Loxodon Smiter MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Elephant Soldier |
| Released | 2012-10-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Return to Ravnica |
| Set code | RTR |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 178 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Ryan Barger |
Text of card
Loxodon Smiter can't be countered. If a spell or ability an opponent controls causes you to discard Loxodon Smiter, put it onto the battlefield instead of putting it into your graveyard.
Cards like Loxodon Smiter
In the landscape of efficient creature spells, Loxodon Smiter stands out among its peers in Magic: The Gathering. Its robustness is mirrored in creatures like Fleecemane Lion, which also boasts a solid body for its mana cost. Yet, Loxodon Smiter’s ability to be uncounterable sets it apart and provides a distinct advantage in formats dense with control strategies. Additionally, its incidental ability to rescue players from discard effects echoes the resilience seen in Wilt-Leaf Liege, another creature that turns a potential disadvantage to the player’s benefit.
Another card to consider is Obstinate Baloth, which, like the Smiter, offers a significant impact for its mana cost not just on the battlefield but also when interacting with discard tactics, gifting players life in the process. While Loxodon Smiter doesn’t boast this life gain, the emphasis on providing a sizable presence on the board without the fear of being countered or discarded remains a prominent feature.
Evaluating these options, Loxodon Smiter convincingly secures its place as a solid choice for decks aiming to deploy resilient threats on the battlefield. Its unique combination of power, resiliency, and uncounterability makes it a formidable opponent in creature-centric strategies in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Loxodon Smiter by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Loxodon Smiter excels in providing card advantage, effectively nullifying your opponent’s discard effects by allowing it to be put onto the battlefield instead of into your graveyard.
Resource Acceleration: Thanks to its cost-effective stats—4/4 for three mana—the Loxodon Smiter offers considerable board presence early on which can lead to resource acceleration by deterring opponents from attacking and helping to secure your own board early in the game.
Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, the Loxodon Smiter interacts favorably against instant-speed disruption. This card bypasses commonly played instant-speed discard spells, ensuring that your hand remains strong even when facing reactive decks.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While the Loxodon Smiter is immune to being discarded, it’s worth noting that it doesn’t protect other cards in your hand from discard spells and effects, leaving the rest of your resources vulnerable.
Specific Mana Cost: The Loxodon Smiter demands a precise combination of mana — one green, one white, and one of any color. This requirement can be restrictive as it necessitates a deck tailored around Selesnya colors, potentially limiting its inclusion in multicolored or non-Selesnya decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While a 4/4 for three mana is substantial, the Loxodon Smiter’s mana cost is at a point where players need to consider its impact compared to other options at this stage of the game. In formats with aggressive decks, the need to manage resources efficiently often means looking for lower-cost creatures or spells that can have an immediate board impact.
Reasons to Include Loxodon Smiter in Your Collection
Versatility: Loxodon Smiter is a robust addition to any deck needing a resilient creature. Whether in aggressive, midrange, or even some control decks, its inability to be countered and ample power/toughness ratio for its mana cost make it a solid play in various situations.
Combo Potential: The card plays well in strategies that capitalize on big creatures or those looking to exploit enter-the-battlefield triggers. Its reliable casting makes it a dependable combo piece or a deterrent to opponents’ hand disruption strategies.
Meta-Relevance: In a format where players lean towards control strategies with thoughtsieze-like effects, Loxodon Smiter can be an ideal countermeasure. Its qualities shine in a meta populated by decks aiming to dismantle the opponent’s hand, giving you a substantial creature that bypasses such interference.
How to beat
The Loxodon Smiter stands out as a powerhouse in creature form within Magic: The Gathering, providing players with a robust body that is unaffected by counterspells and not easily disrupted by forced discard strategies. This card is solid in resistence and offers a significant presence on the battlefield from the moment it lands.
To effectively handle the Loxodon Smiter, the focus should shift to a strategy that revolves around evading its uncounterable nature. Since it excels in direct confrontations, it’s advisable to sidestep those engagements with removal spells that don’t target the Smiter directly or resort to mass removal options that can sweep it off the board without having to target it individually. Consider board-clearing spells or effects that change the rules of engagement, like those that reduce the power of creatures or alter battle outcomes, as the Smiter’s might lies in its innate abilities and stature.
Playing around the Loxodon Smiter hinges on understanding its implicit challenge and carefully planning around its strengths. The emphasis here is not just on removing it but on doing so in a manner that bypasses its protective features, ensuring that your path to victory remains unobstructed.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Loxodon Smiter MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica, 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 Loxodon Smiter 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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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Loxodon Smiter has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Loxodon Smiter card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2012-10-01 | If you discard Loxodon Smiter and put it onto the battlefield, you’ve still discarded a card. Abilities that trigger when you discard a card (such as the one from Liliana’s Caress) will still trigger. |