Pulse of the Tangle MTG Card


Offers recurring card advantage by potentially returning to the hand when conditions are met. Generates 3/3 green Beast creature tokens, bolstering board presence and strategy. Demands specific mana and has conditions, limiting its use in certain deck types.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Put a 3/3 green Beast creature token into play. Then if an opponent controls more creatures than you, return Pulse of the Tangle to its owner's hand.

Before predators or prey, there was life.


Cards like Pulse of the Tangle

Pulse of the Tangle introduces an intriguing dynamic into the realm of green creature spells in Magic: The Gathering. Its immediate kin in terms of effect is Call of the Herd, bringing a similar feature of creating a 3/3 creature but with an elephant token as opposed to Pulse of the Tangle’s beast token. Both these spells share the capacity to re-insert themselves into the game—Call of the Herd through flashback and Pulse of the Tangle by potentially returning to your hand when an opponent controls more creatures than you.

Continuing the comparison, we see Primal Command, which serves a versatile role in your deck, though it’s not as focused on token generation as Pulse of the Tangle. Primal Command allows for an assortment of effects, from shuffling an opponent’s graveyard back into their library to searching for a creature card, providing a wider range of strategy. Beast Attack is another card that comes to mind, instantly putting a 4/4 beast token onto the battlefield at instant speed, sacrificing hand return potential for immediate board presence.

When diving into the nuances and strategic diversity offered by green spells, Pulse of the Tangle holds its ground with its unique hand-return mechanic, which can potentially offer repeatable value and ongoing pressure in creature-heavy matchups.

Call of the Herd - MTG Card versions
Primal Command - MTG Card versions
Beast Attack - MTG Card versions
Call of the Herd - MTG Card versions
Primal Command - MTG Card versions
Beast Attack - MTG Card versions

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Long Rest - MTG Card versions
Rosethorn Acolyte // Seasonal Ritual - MTG Card versions
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Lovestruck Beast // Heart's Desire - MTG Card versions
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Search for Tomorrow - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Pulse of the Tangle has the potential to repeatedly return to its owner’s hand when the conditions are met. This continuous loop not only fortifies your hand with options but applies pressure on the opponent to deal with recurring threats.

Resource Acceleration: With each successful resolution, it generates a 3/3 green Beast creature token. These tokens serve as additional resources on the battlefield, boosting your board presence and enabling strategic maneuvers.

Instant Speed: While Pulse of the Tangle doesn’t operate at instant speed, its enduring effect compensates for this by offering a sustained value over multiple turns, effectively outpacing the conventional tempo of sorcery speed play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Pulse of the Tangle requires you to have fewer creatures than your opponent to reclaim it from your graveyard. This could be challenging, particularly when you’re ahead on the board, rendering its recursive ability underutilized.

Specific Mana Cost: Deploying this card demands a precise blend of green mana, constraining its ease of use primarily to green-centric or two-color decks that can reliably produce the necessary green mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its casting cost of three mana, including two green, it sits at a competitive spot on the mana curve where players expect significant impact. Many cards in this range provide immediate value and may not hinge on conditional triggers for optimal performance, which makes Pulse of the Tangle less favorable in some situations.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Pulse of the Tangle offers the ability to regain board presence after a wipe, making it adaptable for decks aiming to maintain creature advantage.

Combo Potential: This card works well with strategies that reward you for having creatures enter the battlefield, and can be an engine for green-based token generation combos.

Meta-Relevance: Against control decks, Pulse of the Tangle helps recover from removal spells, keeping the pressure on your opponents by consistently presenting threats.


How to beat Pulse of the Tangle

Pulse of the Tangle is a green spell in Magic: The Gathering that presents a unique challenge due to its ability to repeatedly produce creature tokens and bolster a player’s board presence. Defeating a card with such resilience often requires strategic removal or the use of counterspells. Cards like Wrath of God can clear the tokens en masse, sidestepping the potential for accumulation. Meanwhile, instant-speed removals such as Path to Exile can deal with the tokens one by one before they become too much of a threat.

Another angle is to lean into counterplay strategies, using cards like Negate or Dovin’s Veto to prevent Pulse of the Tangle from resolving in the first place. Lastly, controlling the pace of the game with cards like Rest in Peace can shut down graveyard strategies, minimizing the effectiveness of Pulse of the Tangle’s potential for repeated use. By considering these approaches, players can contain and overcome the challenges posed by Pulse of the Tangle, ensuring the match flows in their favor.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Pulse of the Tangle MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel and Salvat 2005, 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 Pulse of the Tangle and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Pulse of the Tangle Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2004-02-06 and 2005-08-22. Illustrated by Wayne England.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12004-02-06DarksteelDST 802003NormalBlackWayne England
22005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL K252003NormalWhiteWayne England

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Pulse of the Tangle has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal