Lavaclaw Reaches MTG Card
2010-02-05 - Number 139
2018-12-07 - Number 245
2023-10-13 - Number 505
2023-10-13 - Number 880
2023-10-13 - Number 1096
2023-10-13 - Number 289
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
Lavaclaw Reaches enters the battlefield tapped. : Add or to your mana pool. : Until end of turn, Lavaclaw Reaches becomes a 2/2 black and red Elemental creature with ": This creature gets +X/+0 until end of turn." It's still a land.
Cards like Lavaclaw Reaches
Lavaclaw Reaches stands as a versatile mana source in MTG, similar to other manlands like Stirring Wildwood. As a land that can turn into a creature, Lavaclaw Reaches is empowered with the ability to become a 2/2 creature until end of turn. Moreover, its power can be further increased by spending additional mana, setting it apart from Stirring Wildwood, which becomes a static 3/4 creature.
Another noteworthy comparison is with Raging Ravine, a land that also transforms into a creature, but with the added benefit of gaining a +1/+1 counter each time it attacks. This incremental buff can result in a formidable attacker over the course of the game. While Raging Ravine grows stronger over time, Lavaclaw Reaches offers versatility with its potential immediate power boost.
While evaluating these manlands, it’s clear that Lavaclaw Reaches provides an adaptable threat level that can adjust to various game situations, making it a solid choice for decks that require flexibility. Its ability to scale up in power dynamically is a key feature that distinguishes Lavaclaw Reaches within the realm of transformative lands in MTG.
Cards similar to Lavaclaw Reaches by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Lavaclaw Reaches provides a unique form of card advantage by transforming from land to creature, effectively giving you an extra attacker or blocker without losing a card from your hand. This feature ensures you maintain a strong board presence.
Resource Acceleration: As a dual land, Lavaclaw Reaches contributes to resource acceleration by tapping for both black and red mana, aiding in casting multicolored spells with ease and efficiency. Its ability to become a creature with power and toughness equal to the amount of mana invested can also become a significant late-game resource.
Instant Speed: As a manland, Lavaclaw Reaches can be animated at instant speed, allowing for strategic combat decisions. You can keep mana open for other spells or abilities and only activate Lavaclaw Reaches if no other actions are more beneficial. This flexibility makes it a formidable card that adapts to the dynamic nature of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Lavaclaw Reaches doesn’t directly require discarding a card, it competes for hand resources you might need to cast instants or support other strategies, making it less ideal for decks that require hand flexibility.
Specific Mana Cost: Lavaclaw Reaches demands both black and red mana to activate, which might not seamlessly fit into decks without a solid mana base that supports multiple colors, thus limiting its integration.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Activating Lavaclaw Reaches is mana-intensive. Since it costs three mana to turn into a creature, it competes with other uses of your mana each turn, potentially hindering the execution of your game plan.
Reasons to Include Lavaclaw Reaches in Your Collection
Versatility: This card easily slips into multiple deck types, particularly ones that stand to gain ground from having a flexible mana base. As a land card that can also become a creature, Lavaclaw Reaches provides strategic depth and adaptability.
Combo Potential: Its ability to become a creature with power and toughness each equal to the number of red or black mana symbols in the mana costs of the permanents you control allows for dynamic interactions with cards that care about creature count or land-creature synergies.
Meta-Relevance: Given that many decks rely on nonbasic lands for their mana fixing, having a land that can turn into a threat puts pressure on opponents. In metas that don’t anticipate aggressive lands, Lavaclaw Reaches could be a game-changing surprise.
How to beat
Lavaclaw Reaches is a versatile land card that morphs into a fearsome creature with the ability to take down opponents in Magic: The Gathering. Its capacity to become a creature with power and toughness each equal to the number of red and black mana spent to activate it, makes it a formidable foe. It’s not just a land – its creature form can be a game-changer.
To tackle this mutable threat, prioritize land destruction or creature removal spells in your strategy. Consider incorporating cards like Ghost Quarter to target Lavaclaw Reaches directly, efficiently removing it from the battlefield. Alternatively, using instant-speed removal, such as Path to Exile, when Lavaclaw Reaches is animated, can effectively counter your opponent’s move. This way, you can ensure that Lavaclaw Reaches’s potential impact is mitigated, preserving your standing in the game.
Overall, with the right approach and timely responses, Lavaclaw Reaches can be kept under control. Respect its dual nature, but don’t let it dictate the flow of the game. By being one step ahead with removal tools at your disposal, you can neutralize the threat and maintain an advantage over your opponent.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Lavaclaw Reaches MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake and Ultimate Masters, 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 Lavaclaw Reaches and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Lavaclaw Reaches Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2010-02-05 and 2023-10-13. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010-02-05 | Worldwake | WWK | 139 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Véronique Meignaud | |
| 2 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 245 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Véronique Meignaud | |
| 3 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 505 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jake Murray | |
| 4 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 880 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jake Murray | |
| 5 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 1096 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jake Murray | |
| 6 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 289 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jake Murray |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Lavaclaw Reaches has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Lavaclaw Reaches card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2010-03-01 | A land that becomes a creature may be affected by "summoning sickness." You can't attack with it or use any of its abilities (including its mana abilities) unless it began your most recent turn on the battlefield under your control. Note that summoning sickness cares about when that permanent came under your control, not when it became a creature. |
| 2010-03-01 | When a land becomes a creature, that doesn't count as having a creature enter the battlefield. The permanent was already on the battlefield; it only changed its types. Abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield won't trigger. |