Llanowar Mentor MTG Card
2007-05-04 - Number 131
2021-03-19 - Number 216
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Elf Spellshaper |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
, , Discard a card: Put a 1/1 green Elf Druid creature token named Llanowar Elves into play with ": Add to your mana pool."
Cards like Llanowar Mentor
Llanowar Mentor is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, serving as a powerful tool for generating Llanowar Elves, iconic mana dorks within the game. When faced with parallels, one can look at cards like Krenko, Mob Boss, which similarly spawns tokens, providing an advantage by exponentially increasing the number of creatures. While Krenko relies on the number of Goblins for token creation, the Mentor’s strength lies in its consistent generation of mana elves every turn.
Another akin card is Heritage Druid, which taps elves you control to gain mana immediately, bypassing the traditional summoning sickness rules. The Mentor and Heritage Druid synergize well together, making an impactful combination in elf-oriented decks. Elvish Promenade is another contender, doubling your elf tokens outright, which can cascade well with the Mentor’s ability to produce elf tokens turn after turn.
In sum, assessing the utility and strategic relevance of Llanowar Mentor within the wide array of elf-producing and token-generating cards, it stands out for its potential to streamline and fuel green mana ramp strategies, positioning it as a solid choice in deckbuilding.
Cards similar to Llanowar Mentor by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Llanowar Mentor’s ability to create Llanowar Elves provides you with a steady stream of Elf tokens. Over multiple turns, this can translate into significant card advantage, as you effectively generate additional cards that contribute to your board presence without depleting resources from your hand.
Resource Acceleration: Each Llanowar Elf token that the Mentor produces can tap for mana. This consistent resource acceleration is critical for green decks looking to cast high-impact spells earlier than usual, increasing the speed and efficiency of your gameplay significantly.
Instant Speed: While the Mentor itself is not an instant-speed spell, the Elf tokens it creates can be utilized at instant speed. This subtle interaction permits sophisticated plays, enabling the summoning of Elves at the end of an opponent’s turn to keep mana available for other actions and surprise blockers at the ready.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One drawback of the Llanowar Mentor is its ability which necessitates the player to discard a card. This creates a setback for players who might be running low on hand resources, compelling them to make possibly unfavorable trade-offs to utilize this card’s potential.
Specific Mana Cost: The Llanowar Mentor comes with a green mana cost that requires a green mana-oriented deck to capitalize on its capabilities. This mana specificity can make it less versatile for inclusion in decks that do not primarily focus on green mana sources or multicolor decks with a tight mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that may appear reasonable at first glance, the Mentor’s effect of generating Llanowar Elves may be less efficient than other low-cost cards available to green mana decks. Players might find that other options allow them to expand their battlefield presence or ramp their mana with a lower investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Llanowar Mentor offers flexibility in green decks, seamlessly fitting into strategies that prioritize creature presence and mana acceleration.
Combo Potential: This card can churn out Llanowar Elves, a staple for setting up powerful combinations and ramping up to game-changing spells early on.
Meta-Relevance: With fast-paced games being common in the current competitive scene, having a card like Llanowar Mentor that accelerates your board state is strongly beneficial.
How to Beat Llanowar Mentor
Llanowar Mentor is a unique creature card that lets players convert their cards into powerful Llanowar Elves, famous for their mana acceleration capabilities. This can quickly overwhelm opponents not ready to handle a surge of mana and subsequent plays. However, there are strategies to counteract the advantage Llanowar Mentor brings to the table.
One effective tactic is to use removal spells promptly. Removing the mentor as soon as it hits the battlefield prevents the generation of elves altogether. Cards like Fatal Push and Path to Exile are great examples of efficient removal to keep the mentor in check. Another approach is to apply board sweepers such as Wrath of God to reset the field if Llanowar Elves begin to accumulate.
Additionally, strategies that deny the hand resources Llanowar Mentor needs to function, like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek, are also effective. These not only disrupt the initial card but also the potential elf it could create. Remember, the key to beating Llanowar Mentor is timing and disrupting the combo before it can fully develop and dictate the game’s pace.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Llanowar Mentor MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight and Time Spiral Remastered, 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 Llanowar Mentor 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 Llanowar Mentor Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2007-05-04 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Trevor Hairsine.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2007-05-04 | Future Sight | FUT | 131 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Trevor Hairsine | |
| 2 | 2021-03-19 | Time Spiral Remastered | TSR | 216 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Trevor Hairsine |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Llanowar Mentor has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Llanowar Mentor card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-03-19 | Unlike the card Llanowar Elves, the token has no mana cost. Its mana value is 0. |