Thundering Wurm MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Wurm
Released	1997-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Portal
Set code	POR
Power	4
Toughness	4
Number	189
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Paolo Parente

Key Takeaways

Thundering Wurm’s card draw potential strengthens your hand, offering a significant game advantage when it hits.
Mana-specific casting and a discard requirement can pose deck-building challenges, impacting its versatility.
In the right deck, its power and trample make it a force in midrange and aggressive strategies.

Text of card

When Thundering Wurm comes into play from your hand, discard a land from your hand or destroy Thundering Wurm.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Thundering Wurm card can be a significant force by potentially drawing you more cards when it successfully deals combat damage to a player. This enables you to refill your hand, thereby maintaining a strong position in the game.

Resource Acceleration: While not a direct source of resource acceleration on its own, the ability of Thundering Wurm to apply pressure on the battlefield can incentivize your opponent to make unfavorable trades or use resources to handle it, effectively giving you an indirect advantage.

Instant Speed: Although Thundering Wurm operates at sorcery speed, playing it wisely could put your opponent in a tight spot, forcing them to play instants and other fast responses, which could disrupt their game plan and give you a tactical edge.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Thundering Wurm mandates a player to discard another card when cast. This requirement can put players at a disadvantage, especially when their hand is already running low on cards. Balancing your resources becomes crucial when including this card in your game strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost includes specific mana, which in this case, requires green. This may restrict the card’s integration into multi-colored decks or those that do not prioritize green mana production, thereby limiting its flexibility within the broader scope of deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a higher than average mana cost for its stat line and abilities, Thundering Wurm can be seen as a less optimal choice. Considering the myriad of creatures available in the game, many offer similar or greater power and toughness levels for a more economical mana investment, increasing competition and reducing the likelihood of Thundering Wurm’s selection in deck construction.

Reasons to Include Thundering Wurm in Your Collection

Versatility: Thundering Wurm offers a great fit for a variety of green-focused decks. Its straightforward power and trample ability can pressure opponents in both aggressive and midrange strategies.

Combo Potential: This card has synergetic value in decks that capitalize on creatures entering the battlefield with substantial power or those that benefit from the populate mechanic, multiplying its board impact.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where the speed of creature-based strategies is paramount, the Thundering Wurm’s solid stats for its mana cost can become a significant threat that demands an answer, making it a relevant choice for the current gameplay.

How to beat

Thundering Wurm presents itself as a considerable threat in Magic: The Gathering with its potential to deal heavy damage. When facing this formidable creature, understanding its weaknesses is key. Typically, it comes onto the battlefield with summoning sickness, meaning it can’t attack on the turn it is played, unless it has haste. This provides an opportunity to respond before it becomes an active threat.

A direct approach to overcoming Thundering Wurm is through removal spells. Board wipes like Wrath of God can clear the field of this creature no matter its size. Single-target removals such as Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile also work efficiently to exile it directly from the battlefield. Additionally, controlling the game through counterspells like Counterspell or Mana Leak when Thundering Wurm is cast can prevent it from even entering the fray.

In essence, swiftly taking action with removal or control tactics is crucial to keep this powerful creature at bay. By implementing these approaches, players can effectively contain and surpass the challenge posed by Thundering Wurm.

Cards like Thundering Wurm

Thundering Wurm holds its ground in the arena of creature spells that pack a punch in Magic: The Gathering. It stands shoulder to shoulder with cards like Baloth Gorger, offering players a substantial creature that can change the course of the game. While Baloth Gorger enters the battlefield as a formidable 4/4, Thundering Wurm’s potential to hit the board as a sturdy 5/5 with trample, gives it a slight edge in power.

Yet, in the spectrum of green creatures, Leatherback Baloth cannot be overlooked. With its solid 4/5 body that requires no conditional setup to achieve its full strength, it compares favorably to Thundering Wurm, which needs the threshold mechanic activated to realize its full potential. Leatherback Baloth’s unyielding presence right from its casting can put significant pressure on an opponent.

Ultimately, Thundering Wurm finds its niche in decks that can reliably fill the graveyard to satisfy its threshold requirement, granting it that critical power boost. Mightier by the card’s specifications, it offers players a strategic depth that other similar creatures might lack, carving out a unique position for Thundering Wurm in the repertoire of robust green creatures.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Thundering Wurm MTG card by a specific set like Portal, 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 Thundering Wurm and other MTG cards: