Kessig Wolf Run MTG Card
2011-09-30 - Number 243
2013-08-23 - Number 20
2020-04-17 - Number 284
2022-04-29 - Number 411
2022-06-10 - Number 898
2023-04-21 - Number 410
2023-11-17 - Number 340
2024-02-09 - Number 269
2019-12-02 - Number 355
| Card sets | Released in 9 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Key Takeaways
- Enhances late-game with creature power boost, maintaining constant pressure on opponents.
- Instant speed activation allows for surprise combat adjustments and strategic plays.
- Versatility and combo potential make it a potent card in creature-centric decks.
Text of card
: Add to your mana pool. , : Target creature gets +X/+0 and gains trample until end of turn.
When a werewolf changes for the first time, that first howl is said to echo through the wilds till moonset.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Kessig Wolf Run doesn’t draw you cards directly, it provides a significant late-game advantage. The ability to turn any creature into a significant threat ensures that all your draws remain potent, keeping the pressure constant on your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: Kessig Wolf Run can tap for red mana, which is crucial for aggressive decks seeking to deploy threats quickly. Also, the versatility to spend unused mana to boost a creature’s power provides a valuable sink for resources at any point in the game.
Instant Speed: The key strength of Kessig Wolf Run lies in its ability to pump a creature at instant speed. This feature enables surprise adjustments during combat, turning the tides in your favor or causing your opponent to miscalculate blocks or attacks.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Although Kessig Wolf Run doesn’t require a discard to activate its ability, it’s important to consider that using it means you’re not developing your board or hand. This can be particularly taxing if you find yourself with limited cards and needing to choose between activating the land or playing another critical game piece.
Specific Mana Cost: Kessig Wolf Run’s activation cost includes a requirement of red and green mana. This means you are committed to a Gruul color combination in your deck, potentially limiting the card’s versatility across various deck archetypes that don’t naturally support these colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: To truly capitalize on the effect of Kessig Wolf Run and generate a significant attack boost, a considerable investment of mana is required. This cost can be too steep in the early to mid-game when mana resources are better spent developing your board or disrupting opponent strategies. Additionally, myriad other lands offer utility effects for less mana, leading to opportunity costs when choosing Kessig Wolf Run for your deck.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Kessig Wolf Run breathes flexibility into decks, accommodating a range of strategies from aggressive creature-centric decks to late-game powerhouses. Its ability to pump creatures can turn even the most unassuming creature into a formidable threat.
Combo Potential: This card pairs wonderfully with creatures that have trample or with effects that give trample, magnifying the potential for devastating turns. It’s also an excellent finisher in decks that generate a lot of mana and need a place to funnel it.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-based strategies reign supreme, Kessig Wolf Run serves as a consistent enhancer to those tactics. It elevates the game by ensuring your creatures remain relevant even as the board state grows increasingly complex.
How to beat
Kessig Wolf Run is a card that brings a bite to any MTG deck’s attack phase. With its ability to boost a creature’s power and grant trample, it can turn even the most unassuming creature into a lethal threat. To counteract the prowess of Kessig Wolf Run, the key lies in controlling the battlefield. Strategies that involve removal spells to keep the board clear of creatures prevent the land from having any targets to empower. Similarly, land destruction or effects that restrict the use of activated abilities can also cut off access to this powerful land’s capabilities.
Another way to safeguard against the card’s impact is to focus on hand disruption, discarding it before it becomes an in-game threat. Strategies focused on countering key spells also reduce the risk posed by Kessig Wolf Run, essentially by limiting the player’s ability to cast important creature spells or, in some cases, directly countering the activation of the land’s ability. Lastly, life gain or preventative measures like fog effects can help you endure an otherwise devastating boosted attack, buying you time to deploy a more permanent solution.
Respectively, it’s important to note that timing and the right combination of interaction are critical. A well-timed removal or disruption can turn a game around and neutralize the advantage that Kessig Wolf Run provides to an opponent’s battlefield.
Cards like Kessig Wolf Run
Kessig Wolf Run is an intriguing land card in MTG, drawing comparisons to Skarrg, the Rage Pits. Both imbue a creature with a power boost and trample, but Kessig Wolf Run shines with its versatility, not restricting the bonus to a creature color type. In addition, while Skarrg offers a +1/+1 increment, Kessig Wolf Run’s ability scales with the player’s available mana, potentially delivering a game-ending blow.
Another card that mirrors the strategy is Slayers’ Stronghold, which also gives a creature an abrupt advantage. Unlike Kessig Wolf Run, it grants haste along with the power and toughness increase, although without the crucial trample ability. This makes Kessig Wolf Run’s trample addition a valuable asset in breaking through defensive lines.
Lastly, Gavony Township stands out with its ability to permanently enhance your creatures, unlike the temporary boost from Kessig Wolf Run. However, Kessig Wolf Run enables surprise wins by unexpectedly increasing a single creature’s power. This differential can shape the dynamics of a match, reinforcing Kessig Wolf Run’s role as a clutch landscard.
Cards similar to Kessig Wolf Run by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Kessig Wolf Run MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and From the Vault: Twenty, 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 Kessig Wolf Run and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Printings
The Kessig Wolf Run Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-09-30 | Innistrad | ISD | 243 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Eytan Zana | |
| 2 | 2013-08-23 | From the Vault: Twenty | V13 | 20 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Eytan Zana | |
| 3 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 355 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Rio Krisma | ||
| 4 | 2020-04-17 | Commander 2020 | C20 | 284 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eytan Zana | |
| 5 | 2022-04-29 | New Capenna Commander | NCC | 411 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eytan Zana | |
| 6 | 2022-06-10 | Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate | CLB | 898 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eytan Zana | |
| 7 | 2023-04-21 | March of the Machine Commander | MOC | 410 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eytan Zana | |
| 8 | 2023-11-17 | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander | LCC | 340 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eytan Zana | |
| 9 | 2024-02-09 | Murders at Karlov Manor Commander | MKC | 269 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Eytan Zana |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Kessig Wolf Run has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
