Exhilarating Elocution MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 2021-04-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Strixhaven: School of Mages |
| Set code | STX |
| Number | 185 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Randy Vargas |
Key Takeaways
- Enhances creatures by allocating counters, increasing board presence without depleting the hand.
- Accelerates board state development, making creatures tougher and upping combat ante.
- Requires a creature target and white mana, potentially limiting its playability in some decks.
Text of card
Put two +1/+1 counters on target creature you control. Other creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
His words poured forth on waves of golden light, scouring all fear from his audience's hearts and minds.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Exhilarating Elocution serves as a way to turn one card into a significant boost for your creatures. By increasing the power and toughness of one creature or distributing counters, you effectively magnify the threat on the board without sacrificing additional cards from your hand.
Resource Acceleration: When you cast Exhilarating Elocution, you’re investing in the long-term development of your creatures. Although it doesn’t directly generate mana or tokens, it accelerates your board state, making your creatures harder to remove and more dangerous in combat.
Instant Speed: While Exhilarating Elocution is a sorcery, its effect on the game can be as impactful as an instant-speed trick. By boosting your creatures during your turn, you set the stage for unexpectedly powerful attacks that can change the tide of the game before your opponent has the chance to react on their turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Exhilarating Elocution requires the player to have a creature on the battlefield to target, which may not always be possible, especially in the early game or against control decks that frequently remove creatures.
Specific Mana Cost: With one white and three generic mana needed to cast Exhilarating Elocution, this card demands a presence of white mana sources in a player’s deck, which can restrict its inclusion to only white or multicolored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For an enchantment spell that provides a buff to a single creature, the total cost of four mana can be considered quite steep, especially when there are other cards in the format that buff multiple creatures for the same or a lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include Exhilarating Elocution in Your Collection
Versatility: Exhilarating Elocution serves as a flexible boost spell, capable of turning even the smallest creature into a formidable threat. Its ability to distribute +1/+1 counters means it can be seamlessly incorporated into a range of decks, especially those focused on counter strategies or bolstering creature-based offenses.
Combo Potential: Incremental counter placement can work wonders in conjunction with proliferate mechanics or cards that thrive on counters, such as doubling season effects or creatures like “Walking Ballista.” The potential for growth and synergy makes Exhilarating Elocution a card to consider for intricate, synergistic play.
Meta-Relevance: With the frequent appearance of creature-centric decks in various metas, Exhilarating Elocution might find its niche by enhancing combat capabilities or tipping the scales in board stalemates. Whether the environment leans towards aggro or mid-range, a timely cast of this card could pave the way for unexpected victories.
How to beat
Exhilarating Elocution presents an interesting challenge on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. As a card that buffs creatures with a surge of +2/+1 counters and potentially more from its support ability, it can turn a modest creature into a formidable threat. Defeating a card like this requires a mindful approach.
To thwart Exhilarating Elocution, having removal spells ready is key. Instant-speed removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can neutralize the buffed creature before the counters make an impact. Counterspells are equally effective, preventing Exhilarating Elocution from resolving in the first place. Hand disruption spells such as Thoughtseize allow you to remove it from an opponent’s hand preemptively, eliminating the threat before it ever hits the board.
Another strategy involves minimizing the effectiveness of support by controlling the number of creatures on your opponent’s side. Board wipes like Supreme Verdict can clear the field, making support abilities insignificant. By understanding these tactics, players can ensure that Exhilarating Elocution doesn’t overpower their game plan and can maintain control of the match.
Cards like Exhilarating Elocution
Exhilarating Elocution stands out in Magic: The Gathering as an intriguing option for buffing creatures. It bears some comparison to cards like Inspired Charge, which also offers a considerable boost, in this case to multiple creatures, enhancing not just their power but also their toughness. While Exhilarating Elocution focuses on a single creature and adds additional +1/+1 counters, Inspired Charge is a one-time effect with immediate board impact.
Another card that echoes this mechanic is Stand Firm, which not only increases a creature’s strength and resilience but also offers the plausible advantage of Scrying, allowing players to set up their next draws. Exhilarating Elocution’s permanent counters, however, represent a longer-term investment in a single creature. Likewise, Show of Valor also increases a creature’s power and toughness, albeit temporarily and without the lasting impact of counters that Exhilarating Elocution provides.
In conclusion, while there are other cards that can immediately affect the board state or offer additional tactical advantages, Exhilarating Elocution’s appeal lies in its ability to create a dominant presence on the battlefield by steadily building up a single creature.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Exhilarating Elocution MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Exhilarating Elocution 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Exhilarating Elocution has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |