Pulse of Llanowar MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment |
| Released | 2000-10-02 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Invasion |
| Set code | INV |
| Number | 202 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Rebecca Guay |
Key Takeaways
- Card advantage and mana acceleration through Pulse of Llanowar are game-changing, enabling faster and more dynamic play.
- It requires green mana and a discard, which can limit its integration and impact, particularly in tight situations.
- Versatile and meta-relevant, Pulse of Llanowar aids multicolor decks and potentially powers combo plays.
Text of card
If a basic land you control is tapped for mana, it produces mana of any one color instead of its normal type.
"Gaea's memory is eternal, and she exists in all things." —Molimo, maro-sorcerer
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Pulse of Llanowar shines in keeping your hand well-stocked with options. By drawing cards, you maintain a pool of resources that keep you prepared for the ever-changing landscape of the game.
Resource Acceleration: This card aids in skyrocketing your mana resources, allowing you to deploy threats and answers much earlier than usual, setting you ahead of the curve in the race for supremacy.
Instant Speed: The power to act at the end of your opponent’s turn or in response to certain actions gives you the upper hand, keeping your strategy adaptable and your opponents on their toes.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Pulse of Llanowar necessitates a card be discarded to activate its ability. This can pose a challenge when your hand is already depleted or when every card is a crucial part of your strategy, making the discard cost potentially detrimental to your game.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires green mana for casting. Decks that do not predominantly run forests or have a reliable mana base to produce green mana might find it difficult to integrate Pulse of Llanowar effectively into their strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Casting Pulse of Llanowar comes with a heavier mana cost when stacked against other enchantments or spells that offer similar effects. In faster formats or during early game scenarios, the cost can be restrictive, delaying the execution of your game plan.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Pulse of Llanowar enriches decks that operate with multiple colors, providing essential mana fixing to support a smooth and consistent play experience. It’s a boon for decks looking to cast spells across a diverse spectrum of colors.
Combo Potential: Not only does it open the door for multicolor decks, but it also holds potential to kickstart combos by ensuring you have the right color of mana when you need it. This can be critical in moments where sequencing and timing are key.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that’s heavily slanted towards three or more colors, having access to a card like Pulse of Llanowar can give players the edge they need. It helps to maintain pace with opponents’ strategies while mitigating the risk of being color-locked.
How to beat
The Pulse of Llanowar is a unique green enchantment that offers players a steady resource advantage in Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to provide mana fixing and potentially a card advantage, understanding how to successfully navigate against this enchantment is crucial for any adept player. Unlike more straightforward threats, the Pulse of Llanowar requires a nuanced approach.
Disruption is a key strategy when facing down the Pulse. Employing enchantment removal spells like Naturalize or Disenchant can swiftly eliminate it, negating the benefits it confers to your opponent. A card like Acidic Slime is also effective, serving the dual purpose of removal and establishing board presence. It’s essential to consider the timing of these spells to maximize their impact, preferably removing the Pulse before a significant advantage has accumulated on the opposing side.
Lastly, Pulse of Llanowar interacts with lands, making land destruction or denial strategies somewhat effective to curb its advantages. However, this should be measured carefully against the potential of setting back your own mana base. Overall, the key to triumphing over the Pulse of Llanowar lies in timing, precise disruption, and an understanding of when to attack the resources it influences.
Cards like Pulse of Llanowar
Pulse of Llanowar is another nuanced card for land manipulation in the vast universe of MTG. If we consider cards with a similar flavor, like Explore, we see some distinction. Explore lets you play an additional land and draw a card, providing immediate gratification in one turn. Pulse of Llanowar, meanwhile, stretches its benefit over several turns, giving a swelling advantage as your mana base grows.
Growth Spiral is another peer, with a blend of both immediate land play and card draw at instant speed, but Pulse of Llanowar stands out with its ongoing mana fixability each turn. Farseek, a straightforward ramp card, allows the search for a specific land type and put it onto the battlefield, offering a more surgical approach to mana development. Yet, unlike Pulse of Llanowar, it doesn’t provide the consistent benefit every upkeep.
When comparing these options for optimizing land resources, Pulse of Llanowar showcases a unique staying power that can bolster a mana base over the course of a game, making it a stalwart choice for decks that seek to gain momentum with each turn.
Cards similar to Pulse of Llanowar by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Pulse of Llanowar MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Pulse of Llanowar and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Pulse of Llanowar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Pulse of Llanowar card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | This does not change the amount of mana gained. It just makes all the mana generated by the basic land be of a single color of your choice. |
| 2004-10-04 | You can choose a different color each time a basic land is tapped. |
| 2004-10-04 | You can choose the same color or mana the land would normally produce. |
