Gempalm Strider MTG Card
2003-02-03 - Number 127
2007-11-16 - Number 6
2014-12-05 - Number 6
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Elf |
| Abilities | Cycling |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Cycling (, Discard this card from your hand: Draw a card.) When you cycle Gempalm Strider, all Elves get +2/+2 until end of turn.
Cards like Gempalm Strider
Gempalm Strider is an interesting elf-themed card for Magic: The Gathering players keen on tribal synergies. Similar to other cards in its family, like Elvish Visionary, it enables card draw upon entering the battlefield. However, Gempalm Strider distinguishes itself with the cycling ability, allowing players to draw a card and potentially bolster their elves without even casting it.
Looking at Wellwisher, we see another elf that affects the game through life gain rather than card draw. While it doesn’t directly help sift through the deck, it contributes significantly to the survival aspect of the game. Then there’s Wirewood Herald, which upon death fetches another elf, underlining the tutor mechanic within elf decks rather than direct card draw or cycling provided by Gempalm Strider.
In evaluating these cards side by side, Gempalm Strider offers multifaceted options, from its cycling to beefing up other elves. This utility positions it as a versatile player in elf decks, marking its unique spot in the pantheon of elf-related MTG cards.
Cards similar to Gempalm Strider by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Gempalm Strider can cycle itself out from your hand, replacing itself with another card while potentially disrupting your opponent’s board, ensuring you don’t lose out on card quantity in your hand.
Resource Acceleration: As part of the cycling ability, when Gempalm Strider is cycled, it allows you to immediately draw a card, effectively thinning your deck and accelerating your access to essential resources without losing momentum.
Instant Speed: Cycling is an ability you can activate at instant speed, providing you with the flexibility to adapt to the flow of the game. This means you can wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to make the most of the Gempalm Strider’s effects.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Gempalm Strider necessitates the action of cycling, or discarding itself, for its ability to activate. This can be a setback when the card count in your hand is dwindling and every card’s strategic importance is magnified.
Specific Mana Cost: A distinct constraint of Gempalm Strider is its reliance on green mana. This specificity can make it a less versatile choice for decks that operate on a multi-color scheme or that don’t consistently generate enough green mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a need for two colorless and two green mana to summon, Gempalm Strider may be seen as costly when compared with other creatures that bring immediate board presence or come with lower summoning costs for similar effects.
Reasons to Include Gempalm Strider in Your Collection
Versatility: Gempalm Strider easily fits into Elf tribal decks and serves as a utility card that can cycle to draw a card, potentially smoothing your draw in games where you need more action or land.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes with Elf-centric combos, allowing you to benefit from its draw mechanic while potentially pumping up your Elf squad as the battlefield fills. It’s a subtle but effective way to strengthen your board presence.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta teeming with tribal strategies, having Gempalm Strider can provide an advantage by offering both an in-tribe creature and a way to draw for more elves or answers to your opponent’s threats.
How to beat
Gempalm Strider may not often be the star of the show in Magic: The Gathering matches, but it has a unique ability that can catch opponents off guard. With its cycle ability, Gempalm Strider not only allows a player to draw a card but also strengthens other elves on the field. This can quickly turn the tide in favor of an elf-heavy deck, bolstering creatures to overwhelming sizes.
To effectively beat Gempalm Strider, consider the timing and use of removal spells. Eliminating key elves before Gempalm Strider’s cycle ability is activated can significantly reduce the boost it provides. Moreover, one should keep an eye out for mass removal spells or effects that negate creature abilities, which can effectively neutralize the advantages gained by cycling Gempalm Strider. Board control is essential, and maintaining it can prevent an opponent’s elf army from benefiting from such synergistic effects.
Remember, like any card in Magic: The Gathering, understanding Gempalm Strider’s strengths and weaknesses is key to maneuvering around it. Attack strategically and line up your defense, and you’ll find that even this synergy-driven creature can be overcome with thoughtful play.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Gempalm Strider MTG card by a specific set like Legions and Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins, 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 Gempalm Strider and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
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- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Gempalm Strider Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2003-02-03 and 2014-12-05. Illustrated by Tim Hildebrandt.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2003-02-03 | Legions | LGN | 127 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Tim Hildebrandt | |
| 2 | 2007-11-16 | Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins | DD1 | 6 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tim Hildebrandt | |
| 3 | 2014-12-05 | Duel Decks Anthology: Elves vs. Goblins | EVG | 6 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tim Hildebrandt |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Gempalm Strider has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Gempalm Strider card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not. |
| 2008-10-01 | The cycling ability and the triggered ability are separate. If the triggered ability doesn’t resolve (due to being countered with Stifle, for example, or if all its targets have become illegal), the cycling ability will still resolve and you’ll draw a card. |
| 2008-10-01 | When you cycle this card, first the cycling ability goes on the stack, then the triggered ability goes on the stack on top of it. The triggered ability will resolve before you draw a card from the cycling ability. |
| 2008-10-01 | You can cycle this card even if there are no targets for the triggered ability. That’s because the cycling ability itself has no targets. |