Lembas MTG Card


Lembas provides great card advantage and strategic flexibility during gameplay. While powerful, it requires a discard and specific mana, limiting some uses. Its versatility and combo potential make Lembas a valuable collection addition.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeArtifact — Food
Abilities Scry

Text of card

When Lembas enters the battlefield, scry 1, then draw a card. , , Sacrifice Lembas: You gain 3 life. When Lembas is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, its owner shuffles it into their library.

They could eat of it and find new strength even as they ran.


Cards like Lembas

The Lembas card in Magic: The Gathering offers a unique twist on mana acceleration and life gain. It echoes the abilities found in cards like Elvish Mystic, which also provides additional mana. However, Lembas goes a step further by also offering a boost in life points, a feature that Elvish Mystic lacks. This can be a game-changer in scenarios where survivability is as crucial as resource management.

When compared to Llanowar Elves, another staple in mana dork roles, Lembas may come across as less efficient due to its additional cost. Yet, for decks that benefit from life gain synergies, Lembas presents an attractive alternative. It adds a layer of utility that Llanowar Elves can’t match, empowering strategies that hinge on maintaining a high life total.

To sum up, Lembas carves out its unique space among mana-generating creatures in Magic: The Gathering. By coupling mana acceleration with life gain, it provides a dual-purpose role that can be pivotal in certain builds, making it a versatile choice for players who value flexibility and resilience in their decks.

Elvish Mystic - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Elvish Mystic - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Lembas by color, type and mana cost

Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Ankh of Mishra - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Elsewhere Flask - MTG Card versions
Dragon's Claw - MTG Card versions
Chaos Orb - MTG Card versions
Winter Orb - MTG Card versions
Ankh of Mishra - MTG Card versions
Amulet of Kroog - MTG Card versions
Nacre Talisman - MTG Card versions
Howling Mine - MTG Card versions
Essence Bottle - MTG Card versions
Emerald Medallion - MTG Card versions
Scrying Glass - MTG Card versions
Cursed Totem - MTG Card versions
Tsabo's Web - MTG Card versions
Millikin - MTG Card versions
Ark of Blight - MTG Card versions
Surestrike Trident - MTG Card versions
Energy Chamber - MTG Card versions
Water Gun Balloon Game - MTG Card versions
Angel's Feather - MTG Card versions
Demon's Horn - MTG Card versions
Elsewhere Flask - MTG Card versions
Dragon's Claw - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Lembas. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Golgari GardensGolgari Gardens PauperGolgari GardensPauper League 2024-05-17
BGBG PauperPauper Challenge 32 2024-05-17
Mardu SynthesizerMardu Synthesizer PauperMardu SynthesizerPauper Challenge 32 2024-05-17
Boros SynthesizerBoros Synthesizer PauperBoros SynthesizerPauper Challenge 32 2024-05-17
WBGWBG PauperPauper Challenge 64 2024-05-19
BRGBRG PauperPauper Challenge 32 2024-05-17
TronTron PauperTronPauper Challenge 64 2024-05-19
Orzhov EphemerateOrzhov Ephemerate PauperOrzhov EphemeratePauper Challenge 32 2024-05-18

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Lembas offers a significant edge by letting you draw an additional card upon use, solidifying your hand and increasing your strategic options.

Resource Acceleration: With Lembas, you effortlessly accelerate your resources, granting you the potential for playing high-impact cards ahead of the curve and setting an aggressive tempo against your opponents.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Lembas at instant speed provides the flexibility to adapt to the evolving battlefield, allowing for reactionary play or end-of-turn strategies to surprise your adversary.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Lembas necessitates discarding another card to activate its ability, a hefty price if your hand is already dwindling or if you’re attempting to maintain card advantage over your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Lembas demands a particular combination of mana to cast, potentially restricting it to decks that can reliably produce the necessary colors, which can be a challenge in multicolored formats.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana value, Lembas is up against a gamut of other options within the same range that may offer more immediate or impactful utility, making it a less than optimal choice in situations where mana efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Lembas is a card that can be seamlessly incorporated into a diverse array of deck archetypes. Its ability to offer life gain and resource extension is a boon for those aiming to endure longer in games or requiring a buffer against aggressive opponents.

Combo Potential: With its inherent synergies, Lembas can serve as a pivotal piece in combinations that revolve around health or card advantage. It can enable strategies that might otherwise be too risky, offering a safety net while you assemble your win conditions.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where games can be won or lost on thin margins, Lembas offers the resilience to swing the tide. Its relevance becomes particularly pronounced in matchups that grind to attrition, where its dual utility shines by keeping you robust and ready for the long game.


How to beat Lembas

Lembas in MTG is a card that often shines in decks focused on life-gain and endurance. Its ability to offer consistent life points and slow down an opponent’s momentum can be formidable. To overcome this card, a strategy focused on disrupting your opponent’s hand and deck becomes crucial. Cards that force your opponents to discard such as Thoughtseize can hinder their ability to utilize Lembas effectively.

Aggressive strategies also hold an edge against Lembas. By increasing the pace of the game and applying pressure with swift, impactful creatures, you’re able to place your opponent in a defensive position, outpacing the card’s life-gain utility. Direct damage spells that can target players, like Lightning Bolt, help you whittle down your opponent’s life total in spite of the incremental life gain Lembas provides. Additionally, enchantment removals such as Naturalize are ideal for dismantling Lembas directly, giving you a clear path to victory. Keeping these tactics in mind, players can curtail the advantages Lembas offers and turn the tide in their favor.


BurnMana Recommendations

The Magic the Gathering realm is vast, with every card unfolding unique strategies and gameplay. Lembas, with its duality in mana acceleration and life gain, emerges as a card worthy of consideration for its ability to influence the pace and sustain of matches. As you optimize your deck, remember that understanding the strengths and limitations of each card, like Lembas, can be the difference between a crushing defeat and a cunning victory. For those looking to refine their MTG arsenal and outmaneuver opponents at every turn, delve deeper into the potential that Lembas can offer. Let your journey of mastery continue and let us guide you towards triumph. Discover more tactics, card interactions, and build a collection that resonates with your playstyle.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lembas MTG card by a specific set like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, 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 Lembas and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Lembas Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Viko Menezes.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 2432015NormalBlackViko Menezes
22023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 6942015NormalBlackViko Menezes

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Lembas has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2023-06-16 Do not eat the delicious cards. No, not even for second breakfast.
2023-06-16 Food is an artifact type. Even though it appears on some creatures in other sets, it's never a creature type.
2023-06-16 If an effect refers to a Food, it means any Food artifact, not just a Food artifact token. For example, you can sacrifice Lembas, an artifact card with the Food subtype, to activate the last ability of Bill the Pony.
2023-06-16 Some spells and abilities that create Food tokens may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't create any Food tokens.
2023-06-16 You can't sacrifice a Food token to pay multiple costs. For example, you can't sacrifice a Food token to activate its own ability and also to activate the last ability of Bill the Pony.