023-06-23 - Number 619
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Elf Scout |
| Abilities | Scry |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Text of card
When Galadhrim Guide enters the battlefield, scry 2.
"I shall lead you well, and the paths are smooth and straight."
Cards like Galadhrim Guide
The Galadhrim Guide is a recent entrant in Magic: The Gathering’s library of creature cards. It shares characteristics with cards like Elvish Visionary, known for its creature type and its ability to draw a card upon entering the battlefield. While Galadhrim Guide does not directly draw a card, it enables players to look at the top couple of cards in their library and put a land card from among them onto the battlefield tapped, this facilitates mana acceleration similar to the function of other classic ramp cards like Sakura-Tribe Elder, albeit with a different mechanic.
Another comparable card is Coiling Oracle, which combines an effect similar to Galadhrim Guide’s land ability with an opportunity to draw a card if a nonland card is revealed. This makes Oracle versatile but Galadhrim Guide ensures a land enters the field, emphasizing consistent mana progression. Wood Elves also fetches a forest card when it enters the battlefield, but unlike the Guide, it puts the card directly into play, not tapped, which may be more advantageous in certain gameplay scenarios.
Assessing Galadhrim Guide against its brethren, it’s a card that complements any deck seeking to maintain land drops while offering creature-based utility. The guide presents an appealing option for players valuing reliable mana ramp to support their gameplay strategy.
Cards similar to Galadhrim Guide by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Galadhrim Guide offers the potential to filter through your deck by letting you look at the top two cards and then pick one that could impact the current board state or set up future turns.
Resource Acceleration: This card’s ability can help you to ramp by potentially revealing lands or mana-producing permanents, thereby offering a boost to your resource pool and aiding in casting higher-cost spells earlier in the game.
Instant Speed: Being castable at instant speed gives the Galadhrim Guide the flexibility to be used during your opponent’s end step, maintaining the element of surprise and allowing strategic planning without committing to a main phase play.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Although card draw mechanics are often valuable, the Galadhrim Guide requires you to discard another card. This effect can potentially whittle down your hand, leaving you at a disadvantage when looking to maintain card advantage over your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: The Galadhrim Guide demands a specific arrangement of mana, including green mana sources, to be played. This can be challenging in multicolored decks that might struggle to meet the color requirements efficiently, thereby restricting its inclusion to mainly mono-green or decks strongly favoring green.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost resting at the higher end for its creature category, this card may be less competitive compared to others with a lower cost. Players must carefully weigh its board presence against its casting cost, particularly in faster-paced games where lower-cost creatures can be more impactful early on.
Reasons to Include Galadhrim Guide in Your Collection
Versatility: The Galadhrim Guide offers a flexible role in various deck archetypes. With its ability to impact the board upon entering the battlefield, it can seamlessly integrate into both aggressive and control-oriented strategies.
Combo Potential: This card can serve as a key piece in intricate combos, particularly in decks that capitalize on creature synergies or those that benefit from specific creature types being played.
Meta-Relevance: In matchups where board presence and tempo plays are crucial, the Galadhrim Guide provides an edge due to its immediate board impact and potential to disrupt opponent strategies.
How to beat
In Magic: The Gathering, the Galadhrim Guide presents a unique challenge with its ability to potentially disrupt your opponent’s game plan by peeking at their hand and potentially exiling a nonland card. To effectively counter this threat, it’s essential to have a strategy that mitigates its reveal and exile effect. One method is to utilize instant-speed removal spells that can take out the Guide before its ability triggers. This timing is crucial, as you’d want to act in response to the ability being put onto the stack, but before it resolves.
Another effective technique is employing cards with hexproof or shroud to protect your valuable nonland cards from being targeted. Additionally, utilizing cards that benefit from being in the graveyard can turn an opponent’s use of Galadhrim Guide into an advantage for you. Keep in mind that once on the battlefield, the Galadhrim Guide’s stats are modest, making it vulnerable to combat with creatures that outclass it in power and toughness. It’s also worth noting that being proactive about emptying your hand of nonland cards can lessen the impact of the Guide’s ability, leaving less for your opponent to exile.
Players should view the Galadhrim Guide as a card that requires immediate attention as its potential to disrupt shouldn’t be underestimated. By staying one step ahead, either by removing it swiftly, turning its ability to your advantage, or diminishing its targets, you can weaken its influence on the game and maintain control of the match.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Galadhrim Guide MTG card by a specific set like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, 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 Galadhrim Guide and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Galadhrim Guide Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Inka Schulz.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 168 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Inka Schulz | |
| 2 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 619 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Inka Schulz |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Galadhrim Guide has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |