Mire Kavu MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Kavu
Released	2001-02-05
Set symbol
Set name	Planeshift
Set code	PLS
Power	3
Toughness	2
Number	67
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Wayne England

Key Takeaways

Mire Kavu provides card advantage, indirectly leading to strategic board control and favorable game progression.
The card’s resource acceleration potential hinges on enabling efficient mana pool usage over time.
Understanding Mire Kavu’s interaction with instant speed plays can force opponents into cautious tactical decisions.

Text of card

Mire Kavu gets +1/+1 as long as you control a swamp.

"At this rate," said Sisay, "the next kavu we see will have wings."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mire Kavu can prove invaluable when it comes to card advantage in MTG. If played correctly, it can give you a leg up by impacting the board as soon as it lands. This can often lead to favorable exchanges and greater control over the game’s progress.

Resource Acceleration: As a creature card, Mire Kavu’s resource acceleration isn’t direct, but its presence on the battlefield can lead to a more efficient use of your mana pool. While Mire Kavu itself doesn’t create mana, it can facilitate plays that accelerate your resource development in the long run.

Instant Speed: Although Mire Kavu doesn’t operate at instant speed, understanding its dynamics within the broader context of your deck can allow for strategic plays. Balancing your actions with the threat of this creature’s potential impact can cause opponents to think twice before committing to their own instant-speed interactions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: As a player, managing your resources is key, but with the Mire Kavu, you’re hit with a drawback. This creature’s abilities may necessitate discarding a card, a steep price to pay during crucial moments when every card in hand counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Deck-building requires flexibility, yet Mire Kavu demands a stringent cost—a blend of red and green mana. This locks the card into specific deck types, potentially hindering your deck’s diversity and adaptability.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When it comes to mana efficiency, Mire Kavu has a notable hurdle. It boasts a casting cost that might be on the higher side, considering its overall impact. Savvy players may find alternative creatures or spells that provide a better cost-to-effect ratio, making this card a less compelling choice in tightly-curated decks.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mire Kavu is a flexible card that can adapt to multiple deck strategies, especially those looking to capitalize on power and toughness manipulation as well as land-based synergies.

Combo Potential: This card can be a key component in combos that revolve around creature count and landfall abilities, enhancing gameplay through increased interaction with the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that emphasizes quick board presence and incremental advantages, Mire Kavu offers both early game relevance and late-game staying power.

How to beat

Mire Kavu poses a unique challenge to players with its ability to grow stronger as the game progresses. It thrives in a deck rich with lands, particularly those with types other than swamp, as it gains power for each other type of land you control, which can become overwhelming for opponents who aren’t prepared. To effectively counter this creature, early removal spells are essential. Consider using unconditional removal spells like Path to Exile or Assassin’s Trophy, which allow you to deal with the creature before it becomes too large a threat.

Another approach is to limit the card’s power growth by controlling the number of lands that hit the battlefield. Land destruction cards or those that allow land bouncing back to hand, such as Field of Ruin or Boomerang, can keep Mire Kavu’s power in check. Card effects that prevent searches for specific land types also hinder this creature’s potential power. Negating land-type synergies, for example, with cards like Blood Moon, will render Mire Kavu far less intimidating.

Taking a proactive stance against Mire Kavu is imperative for maintaining board control. Timing your spells to disrupt the Kavu’s land-based power-ups could turn the tide of the match in your favor. Adapt your strategy and with smart plays, you’ll effectively neutralize this growing threat.

Cards like Mire Kavu

Mire Kavu echoes the appeal of fighting creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Its cousins in card functionality include the likes of Taunting Arbormage, a creature able to force a singular opponent’s creature to block it if kicked. Although Mire Kavu cannot control enemy blocks, its power increases with the number of basic lands you control, potentially outclassing the Arbormage in long games.

Another peer in brute force is the Rip-Clan Crasher, a creature with haste allowing for immediate impact, unlike Mire Kavu which requires a more gradual board development for its potential to unfold. Comparatively, Ghor-Clan Rampager not only bolsters your creatures in battle but can also be used as a combat trick due to its Bloodrush ability, offering versatility missing from Mire Kavu’s straightforward stat growth.

Cutting through the endless variety of creatures, Mire Kavu presents a reliable choice for those building around land types, becoming a formidable force as the game progresses. Despite its lack of immediate prowess like some of its comparatives, its strength in a deck synergizing with land count can be a deciding factor in the entwined battles of Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Mire Kavu by color, type and mana cost

Krark-Clan Engineers - MTG Card versions

Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mire Kavu MTG card by a specific set like Planeshift, 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 Mire Kavu and other MTG cards: