Longtusk Cub MTG Card
2016-09-30 - Number 161
2020-11-12 - Number 167
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Cat |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Whenever Longtusk Cub deals combat damage to a player, you get (two energy counters). Pay : Put a +1/+1 counter on Longtusk Cub.
It won't be small forever.
Cards like Longtusk Cub
Longtusk Cub stands out in MTG as a potent two-drop creature known for its energy generation capability. This card finds its counterparts in cards like Voltaic Brawler, which shares the energy mechanic but starts off stronger with higher stats. Unlike Longtusk Cub, Voltaic Brawler presents an immediate impact on the board and can dish out significant damage early on.
Another card worth mentioning is Servant of the Conduit. Much like Longtusk Cub, it utilizes energy to affect the game; however, it functions mainly as an energy reservoir and mana fixer, rather than an aggressive creature that grows over time. There’s also Aether Chaser, a creature that generates energy and brings along a first strike ability but lacks the recursive growth potential of Longtusk Cub.
Each of these similar cards offers unique advantages, yet Longtusk Cub has an edge with its scalable presence on the battlefield. Its ability to grow larger with energy counters generated from combat makes it a formidable, snowballing threat if left unchecked, giving it a distinctive role in MTG matches where energy counters are a strategic resource.
Cards similar to Longtusk Cub by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Longtusk Cub offers a unique advantage as it can generate additional energy counters that can be used to fuel its own ability or other energy-reliant cards in your deck, leading to a surplus in resources and potential card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: Each successful hit from Longtusk Cub not only deals damage but also accelerates your game play by amassing energy counters, which can be a versatile resource for powering up creatures or activating abilities, thus vastly improving your board state.
Instant Speed: While the cub itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, the energy it accumulates can often be utilized in conjunction with instant-speed cards that require energy, allowing for unexpected plays and keeping opponents on their toes during crucial turns.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Longtusk Cub doesn’t directly have a discard requirement, its synergy with energy counters means you’ll need other cards to generate those counters, which could potentially deplete your hand faster if not managed carefully.
Specific Mana Cost: Longtusk Cub’s casting cost requires one green mana, which naturally fits into green-centric or energy-focused decks but could be a limiting factor for decks that are not tailored to optimize green mana or the energy mechanic.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The initial two mana investment for a 2/2 creature may seem reasonable; however, in some cases, this can be quite steep for aggro decks that aim to play numerous low-cost creatures quickly. Furthermore, to fully utilize Longtusk Cub’s potential, additional mana investment is needed to pay for the energy abilities, which can escalate the mana cost over the course of a game.
Reasons to Include Longtusk Cub in Your Collection
Versatility: Longtusk Cub shines in energy-focused decks, adapting well to aggressive strategies with its ability to grow quickly in power and toughness.
Combo Potential: This card’s energy counter accumulation pairs seamlessly with numerous energy mechanics, enabling diverse synergies and interactions within that deck archetype.
Meta-Relevance: Given its role in aggro-energy builds, Longtusk Cub is particularly potent when the meta favors quick, efficient creatures that can become threats if left unchecked.
How to beat
Longtusk Cub presents a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering due to its ability to accumulate +1/+1 counters and convert excess energy into a formidable force on the battlefield. This flexibility can quickly turn Longtusk Cub from a minor threat into a dominant creature if not addressed promptly.
Defeating Longtusk Cub requires a strategy that either neutralizes it before it becomes too large or circumvents the energy mechanic it relies on. Efficient removal spells such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile can dispatch the cub before it grows out of control. Keeping your opponent’s energy count low, for instance by targeting their energy-generating cards with counterplay or removal, can also help curb Longtusk Cub’s potential. Additionally, including creatures with deathtouch in your deck can act as an effective deterrent, making any attack or block by the Cub a risky proposition for your opponent. By prioritizing early interaction and keeping the energy synergy in check, you can maintain control over Longtusk Cub and prevent it from tipping the scales in your adversary’s favor.
Overall, consider your reactive options and pay close attention to the energy economy within the game to ensure Longtusk Cub doesn’t spiral out of reach, securing your position on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Longtusk Cub MTG card by a specific set like Kaladesh and Kaladesh 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 Longtusk Cub 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 Longtusk Cub Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-09-30 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by Zoltan Boros.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-09-30 | Kaladesh | KLD | 161 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros | |
| 2 | 2020-11-12 | Kaladesh Remastered | KLR | 167 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Longtusk Cub has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Longtusk Cub card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-02-09 | Energy counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They're not associated with specific permanents. (Other kinds of counters that players may have include poison and experience.) |
| 2017-02-09 | Energy counters aren't mana. They don't go away as steps, phases, and turns end, and effects that add mana “of any type” to your mana pool can't give you energy counters. |
| 2017-02-09 | If an effect says you get one or more , you get that many energy counters. To pay one or more , you lose that many energy counters. Any effects that interact with counters a player gets, has, or loses can interact with energy counters. |
| 2017-02-09 | Keep careful track of how many energy counters each player has. You may do so by keeping a running count on paper, by using a die, or by any other clear and mutually agreeable method. |
| 2017-02-09 | You can't pay more energy counters than you have. |
| 2017-02-09 | is the energy symbol. It represents one energy counter. |