Galvanoth MTG Card
2011-02-04 - Number 62
2012-09-07 - Number 10
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Beast |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
At the beginning of your upkeep, you may look at the top card of your library. If it's an instant or sorcery card, you may cast it without paying its mana cost.
It chews open Mirrodin's husk and feeds on the outpouring of energy.
Cards like Galvanoth
Galvanoth stands out in MTG as a unique creature offering the ability to cast spells for free off the top of your library during your upkeep, assuming the card revealed is an instant or sorcery. This distinct ability invites comparisons to cards like Elite Arcanist, which also allows casting of copied instants exiled with it. Unlike Galvanoth, Elite Arcanist requires the spell to be exiled with it and mana to be paid for each casting.
Another similar card is Melek, Izzet Paragon, which doubles the potency of playing instants and sorceries from the library by allowing you to copy them. Melek provides a more controlled approach to spellcasting, albeit with a higher mana cost. In contrast, Galvanoth’s free-casting ability can be massively powerful but is more reliant on the whims of your library’s top deck.
Ultimately, the high-risk, high-reward nature of Galvanoth can lead to significant advantages in the right deck. When it comes to cheating out big spells for no mana, Galvanoth offers an edge that could turn the tides of a game, setting it apart from other MTG cards that manipulate the casting of spells.
Cards similar to Galvanoth by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Galvanoth provides a repetitive mechanism for card advantage by allowing you to cast the top card of your library each turn if it’s an instant or sorcery. This ability can compound your resources without expending additional cards from your hand.
Resource Acceleration: By playing instants and sorceries for free, Galvanoth effectively accelerates your resources. This means more mana is available to develop your board presence or interact with what your opponent is doing.
Instant Speed: Galvanoth’s capability is particularly powerful because it enables casting at instant speed during your upkeep. This means you can adapt to the game state on each of your turns before drawing, keeping your strategic options flexible and surprising for your opponents.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Galvanoth demands a particular blend of mana, specifically three generic and two red, to get into play. This requirement can sometimes challenge deck building, especially in multi-color decks where mana fluidity is crucial.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five, Galvanoth sits on the higher end of the mana curve. This can lead to it being a dead draw in the early game when players need to establish their board or respond to faster-paced opponents.
Discard Requirement: While Galvanoth does not have a discard requirement itself, it does synergize with instants and sorceries, which could indirectly prompt a player to discard cards to enable its ability. Such an interaction may not always be beneficial if resources are already stretched thin.
Reasons to Include Galvanoth in Your Collection
Versatility: Galvanoth’s ability to cast spells from the top of your library at no mana cost each turn can be a game-changer. It fits seamlessly into decks that manipulate the top of the library, ensuring the right cards are ready to be cast for free.
Combo Potential: This creature pairs well with scry effects or library manipulation spells, setting up powerful turns where you can cast high-cost spells without tapping any lands. When combined with cards that draw more of your deck, Galvanoth’s value multiplies, making it a combo enabler in the right circumstances.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where tempo and card advantage are paramount, Galvanoth provides a consistent advantage that can quickly dominate a game. Control and combo decks in particular might find Galvanoth to be a useful tool against a meta heavy with creature-based strategies.
How to beat
Confronting Galvanoth in a Magic: The Gathering match requires strategic finesse to overcome its ability to play instants and sorceries from the top of your library without paying their mana costs. To counter this imposing creature, one effective method is to manipulate the top card of your opponent’s library. This can be achieved through spells that rearrange or shuffle the opponent’s deck, such as Field of Ruin or Ghoulcaller’s Bell, disrupting their planned sequence and nullifying the Galvanoth’s advantage.
Another tactic is to limit the number of spells your opponent casts by employing countermagic or removal effects before they can capitalize on Galvanoth’s effect. Cards like Dismember or Path to Exile can remove the threat directly from the battlefield. A strategy employing consistent removal or countering key spells can effectively prevent your opponent from leveraging Galvanoth’s powerful ability and can guide you towards victory.
By integrating these methods into your gameplay, you can diminish Galvanoth’s impact on the game, maintaining a balance in the power dynamics and steering towards a win. Understanding and anticipating this card’s potential will arm you with the necessary tools to emerge victorious in your MTG duels.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Galvanoth MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged and Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari, 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 Galvanoth 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 Galvanoth Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-02-04 and 2012-09-07. Illustrated by Kev Walker.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-02-04 | Mirrodin Besieged | MBS | 62 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker | |
| 2 | 2012-09-07 | Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari | DDJ | 10 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Kev Walker |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Galvanoth has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Galvanoth card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-06-01 | If the card has an X in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as its value. |
| 2011-06-01 | If the card has any mandatory additional costs, as Kuldotha Rebirth does, you must pay them in order to cast the spell. |
| 2011-06-01 | If the card you look at isn’t an instant or sorcery card, it remains on top of your library. You don’t reveal it. |
| 2011-06-01 | You may pay additional costs, such as kicker costs, of the instant or sorcery card. |