M'Odo, the Gnarled Oracle MTG Card


M’Odo allows for card advantage by unveiling and playing the top three cards from your library. It acts as resource acceleration, enabling play without spending hand mana. Despite its benefits, M’Odo requires sacrificing a card, presenting a strategic challenge.
M'Odo, the Gnarled Oracle - 2017 Heroes of the Realm
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Zombie Elf Wizard
Abilities Convert,Eminence
Released2018-08-01
Set symbol
Set name2017 Heroes of the Realm
Set codePH17
Power 0
Toughness 3
Number3
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byJohann Bodin

Text of card

Eminence — , Discard a card: Target player reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal a creature card with converted mana cost X or less. Put that card onto the battlefield under your control, then that player shuffles the rest into their library. Activate this ability only if M'Odo, the Gnarled Oracle is on the battlefield or in the command zone.

Those with vision always have a path.


Cards like M'Odo, the Gnarled Oracle

M’Odo, the Gnarled Oracle stands out in the domain of creature-based card advantage in Magic: The Gathering. It evokes a comparison to cards like Coiling Oracle, which similarly offers an immediate value by revealing the top card of your library when it enters the battlefield. However, M’Odo distinguishes itself by allowing you to play that card for a limited time, adding a strategic layer of gameplay.

Another card that comes to mind is Augury Owl, which provides a scry effect upon entry, setting up your future plays. While it doesn’t allow playing cards outright as M’Odo does, it helps tailor your draws for the coming turns. M’Odo, with its ability to potentially bypass mana costs, offers an immediate and potentially stronger impact.

Gathering the full potential of creature-based card advantages in your deck means weighing options like these. M’Odo, the Gnarled Oracle’s unique mechanics grant it a particular niche, especially for those looking to exploit cards temporarily accessible from the library.

Coiling Oracle - MTG Card versions
Augury Owl - MTG Card versions
Coiling Oracle - MTG Card versions
Augury Owl - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to M'Odo, the Gnarled Oracle by color, type and mana cost

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Jorn, God of Winter // Kaldring, the Rimestaff - MTG Card versions
Tatsunari, Toad Rider - MTG Card versions
Ana Battlemage - MTG Card versions
Leovold, Emissary of Trest - MTG Card versions
Zimone and Dina - MTG Card versions
Nashi, Moon's Legacy - MTG Card versions
Xavier Sal, Infested Captain - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: M’Odo, the Gnarled Oracle opens up opportunities for card advantage by revealing the top three cards of your library and letting you play them at a moment’s notice. This provides a steady flow of options and increases your strategic depth during gameplay.

Resource Acceleration: By enabling you to play the additional cards without spending mana from your hand, this card effectively functions as a form of resource acceleration. It allows you to utilize your mana pool for other spells and abilities, keeping pressure on your opponents while advancing your board state.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast spells at instant speed dramatically increases the versatility of your strategy. M’Odo’s potential to set up plays during your opponent’s turn, or in response to their actions, makes it a formidable tool in ensuring that you’re always one step ahead.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: M’Odo, the Gnarled Oracle necessitates the sacrifice of a card for its ability to be activated. This prerequisite can be demanding, especially in tight game scenarios where each card in hand is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: The particular mana combination required to cast M’Odo might be restrictive. Decks not running all the necessary colors could find it challenging to accommodate this card without altering their mana base significantly.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the ability provided by M’Odo, its mana cost is on the higher side. Players may consider other options that could yield a similar or better effect with a lower investment, optimizing their mana efficiency and gameplay dynamics.


Reasons to Include M’Odo, the Gnarled Oracle in Your Collection

Versatility: M’Odo, the Gnarled Oracle is a dynamic choice for decks that capitalize on creature synergies and value generation. It can serve multiple roles, acting as a card advantage engine or a political tool in multiplayer games.

Combo Potential: The ability to exile cards and then play those cards opens the door to numerous combo possibilities. Whether you’re aiming to cast spells without paying their mana cost or manipulate the exile zone for your benefit, M’Odo offers a unique angle to explore these strategies.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment that rewards strategic adaptability and foresight, M’Odo can be a game-changer. Given its ability to disrupt opponents while providing you with extra resources, it’s a card that can hold its own against many of the popular decks circulating in the metagame.


How to beat

M’Odo, the Gnarled Oracle offers a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering as it enables the Bantchantress and Constellation archetypes, with its ability to manifest cards providing unexpected advantages. To effectively counter M’Odo, a solid strategy is to remove it quickly from the battlefield. Spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile are quintessential choices for efficiently dispatching creatures without high costs.

Additionally, leveraging graveyard manipulation can be invaluable against M’Odo and similar cards that rely on the graveyard’s resources. For instance, cards like Scavenging Ooze can exile cards from the graveyard while simultaneously strengthening your own board presence. On top of disrupting the oracle’s gameplay, maintaining a vigilant control of the board state and pressuring your opponent’s life total can prevent them from establishing the synergies M’Odo endeavors to create.

Keep in mind that M’Odo, the Gnarled Oracle sets the stage for multiple strategies, so a versatile and responsive deck that can adapt to diverse scenarios is crucial. Preventing your opponent from accumulating card advantage and neutralizing their key pieces will greatly enhance your chances of victory when facing this intricate MTG card.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase M'Odo, the Gnarled Oracle MTG card by a specific set like 2017 Heroes of the Realm, 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 M'Odo, the Gnarled Oracle and other MTG cards:

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Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering M'Odo, the Gnarled Oracle card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2019-12-07 The Commander RC has ruled that if your name is printed on the bottom of a Heroes of the Realm card, that card is legal for you in Commander.