Honey Mammoth MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Elephant |
| Released | 2020-04-24 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths |
| Set code | IKO |
| Power | 6 |
| Toughness | 6 |
| Number | 158 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Lars Grant-West |
Text of card
When Honey Mammoth enters the battlefield, you gain 4 life.
"And I thought *I* had a big sweet tooth." —Gannet, Skysail zoologist
Cards like Honey Mammoth
Honey Mammoth finds its place within the breadth of creature cards offering life gain in Magic: The Gathering. It stands alongside cards like Centaur Healer, which, though smaller in size, provides a comparable bump in life upon entering the battlefield. While Honey Mammoth brings more bulk as a 6/6, Centaur Healer offers a more affordable mana cost and a multicolored advantage for deck synergy.
Another parallel can be drawn with Kitchen Finks, which not only provides life gain but persists from the graveyard, promising an additional life boost upon its return. Contrarily, Honey Mammoth offers a one-time larger life gain without the recurrence. Affinity for creatures like Serra Angel can also be seen, where the focus is a blend of life gain and combat presence, even though Serra Angel boasts flying and vigilance, making it a more versatile threat.
When evaluating the utility of life-gain creatures, Honey Mammoth holds a solid position for those seeking substantial life gain coupled with a significant creature body, making it a viable choice in specific MTG strategies that capitalize on maintaining high life totals while deploying formidable creatures.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Honey Mammoth isn’t a card that directly allows you to draw additional cards, but its substantial presence on the battlefield can lead to advantageous board states. This creature helps in retaining card quality by providing a stable form of resilience against removal, thereby potentially saving more crucial spells in your hand from being used prematurely.
Resource Acceleration: Although Honey Mammoth does not directly contribute to resource acceleration like mana dorks or artifacts, its mere existence can act as a deterrent, discouraging opponents from attacking. This can inadvertently protect your resources and life total, allowing you to deploy your hand more confidently and aggressively.
Instant Speed: While Honey Mammoth is a sorcery-speed creature, it compensates with a different kind of benefit upon casting. Its ability to grant you 4 life can be a surprise boon during your main phase, sometimes swinging the life totals just enough to keep you in the game or out of range of a sudden burn spell or creature assault.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Honey Mammoth does not impose a discard obligation on its controller when casting it, enabling players to retain valuable hand resources while deploying this hefty creature onto the battlefield.
Specific Mana Cost: With a mix of generic and green mana needed to summon this creature, Honey Mammoth fits snugly into green-themed decks or those that can easily generate the green mana required.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing six mana, this card has a higher casting requirement which might be less favorable compared to other creatures that offer immediate board impact or come with built-in protection mechanisms at similar or lower mana costs.
Reasons to Include Honey Mammoth in Your Collection
Versatility: Honey Mammoth is a solid addition to any life gain or ramp deck. Its ability to provide a significant life boost upon entering the battlefield makes it a great defensive play against aggressive strategies.
Combo Potential: When paired with cards that capitalize on life gain triggers, Honey Mammoth can serve as both a stabilizer and a combo enabler, adding strategic depth to your plays.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment with heavy creature combat, Honey Mammoth shines by offering both substantial life gain and a sizeable body that can act as a formidable blocker or an imposing threat on the board.
How to beat
Honey Mammoth presents a sizable challenge on the battlefield with its six power and toughness. This creature card offers a significant life boost upon entering the battlefield, a feature that can swing the game’s momentum in your opponent’s favor. Opponents often utilize this creature in their green ramp decks, aiming to take advantage of the health gain and field presence it provides.
Dealing with this creature requires a sound strategy. Removal spells that don’t allow for regeneration are key here, such as Murder, which can dispatch Honey Mammoth regardless of its size. Board wipes, like Wrath of God, can clear the mammoth alongside other creatures, making it a valuable reset button. Additionally, counter magic like Counterspell can prevent the mammoth from ever setting foot on the field, saving you from its substantial life gain.
Strategic timing and choice of removal, along with managing your resources effectively, will give you the upper hand against the mammoth. Understanding and anticipating when your opponent might cast this large creature will allow you to maintain control of the game and emerge victorious.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Honey Mammoth MTG card by a specific set like Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, 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 Honey Mammoth and other MTG cards:
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- 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Honey Mammoth has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |