Howling Golem MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Howling Golem ensures that every combat phase can contribute to card advantage by allowing both players to draw a card when it attacks or blocks. This can help you refill your hand and keep up the pace in the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Howling Golem itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it helps maintain a steady flow of cards, potentially leading to drawing into more lands or spells that ramp your mana.

Instant Speed: Although Howling Golem operates at sorcery speed due to its nature as a creature, it synergizes well with instant speed spells. By encouraging card draws during combat, you can access more instant speed interactions, which can be played on your opponents’ turns.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Howling Golem doesn’t require a player to discard cards, it also does not discriminate in its effect, potentially granting your opponent the same advantage when they draw a card during each player’s combat phase when damage is dealt.

Specific Mana Cost: Howling Golem comes with a colorless mana cost of three, which while versatile, can still be restrictive in decks looking to optimize their mana curve or utilize cost-reduction strategies for colored spells.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a creature that enables card draw, a 2/3 body for three mana may not provide the level of efficiency expected, as other creatures or artifacts may offer better cost-to-benefit ratios, fitting more seamlessly into aggressive or combo-oriented decks.

Reasons to Include Howling Golem in Your Collection

Versatility: Howling Golem is a neutral card that can be slotted into virtually any deck, making it a flexible choice for both casual and competitive players. Its ability to draw a card upon attacking or blocking is beneficial for decks that are looking to maintain hand advantage.

Combo Potential: With its universal draw effect, this card pairs well with strategies that capitalize on each player drawing cards, such as those involving Nekusar, the Mindrazer, or using cards that profit from the number of cards in opponents’ hands.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where information and resource advantage are vital, Howling Golem provides consistent value as a reliable source of card draw. In an environment where games extend into the later turns, the Golem’s effect can keep your options open while providing a useful blocker or an attacker that can pressure card-hungry opponents.

How to beat Howling Golem

Howling Golem presents a unique challenge in the tableau of creatures from Magic: The Gathering. As a neutral asset that allows all players to draw a card upon attacking or blocking, it can be tricky to outmaneuver. The card encourages a complex exchange in card advantage, fundamentally altering the typical flow of a match. While it might seem beneficial to have everyone drawing more cards, it’s paramount to recognize that closing the game promptly works to your advantage with a card like this on the board.

To gain the upper hand, focus on strategies that either bypass the golem or capitalize on the additional cards drawn. Deploy cards that can remove the golem without triggering its ability—a simple Unsummon or Murderous Rider can efficiently handle the task. Alternatively, mold a deck with an abundance of low-cost creatures to outpace your adversary, rendering the golem’s benefit moot as you apply overwhelming pressure. Above all, maintain board control; Howling Golem’s perk to your opponent ceases to be a problem when you’re the one dictating the pace of the game.

The key is to mitigate the Howling Golem’s influence while leveraging any additional cards drawn to cement your own position. Capitalize swiftly and steer the game towards a timely victory, and the Howling Golem’s symmetrical advantage becomes a mere footnote in your march to triumph.

BurnMana Recommendations

Getting the most out of Howling Golem requires finesse and an understanding of MTG’s deeper mechanics. Its unbiased card draw, paired with the right strategy, can keep your hand fresh and press opponents. But be wary, as your adversaries equally benefit. A nuanced approach to deck-building, where you exploit the golem’s symmetrical draw, could tilt the scales in your favor. We encourage you to explore combos and deck types that turn this seemingly straightforward effect into a tactical asset. Discover more strategies and tips to harness the true potential of Howling Golem by joining us at BurnMana.