Thresher Beast MTG Card


Thresher Beast - Prophecy
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Beast
Released2000-06-05
Set symbol
Set nameProphecy
Set codePCY
Power 4
Toughness 4
Number128
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJeff Easley

Key Takeaways

  1. Thresher Beast provides card advantage, disrupting opponents’ land resources during attacks.
  2. It demands specific land sacrifices, potentially slowing your deck’s performance.
  3. Thresher Beast thrives in green-focused decks, reshaping board control dynamics.

Text of card

Whenever Thresher Beast becomes blocked, defending player sacrifices a land.

It destroys everything in its path, including the path itself.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When it comes to card mechanics that make a real difference on the battlefield, the Thresher Beast MTG card provides an edge by potentially allowing you to draw additional cards. This happens whenever Thresher Beast successfully deals damage to an opponent, making it a valuable asset for sustaining your hand’s options over the course of the game.

Resource Acceleration: Thresher Beast can indeed serve as a form of resource accelerator. By demanding that your opponent sacrifices a land whenever it attacks, you effectively slow down their resource progression while maintaining your own. This can lead to a significant advantage as you can deploy larger threats or access key spells ahead of your opponent.

Instant Speed: Although Thresher Beast itself does not operate at instant speed, it complements decks that function around this tempo. With the knowledge that every attack could disrupt an opponent’s land base, you’re incentivized to keep mana open for instant-speed interaction, playing spells only when necessary and applying pressure during your turn with this formidable creature.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Thresher Beast’s ability necessitates the discard of a land card to prevent it from blocking. This can be a steep price to pay, particularly if your hand is lacking the land to spare, or if you’re trying to maintain a strong board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Thresher Beast requires a specific mana alignment to cast. With a cost of 3 generic and 2 green mana, it demands a dedicated green mana base, which can limit deck-building flexibility and may not sync well with multicolored or splash strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of 5 mana, Thresher Beast is on the higher end of the mana curve. For a 4/4 creature, this investment might not measure up against other creatures in the same mana range that could offer additional abilities or a stronger board impact without the additional discard requirement.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Thresher Beast offers a unique blend of power and utility, making it a fine addition to green decks seeking to clear the path for their heavy hitters. Its ability to force opponents to sacrifice a permanent when it attacks bolsters strategies that dismantle an adversary’s board presence.

Combo Potential: By pairing Thresher Beast with cards that capitalize on your opponents losing permanents or that stimulate attack triggers, you can construct powerful synergies. Think along the lines of passive landfall abilities or enhancing other creatures through the reduction of your opponent’s defenses.

Meta-Relevance: In an ever-shifting MTG landscape where controlling the board is key, Thresher Beast gains significance. It challenges decks that rely on a wide array of permanents, potentially disrupting optimized play sequences and giving you the upper hand in the battle for board supremacy.


How to Beat

Thresher Beast poses a unique challenge on the battlefield, known for its potential to control the opponent’s land resources. With the ability to destroy a land whenever it becomes blocked, players must think creatively to handle this behemoth without sacrificing their vital mana sources. Fortunately, there are several strategies in Magic: The Gathering that can help tackle this problem effectively.

To outmaneuver Thresher Beast, consider using flying creatures that can soar over its bulky frame, as it lacks reach and can’t block them. Additionally, removal spells that don’t force it to block, like “Doom Blade” or “Path to Exile,” can be a clean way to deal with the beast without triggering its land-destroying ability. If you’re looking for a more permanent solution, enchantments such as “Pacifism” or “Arrest” can neutralize Thresher Beast’s threat without having to engage it in combat, preventing the need to block it and thus protecting your lands.

Remember, defeating a Thresher Beast is more about circumventing the combat phase and using non-combat spells to your advantage. By adapting your playstyle and deck to counter creatures with punishing blocking consequences, you can maintain control of the game and your lands, securing victory against those who wield the formidable beast.


Cards like Thresher Beast

Thresher Beast offers a unique proposition to players who appreciate a touch of destruction tied to their creatures’ combat strategies. When we draw parallels with cards like Rumbling Baloth, a stark contrast is evident. The Baloth is a straightforward creature, providing a vanilla 4/4 body with no abilities, whereas Thresher Beast forces opponents to sacrifice a land whenever it becomes blocked, disrupting their manabase.

Turning our attention to terrestrials such as Ravenous Baloth, we observe an alternate utility in creature form. The baloth gives life gain when sacrificed, diverging from the land-impacting path of the Thresher Beast. Meanwhile, cards like Tectonic Giant present a different approach to combat triggers, offering either direct damage to the opponent or card advantage, without directly engaging with the land your adversaries control.

Ultimately, among creatures that prompt action upon attacking or blocking, Thresher Beast carves a distinctive niche. Its capacity to hinder land development typically reserves a spot in decks that aim to control the battlefield by limiting resources. This tactical edge grants Thresher Beast an esteemed position in the spectrum of combat-centric creatures within MTG.

Rumbling Baloth - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Baloth - MTG Card versions
Tectonic Giant - MTG Card versions
Rumbling Baloth - Magic 2014 (M14)
Ravenous Baloth - Onslaught (ONS)
Tectonic Giant - Theros Beyond Death Promos (PTHB)

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Vintara Elephant - Prophecy (PCY)
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Spitting Spider - Eighth Edition (8ED)
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Tel-Jilad Lifebreather - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Llanowar Behemoth - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Bramble Elemental - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Thresher Beast MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy, 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 Thresher Beast and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Thresher Beast has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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