Goldenhide Ox MTG Card

Goldenhide Ox transforms lands into powerful assets, enhancing late-game strategies and aggression. Landfall synergies and mana ramping capabilities make the card a potential game-changer. Its high mana cost is offset by the substantial battlefield impact and versatility it offers.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment Creature — Ox
Abilities	Constellation
Released	2014-05-02
Set symbol
Set name	Journey into Nyx
Set code	JOU
Power	5
Toughness	4
Number	125
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jack Wang

Text of card

Constellation — Whenever Goldenhide Ox or another enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, target creature must be blocked this turn if able.

The temptation to take the ox's golden hide is as irresistible as it is fatal.

Cards like Goldenhide Ox

Goldenhide Ox occupies a specific role in the pantheon of enchantment creatures in MTG. Its affinity with the ‘Constellation’ mechanic places it in direct comparison with other creatures like Doomwake Giant. Both benefit from enchantments entering the battlefield but serve differing strategic purposes. While the Ox can provide a significant boost in power via ‘Landfall’, Doomwake Giant offers a repeatable way to weaken opponents’ creatures.

Eidolon of Blossoms also shares the Constellation trait, drawing you a card upon the arrival of another enchantment, contrasting with the Ox’s focus on ramping up offensive capabilities. Courser of Kruphix, while not carrying Constellation, has synergy with land plays similar to Goldenhide Ox, providing the advantage of life gain and playing lands from the top of your library, focusing on incremental value over time.

Within the realm of MTG, Goldenhide Ox stands out for its potential to create big swings in power on the battlefield. Where other cards opt for control or card advantage, the Ox can turn any land drop into a formidable threat — a key distinction for players aiming to capitalize on aggressive, land-centric strategies.

Cards similar to Goldenhide Ox by color, type and mana cost

Shape of the Wiitigo - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Goldenhide Ox provides a persistent advantage by potentially turning all of your lands into threats as you cast more spells. This ability can lead to a significant boost in card impact, especially in decks that play numerous lands per turn or have ways to bounce and replay them.

Resource Acceleration: When paired with land ramp spells or effects that put additional lands into play, Goldenhide Ox can accelerate your mana resources on the board. Every land becomes a potential source of additional power, assisting you in casting costlier spells earlier than usual.

Instant Speed: While Goldenhide Ox itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its triggered ability can work well with instant speed spells and effects. For instance, playing an instant on your opponent’s turn can unexpectedly turn a land into an attacking creature, often catching them off guard and disrupting their plans.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Goldenhide Ox may not have a discard requirement, it’s vital for a player to be aware of their hand size, as holding onto this card for the opportune moment might limit immediate play options.

Specific Mana Cost: Goldenhide Ox requires a specific mana investment (1 green and 6 generic), which may prove cumbersome in multicolored decks that need to manage various mana sources efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a total of seven mana for its full effect, Goldenhide Ox’s cost can be steep. Other creatures or abilities might provide more immediate board presence or impact at a lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Goldenhide Ox can seamlessly integrate into various deck types, particularly those that hinge on landfall abilities. Its ability to turn ordinary lands into potent threats enhances its utility in numerous gameplay scenarios.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that allow multiple land drops or instant land animation, Goldenhide Ox can be the linchpin of a devastating combo, turning each land into a formidable creature for a potential game-ending swing.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where board presence and creature-based strategies dominate, Goldenhide Ox offers an imposing body that can shift the tide of battle. Its relevance is particularly noted in games that tend to extend into the later turns, allowing multiple landfall triggers to stack up.

How to beat

Goldenhide Ox may appear intimidating due to its formidable Monstrosity ability, enhancing not only its size but also its potential to dominate the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. When confronted by such power, it’s essential to have a strategy. Permission spells like Counterspell or Essence Scatter can prevent the Ox from ever hitting the field. If it’s already in play, try using efficient removal spells such as Path to Exile or Murder to deal with the beast before it becomes monstrous.

Another tactic is to go under this six-mana behemoth. Deploying a swarm of smaller, aggressive creatures early on can outpace your opponent while they’re still setting up their mana base to cast Goldenhide Ox. Moreover, evasion abilities like flying or unblockable can help you bypass it entirely, rendering its size irrelevant as you chip away at your opponent’s life total.

Lastly, enchantment removal can be particularly effective since Goldenhide Ox’s trigger relies on enchantment auras. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant will serve as a preemptive approach to ensure this ox doesn’t get out of hand. By employing these strategies in your gameplay, you’ll turn what seems like a towering threat into just another obstacle on your path to victory.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goldenhide Ox MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx, 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 Goldenhide Ox and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Goldenhide Ox has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2014-04-26	A constellation ability triggers whenever an enchantment enters the battlefield under your control for any reason. Enchantments with other card types, such as enchantment creatures, will also cause constellation abilities to trigger.
2014-04-26	An Aura spell without bestow that has an illegal target when it tries to resolve won't resolve and will be put into its owner's graveyard. It won't enter the battlefield and constellation abilities won't trigger. An Aura spell with bestow won't be countered this way. It will revert to being an enchantment creature and resolve, entering the battlefield and triggering constellation abilities.
2014-04-26	If multiple attacking creatures must be blocked if able, the defending player must assign at least one blocker to each of them if possible. For example, if two such creatures were attacking and there were two potential blockers, they couldn't both be assigned to block the same attacker.
2014-04-26	The constellation ability doesn't force any specific creature to block the target creature.
2014-04-26	The defending player must assign at least one blocker to the target creature during the declare blockers step if that player controls any creatures that could block it.
2014-04-26	When an enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, each constellation ability of permanents you control will trigger. You can put these abilities on the stack in any order. The last ability you put on the stack will be the first one that resolves.