Elderleaf Mentor MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Elf Warrior
Power 3
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Boost your army by creating a 1/1 Elf token, enhancing your creature count and synergy.
  2. Strategize with elf tokens leveraging flash abilities for surprising, quick play adaptability.
  3. Manage specific mana needs and higher casting cost when including Elderleaf Mentor.

Text of card

When Elderleaf Mentor enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature token.

"Our ancestors grew complacent in their divinity, allowing their lessers to topple them. Never again."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Elderleaf Mentor provides immediate board presence by creating a 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature token, which increases the number of creatures you control and boosts your army size.

Resource Acceleration: Particularly in decks focused on tribal themes or synergies, the Elf token generated can be a key piece for strategies that benefit from the number of Elves in play, potentially unlocking powerful combos or abilities of other Elf-centric cards.

Instant Speed: While the Elderleaf Mentor itself can’t be deployed at instant speed, the elves it creates can immediately benefit from “flash” abilities and cards that allow you to play creatures as though they had instant speed, thus surprising opponents and adapting quickly to the unfolding game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Elderleaf Mentor doesn’t directly call for discarding as part of its casting, any requirement to discard for an elf deck including this card can potentially disrupt your board presence, which is less than ideal since this card benefits more from a developed board state.

Specific Mana Cost: Elderleaf Mentor demands a specific mana combination to cast, needing both green and other colors. This requirement may hinder its inclusion in mono-green elf decks, which prioritize versatility and an abundance of green mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including one green, Elderleaf Mentor is competing with numerous other three-mana cost creatures. In some instances, there may be alternatives that offer greater immediate board impact or have synergy with popular elf strategies.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Elderleaf Mentor is a flexible addition to decks focusing on creature presence. Its ability to create a 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature token upon entering the battlefield fits well in swarm strategies, as well as in decks that utilize creatures as resources for convoke or sacrifice mechanics.

Combo Potential: The token generation synergizes with cards that capitalize on creatures entering the battlefield or dying, such as “Impact Tremors” or “Poison-Tip Archer”. This can lead to powerful chains of interactions, making Elderleaf Mentor a key component in combo decks.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where board presence is key, Elderleaf Mentor can give decks an early advantage. In matchups that require quick establishment of blockers or where strategies revolve around overwhelming with numbers, this card could prove essential.


How to Beat Elderleaf Mentor

Elderleaf Mentor presents an interesting challenge on the battlefield with its ability to create additional bodies upon entering the fray. It’s a creature card that, when played, not only adds a 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature token to your side but also has its own presence to contend with. This can quickly provide your opponent with a strategic advantage in numbers.

To effectively counter Elderleaf Mentor, it’s wise to employ board sweepers or removal spells that can handle multiple targets at once. Cards like Doomskar or Blasphemous Act can clear the board of both the Mentor and its tokens, minimizing the advantage your opponent gains. Spot removal can also be useful; instant-speed spells such as Murder or Cast Down allow you to react to the play immediately, dismantling the potential for token synergy before it takes hold.

In essence, managing the board and maintaining removal options are key to overcoming the tactical gain brought by Elderleaf Mentor. By prioritizing this approach, you’re able to neutralize the threat and keep your opponent’s creature count in check, preventing the overwhelming of your defenses through sheer numbers.


Cards like Elderleaf Mentor

Elderleaf Mentor brings unique value to Magic: The Gathering with its elf summoning ability. This card finds kinship with Siege Wurm, as both bring additional creature tokens into play. However, Siege Wurm requires convoke, a mechanic that allows creatures to help cast it, whereas Elderleaf Mentor is straightforward in its summoning process.

Analogous in function is Sengir Autocrat, which introduces multiple Serf tokens. While Elderleaf Mentor focuses on enhancing elf-themed decks, Sengir Autocrat does not have a specific creature type synergy but still provides a significant number of bodies on the board. Another card in this conversation is Cloudgoat Ranger, which, like Elderleaf Mentor, enters the battlefield with additional creature tokens. Although Cloudgoat Ranger offers greater flexibility by enabling its tokens to contribute to its power, it does come at a higher mana cost.

When it comes to populating the board with valuable creatures, Elderleaf Mentor proves to be a solid choice for players who appreciate a card that reliably expands their elf contingent. Its straightforward summoning and applicability in elf tribal strategies can make it a preferred option over its contemporaries.

Siege Wurm - MTG Card versions
Sengir Autocrat - MTG Card versions
Cloudgoat Ranger - MTG Card versions
Siege Wurm - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Sengir Autocrat - Homelands (HML)
Cloudgoat Ranger - Lorwyn (LRW)

Cards similar to Elderleaf Mentor by color, type and mana cost

Giant Spider - MTG Card versions
Marsh Viper - MTG Card versions
Scarwood Bandits - MTG Card versions
Carnivorous Plant - MTG Card versions
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Aurochs - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Jackalope Herd - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Alligator - MTG Card versions
Golden Bear - MTG Card versions
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Erithizon - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Cutter - MTG Card versions
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Fungusaur - MTG Card versions
Viridian Lorebearers - MTG Card versions
Monkey Monkey Monkey - MTG Card versions
Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker - MTG Card versions
Giant Spider - Tenth Edition (10E)
Marsh Viper - The Dark (DRK)
Scarwood Bandits - The Dark (DRK)
Carnivorous Plant - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Erhnam Djinn - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
War Mammoth - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Aurochs - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Lhurgoyf - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Jackalope Herd - Exodus (EXO)
Rootwater Alligator - Exodus (EXO)
Golden Bear - Portal Second Age (P02)
Argothian Swine - Urza's Saga (USG)
Elvish Piper - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Erithizon - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Skyshroud Cutter - Nemesis (NEM)
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Fungusaur - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Viridian Lorebearers - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Monkey Monkey Monkey - Unhinged (UNH)
Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Elderleaf Mentor MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Elderleaf Mentor and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Elderleaf Mentor Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Zoltan Boros.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-02-05KaldheimKHM 1652015normalblackZoltan Boros
22022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 6522015normalblackZoltan Boros

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Elderleaf Mentor has restrictions

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

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