Migratory Greathorn MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Beast
Abilities Mutate
Power 3
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Greathorn offers deck thinning and resource ramp, key for gaining a lead in MTG matches.
  2. Mutate pairs with instant-speed plays, enabling reactive strategies and unexpected board changes.
  3. While versatile, the card’s color specificity and mutate requirement limit its universal appeal.

Text of card

Mutate (If you cast this spell for its mutate cost, put it over or under target non-Human creature you own. They mutate into the creature on top plus all abilities from under it.) Whenever this creature mutates, search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you cast Migratory Greathorn using its mutate ability, you’re not just getting a creature onto the battlefield, you’re also potentially pulling an extra land card from your deck. This not only puts a creature into play but also thins your deck, making it more likely you’ll draw into non-land cards in the future turns.

Resource Acceleration: Migratory Greathorn’s ability to put an additional land card onto the battlefield tapped continues to bolster your resource pool, giving you an edge in mana availability. This can be crucial for ramping up to your more powerful spells quicker than your opponent, often allowing you to take command of the game’s pace.

Instant Speed: While Migratory Greathorn itself isn’t an instant, its mutate mechanic opens the door to instant-speed interactions. In a deck designed around mutate, you might include creatures or spells that can act at instant speed, offering you diverse and reactive play options – Greathorn can benefit from this and add to the surprise factor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Migratory Greathorn doesn’t have an upfront discard cost, but its mutate ability can become less lucrative if it’s the only card in hand, effectively acting as a discard when no other nonhuman creatures are on the field.

Specific Mana Cost: Being a green creature, Migratory Greathorn requires green mana sources, potentially restricting its integration in multicolor decks that may have a tight mana base or in those that prioritize other colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the mutate cost is cheaper than its casting cost, three mana including a green can still be steep early in the game. Additionally, it faces competition from other three-mana creature spells that offer immediate impact without the necessity of a nonhuman creature.


Reasons to Include Migratory Greathorn in Your Collection

Versatility: Migratory Greathorn offers flexibility to mutate-centric decks, adapting easily to various creature types, enhancing board presence, and ensuring continuity of your strategy.

Combo Potential: As a creature with mutate, it delivers substantial value when combined with other cards, transforming simple creatures into formidable threats while ramping up your land resources.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment that favors ramp and growth tactics, the ability to accelerate your mana base while establishing a presence on the board makes Migratory Greathorn a practical choice for adapting to the evolving meta.


How to beat

Migratory Greathorn holds a niche in the ever-evolving landscape of Magic: The Gathering as a potent creature card with a mutate ability. Players facing this creature often find themselves grappling with not just an increased creature size but also the progressive land advantage it offers. To outplay this threat effectively, it’s essential to employ a strategy that disrupts the owner’s game plan.

One effective countermeasure is to maintain a stock of instant-speed removal spells in your deck. These can be cast in response to the mutate trigger before the creature has a chance to grow larger and begin its land-fetching ability. Instant-speed interactions such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile are excellent at managing the battlefield against such mutating threats. Board-clearing spells, like Wrath of God, can also reset the playing field, especially after your opponent has committed multiple resources to create their formidable mutated creature. It’s important to play reactively and anticipate key mutate targets to keep the Greathorn at bay.

Ultimately, your ability to respond swiftly and leverage your removal options will mark the difference between being overrun by the card or trampling the competition. Understanding when and what to react to against cards like Migratory Greathorn is essential for any player looking to maintain control of the game state.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the synergies and tactics within MTG is pivotal to harnessing the full potential of cards like Migratory Greathorn. Whether you’re optimizing your deck for competitive play or just seeking ways to enhance your gaming experience, cards with dynamic abilities such as mutate can significantly alter the tide of battle. With our curated insights and strategic tips, we’re here to guide you to not only appreciate the value of individual cards but to weave them into a cohesive, formidable deck. Discover comprehensive strategies, explore card interactions and elevate your MTG sessions. Expand your gameplay knowledge and enrich your collection with purpose. Dive deeper with us, and let’s journey towards MTG mastery together.


Cards like Migratory Greathorn

In the vast ecosystem of Magic: The Gathering, the Migratory Greathorn card has an impressive standing due to its mutate ability. The characteristic that makes this creature unique when compared is its potential to escalate board presence by searching for a basic land card and putting it onto the battlefield tapped. Comparing this to a card like Skyshroud Claim, which also facilitates land acceleration, Migratory Greathorn offers the additional benefit of being a creature that can immediately affect the game state.

Another similar card is Rampant Growth, a spell known for its straightforward approach to land ramp. Though this spell costs one less mana than mutating Migratory Greathorn, it lacks the capability to add a creature to the board. On the creature side, there’s also Farhaven Elf, which offers a similar ramp effect by putting a basic land tapped onto the battlefield, but it does not have the flexibility of the mutate mechanic or the capability of potentially acquiring multiple lands with additional mutations.

In reviewing these options, Migratory Greathorn stands out for players that value both increasing their land count and developing their creature-based strategy, making it a formidable choice in decks that prioritize board state expansion and mana acceleration.

Skyshroud Claim - MTG Card versions
Rampant Growth - MTG Card versions
Farhaven Elf - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Claim - Nemesis (NEM)
Rampant Growth - Mirage (MIR)
Farhaven Elf - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Migratory Greathorn MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and 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 Migratory Greathorn and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Migratory Greathorn Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-04-24 and 2020-04-24. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 809812015mutateblackKev Walker
22020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 1652015mutateblackFilip Burburan
32020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 2972015mutateblackKev Walker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Migratory Greathorn has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

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