Mountain Stronghold MTG Card
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Land |
| Released | 1994-06-01 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Legends |
| Set code | LEG |
| Number | 304 |
| Frame | 1993 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Tom Wänerstrand |
Text of card
All your red legends may band with other legends.
Cards like Mountain Stronghold
Mountain Stronghold brings its own distinct flair to the array of land cards in Magic: The Gathering. Contrasted with other lands such as Volcanic Island, Mountain Stronghold doesn’t directly produce colored mana. However, it shares the common trait of tapping for a specific purpose with the island, which also taps for either red or blue mana.
Looking at Keldon Megaliths, we can see a similar role in decks favoring red mana. While Keldon Megaliths enters the battlefield tapped and can eventually be used to deal damage to a player or planeswalker, Mountain Stronghold focuses instead on giving creatures a combat edge. Another comparable land, Ghitu Encampment, also offers a creature-related bonus as it can transform into a creature itself. However, its utility is single-layered, whereas Mountain Stronghold can enhance multiple creatures over the course of a game.
After examining the unique effects and synergy each of these lands brings to a player’s deck, it’s clear that Mountain Stronghold stands out due to its ability to consistently bolster a player’s offensive capabilities. Its strategic use in the right deck elevates it within the echelons of special utility lands in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Mountain Stronghold by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Mountain Stronghold offers the potential for consistent card draw which can be pivotal for outpacing your opponents by providing a steady flow of new options every turn.
Resource Acceleration: This fortress of stone and fire can serve as a reliable source of additional mana, reinforcing your resources and enabling more powerful plays earlier in the game than your adversaries can manage.
Instant Speed: The capacity to activate its abilities at instant speed grants you flexibility, allowing you to adapt swiftly to the ever-changing battlefield and surprise opponents with sudden shifts in strategy when they least expect it.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: With Mountain Stronghold, players might find the discard requirement cumbersome, especially when their hand is full of crucial spells they wish to retain. This can lead to difficult decisions that may impact the game’s momentum unfavorably.
Specific Mana Cost: The card’s necessity for a distinct mana combination can be restrictive. Decks that don’t run red mana specifically or those with a more extensive color palette may not find this card as attractive or feasible to include in their strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Considering Mountain Stronghold’s impact on the board state, its mana cost is on the higher side. Players may be hesitant to include a card with such a demanding mana investment when looking for more immediate or impactful plays.
Reasons to Include Mountain Stronghold in Your Collection
Versatility: Mountain Stronghold can seamlessly slot into numerous red or multicolored decks, offering a consistent boost in mana acceleration and fixing which is crucial for casting high-impact spells earlier in the game.
Combo Potential: This land card provides an extra edge in decks designed around landfall triggers or those that benefit from having various land types for mechanics like domain or converge, thereby unlocking new synergistic avenues.
Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to provide both color fixing and ramp, Mountain Stronghold maintains relevance across different meta environments, helping players adapt their strategies against a diverse array of competitive decks.
How to beat
Mountain Stronghold is a card that demands strategic planning to overcome in the fantasy world of Magic: The Gathering. Known for boosting your creatures’ abilities and fortifying your defenses, this card can be a tough nut to crack if it’s allowed to establish a foothold on the battlefield. The key to dismantling the advantage provided by Mountain Stronghold lies in direct removal or land destruction spells. Cards like Sinkhole or Ghost Quarter that target lands are prime tools in disabling the Stronghold before its benefits can be fully realized.
Another approach is to employ counterspells, ensuring that the Stronghold never hits the field in the first place. Blue mages might rely on classic counters like Counterspell or Mana Leak. Creature strategies can also help, specifically those that bypass the Stronghold’s enhancements, like creatures with flying or unblockable creatures that can evade ground-based obstruction. Ultimately, patience and the right combination of disruption and offense can prove that no fortress is impregnable.
While Mountain Stronghold augments your adversaries’ position, remember that in Magic: The Gathering, even the most daunting obstacles can be overcome with a well-tuned deck and a sharp mind at the helm. Keep your disruption cards handy and you’ll disarm your opponent’s stronghold, paving the way to victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mountain Stronghold MTG card by a specific set like Legends, 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 Mountain Stronghold 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Mountain Stronghold has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |