Elvish Handservant MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Elf Warrior
Released	2007-10-12
Set symbol
Set name	Lorwyn
Set code	LRW
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	206
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Steve Prescott

Key Takeaways

Elvish Handservant provides card advantage in giant-heavy decks, effectively becoming stronger with every giant cast.
As a resource accelerator it compels opponents to use their removals, preserving your strategic plays.
Instant-speed growth of the Handservant adds a layer of unpredictability, challenging opponents’ strategies.

Text of card

Whenever a player plays a Giant spell, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Elvish Handservant.

The hardest lesson for any elf to learn is humility. It takes a giant to teach that.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Elvish Handservant shines in decks where giants are prevalent, working as a remarkable card advantage engine. Each giant spell you cast will draw you deeper into your library by letting Elvish Handservant grow larger, potentially outclassing opponents’ creatures over time.

Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly produce mana or tokens, Elvish Handservant can act as a resource accelerant in the sense that its growing power becomes a resource in itself. By requiring opponents to deal with it, they are forced to use up removal spells or blockers, leaving them fewer defenses against the rest of your strategy.

Instant Speed: Though Elvish Handservant works at sorcery speed, its passive ability triggering at instant speed grants it sneaky versatility. Opponents must constantly account for the fact that any giants played—even on their turn—will immediately make the Handservant more formidable, often transforming it from a harmless ally into a looming threat without warning.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Elvish Handservant doesn’t have a discard mechanic, it does highlight the importance of considering cards that require you to discard as part of their casting cost or ability, which can disadvantageously deplete your hand when playing a strategy reliant on card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Elvish Handservant’s effectiveness is directly tied to the number of green mana sources available in your deck. This card’s performance may lag in multicolored decks that can’t consistently provide the necessary green mana, thus it may not fit seamlessly into every deck archetype.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Elvish Handservant itself is not a high-cost card, its reliance on other high-costing giants or green spells to trigger its ability means it potentially occupies a slot that might be better filled by cards with an immediate impact or standalone value, especially in decks where mana efficiency is paramount.

Reasons to Include Elvish Handservant in Your Collection

Versatility: Elvish Handservant fits well into any deck that’s based around multicolored or green strategies. This card thrives in environments where giant creatures and spells are prevalent, and its low casting cost means it can hit the board early, ready to grow.

Combo Potential: In decks that capitalize on casting large spells or summoning massive creatures, the Elvish Handservant can become a substantial threat quickly. Pair it with cards that produce large amounts of mana or with dragon-focused decks to maximize its growth potential.

Meta-Relevance: For players anticipating a meta saturated with dragon decks or those that revolve around big spells, Elvish Handservant can be a significant early-game asset. Its scaling strength mirrors the pace of such games, making it a nuanced but powerful choice for your lineup.

How to beat

Elvish Handservant thrives in formats where players frequently summon dragons or play cards like Fireball that deal a great deal of damage. The creature’s power grows in tandem with the size of spells played by your opponents, often giving them a hefty attack boost. Understanding this, the key strategy is to control the battlefield with spells that can negate the growth of Elvish Handservant’s power, or remove it from play before it becomes a threat.

To effectively counter this card, consider using instant-speed removal spells that can be played in response to large spells, targeting and taking out the Elvish Handservant before it gains the advantage. Board wipes are another potent solution, as they can clear multiple threats, including a pumped Elvish Handservant, circumventing the need to respond to individual growth triggers. Additionally, employing enchantments that prevent counters from being placed on creatures or artifacts that restrict activated abilities may also dampen the impact of Elvish Handservant effectively.

Summarily, managing your removal resources wisely and anticipating the growth of Elvish Handservant can prevent this card from tipping the scales in favor of your opponent, maintaining a more manageable board state for a victorious outcome.

Cards like Elvish Handservant

Elvish Handservant finds its place in the rich tapestry of creature cards that grow in strength alongside the game’s evolving dynamics. Much like the card Myr Superion, it benefits from other card types being played. However, Elvish Handservant gains a +1/+1 counter with every Dragon spell cast, setting it apart with a specific trigger that can be quite rewarding in a dragon-heavy deck. Myr Superion lacks this reactive ability, relying instead on mana produced by creatures to come into play.

Another comparable card is the Managorger Hydra. Like the Elvish Handservant, Managorger Hydra thrives on the spellcasting of others, gaining +1/+1 counters whenever any player casts a spell. This makes the Hydra more versatile and potentially faster growing in a multiplayer setting, unlike the Handservant whose growth is bound to Dragon spells only. Yet, in a dedicated Dragon deck, the Handservant could well outpace the Hydra in terms of sheer bulk accumulation over time.

In deck building strategies focused on synergy and exploiting specific creature types, Elvish Handservant can shine by becoming a formidable force as you leverage your Dragons. Each spell not only delivers its initial impact but also bolsters the Elves’ combat capabilities, efficiently weaving theme and function together.

Cards similar to Elvish Handservant by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Elvish Handservant MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn, 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 Elvish Handservant and other MTG cards: