Paleoloth MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Beast |
| Released | 2009-02-06 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Conflux |
| Set code | CON |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 5 |
| Number | 88 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Christopher Moeller |
Text of card
Whenever another creature with power 5 or greater comes into play under your control, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
"Gods do not sleep soundly in the earth's embrace." —Mayael the Anima
Cards like Paleoloth
The Paleoloth is an exceptional creature card within the Magic: The Gathering universe, standing out in the pool of hefty behemoths. It finds kinship with other large creatures like the Woolly Thoctar, which also boasts substantial power and toughness for its mana cost. Yet, Paleoloth carves its niche with its unique ability to recur creatures from the graveyard to your hand whenever another creature with greater power enters the battlefield under your control.
The kinship with other creatures such as the Stampeding Wildebeests and Wirewood Savage continues, as they all capitalize on the power of entering or leaving the battlefield. However, the Paleoloth alone offers the strategic advantage of selective graveyard retrieval without the need to return any creatures to your hand as with the Wildebeests, or the limited draw that Wirewood provides exclusively when a beast enters the field.
Comparing these cards, it’s evident that the Paleoloth’s synergistic potential in decks focused on big creatures makes it stand out. Its ability to recur key creatures grants it a lasting presence in games, allowing for powerful plays and resilience against removal, setting it apart from its counterparts.
Cards similar to Paleoloth by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: One of the perks of wielding Paleoloth in your deck is its synergy with other creatures, specifically when you’re casting those with power 5 or greater. This colossal beast lets you unearth a creature card from your graveyard and place it into your hand whenever you cast a creature spell that meets the power criteria. That means recovering high-impact minions for a sustained flow of threats on the board.
Resource Acceleration: While Paleoloth itself doesn’t directly ramp your mana, it can accelerate your resources indirectly. By repeatedly retrieving knocked-out heavy hitters from your graveyard, you’re efficiently utilizing your mana each turn to deploy threatening creatures without the need to draw additional cards.
Instant Speed: Although Paleoloth operates at sorcery speed, its formidable presence prompts instant-speed responses from your opponents. They must address the continuous threat of your reviving creatures quickly, often expending their removal or counterspells prematurely, which can leave them vulnerable to your subsequent plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Paleoloth promises to recover creatures from the graveyard, it necessitates that you control another creature with a power greater than Paleoloth’s to trigger the ability. This can pose a challenge in maintaining a suitable board presence, especially when facing removal-heavy strategies.
Specific Mana Cost: Paleoloth comes with a distinct mana investment of two green and four generic mana. This condition tails it specifically to green-centric or green-inclusive decks, potentially excluding it from a broader range of archetypes that wouldn’t be able to cater to its mana demands.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Totalling six mana, Paleoloth is on the higher end of the mana curve. In competitive play where efficiency and speed can be pivotal, its cost may be seen as prohibitive when compared to other creature options that either cost less or provide immediate impact upon hitting the field.
Reasons to Include Paleoloth in Your Collection
Versatility: Paleoloth provides a unique blend of strength and utility, able to consistently return creatures with power 5 or greater from your graveyard to your hand each time you play another creature with similar power. This lets you reutilize your heavy hitters in various builds, particularly in decks that focus on high-powered creatures.
Combo Potential: The standout feature of Paleoloth is its synergistic relationship with other heavy hitters. It can generate significant value in decks that are able to cheat creatures onto the battlefield or in those that cycle massive creatures quickly, creating an avalanche of large threats for your opponents.
Meta-Relevance: With the ever-shifting landscape of MTG play, Paleoloth can become exceptionally relevant in a meta where larger creatures dominate or in matchups where resilience against removal is crucial. Its ability to recur creatures grants longevity to your threats and brings recurring pressure that’s hard for any opponent to fully suppress.
How to beat
Confronting a Paleoloth on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering could be a challenging encounter, but there are strategies to turn the tide. This formidable beast is known for its ability to unearth creatures from your graveyard upon casting a creature with greater power. This reanimative ability makes it a relentless force in creature-heavy decks.
One efficient tactic to defeat Paleoloth is through exile effects. Removing it from the game entirely avoids triggering its ability and preempts further graveyard plays. Another strategy involves countering creature spells that activate Paleoloth’s reanimative feature, disrupting your opponent’s board presence. Enchantment removal can also be crucial, as many decks utilizing Paleoloth rely on enchantments to bolster their creatures’ power.
Lastly, managing your battlefield by keeping a low profile with fewer creatures can minimize the impact of Paleoloth’s ability. Focus on controlling the pace and removing key components before Paleoloth’s influence grows too strong. Adaptability and anticipating graveyard interactions will guide you in triumphing over this prehistoric giant and securing your victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Paleoloth MTG card by a specific set like Conflux, 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 Paleoloth 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 Paleoloth has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Paleoloth card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-02-01 | If Paleoloth and another creature with power 5 or greater enter the battlefield under your control at the same time, Paleoloth’s triggered ability will trigger. |