Leaf Gilder MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Elf Druid
Power 2
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Leaf Gilder enhances card advantage by effectively offering additional mana for spells each turn.
  2. It’s a resource accelerator, permitting earlier play of high-cost, game-dominating spells.
  3. The creature’s presence on the board combines utility with strategic influence in matches.

Text of card

: Add to your mana pool.

Eidren, perfect of Lys Alana, ordered hundreds of trees uprooted and rearranged into a pattern he deemed beautiful. Thus the Gilt-Leaf Wood was born.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Leaf Gilder itself may not draw cards, it contributes to card advantage by freeing up mana that can be used to cast additional spells in a single turn. This can effectively allow players to deploy more threats or answers than opponents, which can be a decisive factor in MTG.

Resource Acceleration: As a two-cost creature that taps for green mana, Leaf Gilder is a superb resource accelerator. Able to be played early in the game, it effectively ramps up your mana production, allowing for earlier casting of high-cost creatures and spells that can dominate the battlefield.

Instant Speed: Although Leaf Gilder doesn’t function at instant speed, its capability to instantly provide mana the turn after it’s played can unexpectedly speed up your game plan. This quality enables players to keep up with others who might be playing more aggressively or to unexpectedly outpace opponents with rapid deployment of impactful cards.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although the Leaf Gilder itself doesn’t necessitate the discarding of cards, it can be ineffective when drawn in late-game scenarios where better mana acceleration options are no longer needed, essentially becoming a card that doesn’t contribute meaningfully to your late-game strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Leaf Gilder requires both generic and green mana to be cast. The green-specific mana cost can occasionally hinder the flexibility of deck construction, predominantly in multicolored decks that might prefer mana dorks that offer a broader range of mana options or have a colorless casting cost.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana, Leaf Gilder is slightly more costly compared to the most efficient mana-dorks like Llanowar Elves that offer the same mana acceleration for a lower cost. In decks where speed is key, the difference of even one mana can be significant.


Reasons to Include Leaf Gilder in Your Collection

Versatility: Leaf Gilder serves as a reliable mana accelerator in various green-centric builds. Its ability to tap for green mana makes it valuable for speeding up your gameplay, allowing you to cast more substantial spells ahead of the curve.

Combo Potential: This creature can seamlessly integrate with decks that capitalize on untap mechanics or require consistent mana generation for combo execution. Its synergy with cards that benefit from tapping and untapping creatures can pave the way for powerful plays.

Meta-Relevance: With a solid presence in green ramp strategies, Leaf Gilder fits well into the current meta where establishing an early mana lead often translates to control and dominance on the board.


How to beat

Leaf Gilder is a card that bolsters your mana resources within MTG, similar to other mana dorks like Llanowar Elves, but with slightly different dynamics. With its ability to tap for green mana, it can accelerate your gameplay by allowing you to cast larger spells earlier. However, much like any mana acceleration card, Leaf Gilder is vulnerable to removal spells. Cards such as Shock or Fatal Push can easily dispatch it before it starts fueling a massive mana engine.

Moreover, since Leaf Gilder requires a turn to become untapped before utilizing its mana ability, instant-speed removal spells are particularly effective. If you’re facing a deck that relies heavily on Leaf Gilder, it’s wise to prioritize the removal of such creatures to slow down your opponent’s game plan. Keep in mind that Leaf Gilder is just one cog in the machinery of a ramp strategy, so be prepared to address subsequent larger threats that may follow this early-game set-up piece.

Lastly, counteracting the mana advantage provided by Leaf Gilder can also be done by increasing your tempo with faster, more aggressive creatures, or utilizing disruption like land destruction to offset the acceleration it provides. This way, you’ll keep the playfield even and maintain pressure on your opponent throughout the game.


Cards like Leaf Gilder

Leaf Gilder holds its place as a straightforward mana accelerator in Magic: The Gathering. It echoes the ability of cards like Llanowar Elves, a classic one-drop that taps for green mana, thereby underlining the efficiency of the Leaf Gilder for just one more mana. Yet, the Leaf Gilder brings a mildly sturdier body to the battlefield, which can prove advantageous in the early creature skirmishes.

Elvish Mystic, another one-mana doppelganger to Llanowar Elves, shares the same tap-for-mana feature, reinforcing how Leaf Gilder fills the role of a slightly beefier alternative at a two-drop slot. Fyndhorn Elves is yet another parallel in this ecosystem of green mana dorks, highlighting how Leaf Gilder steps up as a more combat-ready option.

In the end, while comparing these magic ramp agents, Leaf Gilder competes by combining the essential mana-generating function with a more substantial presence on the board, offering players a blend of utility and board state influence that can be pivotal in the course of a game.

Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Elvish Mystic - MTG Card versions
Fyndhorn Elves - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Elvish Mystic - Magic 2014 (M14)
Fyndhorn Elves - Ice Age (ICE)

Cards similar to Leaf Gilder by color, type and mana cost

Wyluli Wolf - MTG Card versions
Whirling Dervish - MTG Card versions
Grizzly Bears - MTG Card versions
River Boa - MTG Card versions
Eladamri, Lord of Leaves - MTG Card versions
Albino Troll - MTG Card versions
Silverglade Pathfinder - MTG Card versions
Priest of Titania - MTG Card versions
Quirion Elves - MTG Card versions
Blurred Mongoose - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Loamspeaker - MTG Card versions
Genesis Hydra - MTG Card versions
Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse - MTG Card versions
Scavenging Ooze - MTG Card versions
Heir of the Wilds - MTG Card versions
Mayor of Avabruck // Howlpack Alpha - MTG Card versions
Wren's Run Vanquisher - MTG Card versions
Muscle Sliver - MTG Card versions
Ayula, Queen Among Bears - MTG Card versions
Tel-Jilad Chosen - MTG Card versions
Wyluli Wolf - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Whirling Dervish - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Grizzly Bears - Seventh Edition (7ED)
River Boa - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Eladamri, Lord of Leaves - Tempest (TMP)
Albino Troll - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Silverglade Pathfinder - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Priest of Titania - World Championship Decks 2000 (WC00)
Quirion Elves - Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. the Coalition (DDE)
Blurred Mongoose - Invasion (INV)
Llanowar Loamspeaker - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Genesis Hydra - Iconic Masters (IMA)
Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Scavenging Ooze - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
Heir of the Wilds - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Mayor of Avabruck // Howlpack Alpha - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Wren's Run Vanquisher - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Muscle Sliver - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Ayula, Queen Among Bears - Fallout (PIP)
Tel-Jilad Chosen - Mirrodin (MRD)

Where to buy

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

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Leaf Gilder Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2007-10-12 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Quinton Hoover.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-10-12LorwynLRW 2272003normalblackQuinton Hoover
22010-06-18ArchenemyARC 632003normalblackQuinton Hoover
32015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 1842015normalblackQuinton Hoover
42020-07-17JumpstartJMP 4082015normalblackQuinton Hoover

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Leaf Gilder has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks