Skemfar Elderhall MTG Card
2021-02-05 - Number 268
2021-02-05 - Number 73
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
Skemfar Elderhall enters the battlefield tapped. : Add . , , Sacrifice Skemfar Elderhall: Up to one target creature you don't control gets -2/-2 until end of turn. Create two 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature tokens. Activate only as a sorcery.
Cards like Skemfar Elderhall
Skemfar Elderhall offers unique strategic options among land cards within Magic: The Gathering. It’s comparable to various utility lands that tap for colorless mana and provide additional abilities, like Crawling Barrens. Both share the ability to become creatures, however, Skemfar Elderhall diverges with its Elf tribal synergy and a direct creature removal aspect. Unlike Crawling Barrens, which boosts itself, Skemfar Elderhall offers a wider array of tactical plays by creating Elf tokens and weakening the opponent’s creatures.
Similarly, Castle Garenbrig is another card that resonates in function with Skemfar Elderhall. It efficiently accelerates mana for casting powerful green creatures or activating potent abilities. Though Castle Garenbrig doesn’t interact directly with opponents or provide creatures, the ramp potential parallels the resource utility Skemfar Elderhall provides for Elf-centric decks.
When exploring land options that balance resource utility with board impact, Skemfar Elderhall uniquely stands out. It not only aligns with the mana base for green or Elf decks but also instantly influences the board by bolstering your creature count and simultaneously diminishing an opponent’s defenses.
Cards similar to Skemfar Elderhall by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Skemfar Elderhall offers the opportunity to take out an opponent’s creature and thereafter create Elves, which can be pivotal in swinging the board’s balance in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: By generating Elf tokens, Skemfar Elderhall can effectively increase your mana resources. Elves are well-known for their synergy with mana acceleration mechanics in MTG, further enhancing your game progression.
Instant Speed: Skemfar Elderhall can be activated at the end of an opponent’s turn, which means you can utilize your lands efficiently throughout the game and still have the element of surprise when disrupting your opponent’s strategy with a timely creature removal.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Skemfar Elderhall may not require you to discard a card, but it does necessitate a trade-off of a land slot in your deck, which can be critical in tighter matches where each card choice is paramount.
Specific Mana Cost: While this land offers a utility ability, it demands a very specific mana arrangement to utilize—four green mana and tapping itself. This can be restricting, especially in multicolored decks that need a balanced mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The activation cost of six mana, including one green and tapping the land, is steep for the effect provided. Considering the fast pace of many MTG matches, investing six mana to produce three 1/1 Elves and give a creature deathtouch until end of turn is a considerable commitment that may not always align with optimal play strategies.
Reasons to Include Skemfar Elderhall in Your Collection
Versatility: Skemfar Elderhall is not just a land, but a modal spell-land that can be pivotal in a wide array of green and black decks. Its flexibility allows it to serve both as a mana source and as a utility card to control the board.
Combo Potential: The land’s ability to create a creature and potentially remove an opponent’s creature lends itself to synergies within elf decks or those using death-trigger mechanics, making it a multi-faceted tool in creating advantageous board states.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creature-based strategies prevail, having Skemfar Elderhall provides you with the dual benefit of progressing your board while disrupting your opponent’s, a benefit that can be the thin line between victory and defeat.
How to beat
Skemfar Elderhall poses a unique challenge on the battlefield. This land card from Magic: The Gathering not only taps for green mana, making it a solid addition to your mana base, but also hides a trick up its sleeve with its late-game ability to summon creatures and give you a temporary edge in creature control. To effectively counter Skemfar Elderhall, it’s critical to have land destruction cards or abilities that can target nonbasic lands, thereby removing the threat before it can be activated.
Another approach to undermine Skemfar Elderhall’s advantage is through strategic use of instant-speed removals. This allows you to wait for your opponent to invest mana into the land’s ability and respond by removing the key creatures they aimed to overpower, leaving them at a resource disadvantage. Additionally, being proactive in maintaining board control and applying pressure can constrain your opponent’s options, making it less tempting for them to spend mana on the land’s ability when they have more pressing threats to manage on the board.
Overall, the key to defeating Skemfar Elderhall lies in maintaining flexibility, preemptively managing your opponent’s resources, and staying one step ahead in the strategy game that is Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Skemfar Elderhall // Skemfar Elderhall MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim Art Series and Kaldheim, 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 Skemfar Elderhall // Skemfar Elderhall and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Skemfar Elderhall // Skemfar Elderhall Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2021-02-05. Illustrated by Johannes Voss.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kaldheim Art Series | AKHM | 73 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | Johannes Voss | ||
| 2 | 2021-02-05 | Kaldheim | KHM | 268 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Skemfar Elderhall has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Skemfar Elderhall card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-02-05 | If you activate the last ability without choosing a target, you just create Elf Warrior tokens as the ability resolves. However, if you do choose a target, and that creature is an illegal target as the ability tries to resolve, the ability won’t resolve and none of its effects will happen. In that case, you won’t create Elf Warrior tokens. |