Baloth Pup MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Beast
Released	2016-01-22
Set symbol
Set name	Oath of the Gatewatch
Set code	OGW
Power	3
Toughness	1
Number	127
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Steve Prescott

Key Takeaways

Baloth Pup grants card advantage by forcing opponents to use resources inefficiently.
With strong early stats, it accelerates your board state and applies pressure.
Trample ability and combo potential make it a versatile addition to green decks.

Text of card

Baloth Pup has trample as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.

A young baloth channels its energy into playful destructiveness. Over time, it becomes less playful but no less destructive.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Baloth Pup itself doesn’t directly allow you to draw additional cards, its presence on the field can force opponents to expend more resources to deal with it, potentially leading to a card advantage if they’re using premium removal on a low-cost creature.

Resource Acceleration: Baloth Pup may not offer direct mana acceleration, but with its 3/1 stats for just two mana, it provides an efficient creature presence early in the game, helping to accelerate your board state and apply pressure to your opponent.

Instant Speed: Although Baloth Pup doesn’t have flash and can’t be played at instant speed, its synergies with instant-speed pump spells and combat tricks in green can surprise opponents during combat, turning it into a formidable threat that can alter the pace of the game.

Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Baloth Pup requires a specific two green mana to cast. This restriction can potentially limit deck-building options, favoring decks heavily based in green mana production.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not excessively costly, the combined mana cost of three for Baloth Pup may be seen as a disadvantage when compared with other creatures at the same cost that provide immediate board impact or have more robust abilities.

Discard Requirement: Though Baloth Pup itself does not have a discard requirement, it is important to consider that playing a creature with no card advantage can put you a card down if it is easily removed, which is a common drawback of smaller creatures.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Baloth Pup is a flexible card that can seamlessly fit into a variety of green decks, catering especially to those emphasizing creature growth and board presence strategies.

Combo Potential: With its ability to gain trample when it has a +1/+1 counter, it synergizes well with decks that focus on counter manipulation, creating opportunities for powerful combinations.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where small, aggressive creatures are key, Baloth Pup’s low mana cost and scaling potential make it a strong contender, capable of taking on larger threats as the game progresses.

How to beat

Baloth Pup, a creature card in Magic: The Gathering, boasts trample and the potential to grow stronger with landfall mechanics. Besting this agile green creature requires a strategic approach. Removal spells are the primary tool in your arsenal against the Pup. Cards like Fatal Push and Path to Exile can efficiently deal with the creature before it becomes a larger problem on the battlefield.

Counterplay can be found in the form of pacifism effects, such as the enchantment Pacifism itself, which neuters the creature’s capabilities without needing to remove it permanently. Board clearing spells like Wrath of God or control elements that influence combat, like Propaganda, can hold this pup at bay, preventing it from dealing damage or forcing the owner to pay extra to attack.

In essence, while the Baloth Pup poses a threat with its growth potential, there exist numerous strategies and cards within Magic: The Gathering that can contain or eliminate this threat, allowing players to stabilize the battlefield and maintain control over the game’s pace.

Cards like Baloth Pup

Baloth Pup stands out as a deceptively powerful creature in Magic: The Gathering. In the realm of low mana creatures, there are a few other cards worth drawing parallels with. For instance, Scythe Leopard, another one-mana creature, boasts landfall which potentially allows it to grow beyond the Baloth Pup’s reach in the early game. However, the Baloth Pup holds an edge with its inherent trample ability, ensuring that some damage will push through blockers.

Comparably, there’s Experiment One, a one-mana creature that can evolve and eventually exceed Baloth Pup’s power and toughness. Yet, this requires a specific creature play sequence to truly outshine Baloth Pup’s immediate board presence. Both cards offer a resilient early game option, but Baloth Pup’s 3/1 stat line for two mana makes it a formidable contender right off the bat.

Magic: The Gathering players who favor green decks often look for robust creatures that can apply pressure early. In this aspect, Baloth Pup finds its niche effectively. While similar cards provide varying benefits, Baloth Pup presents a straightforward value with its trample ability and solid stats for its cost, making it a viable choice in many aggressive green strategies.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Baloth Pup MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch, 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 Baloth Pup and other MTG cards: