Sméagol, Helpful Guide MTG Card
2023-06-23 - Number 231
2023-06-23 - Number 822
2023-06-23 - Number 682
2023-06-23 - Number 231s
2023-06-23 - Number 330
2023-06-23 - Number 24
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Halfling Horror |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
At the beginning of your end step, if a creature died under your control this turn, the Ring tempts you. Whenever the Ring tempts you, target opponent reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal a land card. Put that card onto the battlefield tapped under your control and the rest into their graveyard.
Cards like Sméagol, Helpful Guide
Sméagol, Helpful Guide, emerges as a unique creature among Magic: The Gathering allies with abilities that can shape the course of the game. In comparison, we look at other creatures like Veteran Dungeoneer, who also offers assistance but in the form of dungeon exploration. While this Dungeon ally can help navigate through intricate dungeon paths, it does not match Sméagol’s versatility in mana acceleration and card selection.
Another comparable ally is Quicksmith Genius, which presents a way to filter cards and optimize hand quality, though it requires an artifact to trigger. Sméagol, Helpful Guide, has the edge of working independently of other card types, allowing for a smoother and broader integration into diverse decks. Continuity is another factor, as Quicksmith Genius requires continual artifact plays, whereas Sméagol’s benefit is immediate and reliable.
Considering the reflection on the functions and synergies of different allies within MTG, Sméagol, Helpful Guide provides a reliable source of utility, making it a strategic pick for players looking to blend card advantage with mana efficiency. Its distinctive contribution to gameplay solidifies its position in specialized and generalized deck constructions alike.
Cards similar to Sméagol, Helpful Guide by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sméagol, Helpful Guide shines when it comes to giving you a stronger hand. The card enables you to sift through your deck, smoothly guiding you to the answers or threats you need exactly when you need them. This makes managing your strategy much more efficient, especially in the mid to late-game where every draw counts.
Resource Acceleration: It’s essential to have the resources to respond to your opponent’s moves or to execute your game plan swiftly. Sméagol excels by offering a welcome boost in resource acceleration. By providing additional ways to utilize your mana, the guide ensures that you’re always a step ahead, opening doors to more powerful plays and swift maneuvers on the battlefield.
Instant Speed: The ability to act at instant speed adds a layer of versatility and tactical depth to your game. Sméagol allows you to wait patiently until the perfect moment to reveal your strategy, keeping your opponents guessing and unprepared for the surprise that this helpful guide is ready to provide. This flexibility is a game-changer, making this a formidable card to have at your disposal.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Sméagol, Helpful Guide includes a condition where players must discard a card to activate its beneficial abilities. This requirement can be a strategic setback, particularly when your hand is already dwindling or you have high-value cards you do not wish to discard.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost to cast Sméagol, Helpful Guide is strictly color-fixed, demanding a precise combination to be played. This can be restrictive as it can only seamlessly fit into certain deck archetypes that can accommodate the specific mana requirements without disrupting their mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that is on the higher side, Sméagol, Helpful Guide faces competition from other cards in the same cost bracket. Players might opt for alternatives that provide immediate impact or have lower casting costs, ensuring greater flexibility and efficiency during gameplay.
Reasons to Include Sméagol, Helpful Guide in Your Collection
Versatility: Sméagol, Helpful Guide is an adaptable card, easily slotting into a variety of deck archetypes. Its ability to impact the board state by either offering card selection or acting as a reliable blocker makes it a utility player in many strategies.
Combo Potential: As a creature with unique abilities, Sméagol has the potential to synergize with other cards to create powerful interactions or unexpected combos, enhancing your game strategy significantly.
Meta-Relevance: Given the dynamism of the MTG play environment, Sméagol, Helpful Guide’s flexibility can be a significant advantage in adapting to evolving decks and tactics, keeping your collection competently versatile for various matchups.
How to beat
Sméagol, Helpful Guide presents an interesting dynamic in deck-building and play strategies. As a unique creature with the ability to assist you in sifting through your deck, the right approach can turn the tide in your favor when facing this card on the battlefield. To effectively tackle Sméagol, focus on removal spells that can handle creatures at a low casting cost or those that can bypass Sméagol’s protective abilities. Cards like Fatal Push or Path to Exile shine in this scenario as they offer efficient and swift solutions.
Another strategy is to pressure your opponent with aggressive creatures, forcing them to make unfavorable blocks with Sméagol. Cards with evasion abilities, such as flying or unblockable, can be particularly useful as they can often evade the trade with Sméagol. Additionally, incorporating graveyard hate into your deck can hinder your opponent’s ability to utilize Sméagol’s potential card advantage by disrupting their graveyard synergies.
Taking on Sméagol, Helpful Guide encompasses an understanding of timing and resource management. Prioritize threats effectively, maintain control over the board, and seize opportunities to disrupt your opponent’s strategy. In doing so, Sméagol’s guidance might just lead to an untimely defeat for any opponent relying heavily on this cunning creature’s abilities.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sméagol, Helpful Guide MTG card by a specific set like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, 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 Sméagol, Helpful Guide and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Sméagol, Helpful Guide Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 231 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Campbell White | |
| 2 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 822 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Andreas Rocha | |
| 3 | Tales of Middle-earth Art Series | ALTR | 24 | 2015 | Art series | Borderless | |||
| 4 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 682 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Campbell White | |
| 5 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Promos | PLTR | 231s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Campbell White | |
| 6 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 330 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Andreas Rocha |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sméagol, Helpful Guide has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sméagol, Helpful Guide card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-06-16 | As the Ring tempts you, you get an emblem named The Ring if you don't have one. Then your emblem gains its next ability and you choose a creature you control to become (or remain) your Ring-bearer. |
| 2023-06-16 | Each player can have only one emblem named The Ring and only one Ring-bearer at a time. |
| 2023-06-16 | Each time the Ring tempts you, you must choose a creature if you control one. |
| 2023-06-16 | If the creature you choose as your Ring-bearer was already your Ring-bearer, that still counts as choosing that creature as your Ring-bearer for the purpose of abilities that trigger "whenever you choose a creature as your Ring-bearer" or abilities that care about which creature was chosen as your Ring-bearer. |
| 2023-06-16 | Sméagol, Helpful Guide doesn't need to have been on the battlefield when the creature died. For example, if a creature dies under your control during combat on your turn and you cast Sméagol, Helpful Guide during your second main phase, its first ability will trigger at the beginning of your end step. |
| 2023-06-16 | Sméagol, Helpful Guide's first ability will trigger only once during your end step, no matter how many creatures died under your control this turn. However, if no creatures have died under your control so far this turn as your end step begins, the ability won't trigger at all. It's not possible to cause a creature to die under your control during the end step in time to have the ability trigger. |
| 2023-06-16 | Some spells and abilities that cause the Ring to tempt you may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. The Ring won't tempt you. |
| 2023-06-16 | The Ring can tempt you even if you don't control a creature. In this case, abilities that trigger "whenever the Ring tempts you" will still trigger. |
| 2023-06-16 | The Ring gains its abilities in order from top to bottom. Once it gains an ability, it has that ability for the rest of the game. |