Thragtusk MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Beast
Power 5
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Thragtusk offers significant card advantage, with life gain and a 3/3 Beast upon its entry and exit.
  2. Its life gain potential makes it an exceptional piece in decks using life as a strategic resource.
  3. Instant speed interactions complement Thragtusk, maximizing value through its leave-the-battlefield trigger.

Text of card

When Thragtusk enters the battlefield, you gain 5 life. When Thragtusk leaves the battlefield, put a 3/3 green Beast creature token onto the battlefield.

"Always carry two spears." —Mokgar, Kalonian hunter


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Thragtusk is a powerhouse when it comes to maintaining a healthy hand. Upon entering the battlefield, it allows you to gain 5 life, effectively giving you a buffer against opponents and making it a two-for-one deal in terms of resources. When Thragtusk leaves the battlefield, you also get a 3/3 green Beast creature token. This creates additional presence on the board and potential for further advantageous trades or pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: The life gain from Thragtusk can be a form of resource acceleration in games where life total can be leveraged for additional plays. Certain decks make use of life as a resource, and gaining 5 can mean more than just staying in the game longer—it can facilitate powerful plays that put you ahead.

Instant Speed: While Thragtusk itself is not an instant, its effect tied to leaving the battlefield is highly compatible with instant speed interactions. This characteristic allows it to sync with effects that might sacrifice it or flip it in and out of play at instant speed, capitalizing on this trigger and maximizing the benefit from its departure trigger as the game’s circumstances change.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Thragtusk doesn’t directly cause discarding, but its five-mana cost can make retaining other cards in hand more challenging. To cast it efficiently, players may need to choose between developing their board or holding onto valuable hand options.

Specific Mana Cost: Thragtusk demands both green mana and a relatively high total cost. This specificity means it slots into fewer decks and shines primarily in green-centric or ramp strategies, potentially excluding it from multicolored or low-curve builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Thragtusk offers robust benefits like life gain and leaving a token behind when it leaves the battlefield, its initial five-mana investment is steep. In fast-paced games, that cost can put players at a tempo disadvantage against more immediate threats or answers.


Reasons to Include Thragtusk in Your Collection

Versatility: Thragtusk is known for its flexible role across various deck types. With its ability to gain life and leave behind a 3/3 beast when it leaves the battlefield, it fits right into strategies that emphasize resilience and value.

Combo Potential: Pairing Thragtusk with flicker or bounce effects maximizes its enter-the-battlefield trigger. This can lead to successive life gain and a formidable board presence, making it a powerhouse in combinations.

Meta-Relevance: Thragtusk shines in metas with a heavy focus on creature removal and board wipes. Its departure effect ensures that you maintain a creature on the board, making it a consistent threat and valuable asset against control decks.


How to Beat Thragtusk

Thragtusk, known for its resiliency and value, can be a challenging card to face in MTG. This creature not only provides a life boost when it enters the battlefield, but also leaves behind a token when it leaves, making it a two-for-one deal in terms of resources. To effectively counter Thragtusk, it’s essential to employ strategies that minimize the impact of both its entry and exit abilities.

One approach is to use exile effects, such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares, to remove Thragtusk without triggering its leave-the-battlefield ability. Counterspells are also effective, stopping Thragtusk before its abilities can come into play. Additionally, permanent-based strategies like Torpor Orb can prevent its enter-the-battlefield ability from providing that initial life gain. Timing is crucial; by carefully choosing when to remove Thragtusk, you can avoid its potential to swing the game. Remember, effectively dealing with Thragtusk requires planning and the right card choices, and understanding your opponent’s strategy is key to emerge victorious in your MTG matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Thragtusk’s ability to alter the course of a game with its life gain and token generation is undeniable. Its entrance and exit from the battlefield can be the pivot point in many MTG matches. For players who appreciate cards that bring continuous value and challenge their opponents’ removal strategies, Thragtusk is a resilient addition to your collection. While it commands a higher mana investment, its benefits can shift the tide in your favor, defining it as a valued piece in green-centric and midrange decks. To explore strategies that harness the full potential of Thragtusk and similar impactful creatures, upgrade your MTG skills and collection with us. Delve deeper into deck-building techniques, and let’s ensure your next victory on the battlefield.


Cards like Thragtusk

In the Magic: The Gathering realm, Thragtusk stands out for its ability to impact both life total and board presence significantly. It finds its peers in cards like Obstinate Baloth and Kitchen Finks, both offering life gain and solid bodies. Thragtusk, uniquely, provides an impressive 5 life and leaves behind a 3/3 creature token upon leaving the battlefield, adding to its resilience against removal spells.

Obstinate Baloth brings to the table an immediate life gain of 4 and the potential to be a surprise blocker when discarded. Kitchen Finks is another noteworthy comparator, with its persist ability promising a return to the battlefield for an extra shot at life gain. Yet, it’s Thragtusk that has the edge with its larger life boost and the token it generates, which is not dependent on it having counters or dying without them as Kitchen Finks does.

Assessing their utility in various decks reveals that Thragtusk is particularly valued for more than just its life gain – its ability to leave a lasting impact on the game through its token generation positions it as a prime choice for players seeking resilient threats.

Obstinate Baloth - MTG Card versions
Kitchen Finks - MTG Card versions
Obstinate Baloth - Magic 2011 (M11)
Kitchen Finks - Shadowmoor (SHM)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Thragtusk MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2013 and Modern Masters 2017, 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 Thragtusk and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Thragtusk Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2012-07-13 and 2022-04-29. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-07-13Magic 2013M13 1932003normalblackNils Hamm
22017-03-17Modern Masters 2017MM3 1432015normalblackNils Hamm
32017-06-16Archenemy: Nicol BolasE01 752015normalblackNils Hamm
42019-08-23Commander 2019C19 1852015normalblackNils Hamm
52019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 2382015normalblackAlexandre Chaudret
62020-07-17JumpstartJMP 4362015normalblackNils Hamm
72020-08-07Double Masters2XM 1832015normalblackNils Hamm
82021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 3681997normalblackNils Hamm
92022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 3162015normalblackNils Hamm

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Thragtusk has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2012-07-01 Thragtusk's second ability will trigger no matter what zone Thragtusk goes to.

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