Eladamri, Lord of Leaves MTG Card


Eladamri, Lord of Leaves - Tempest
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Elf Warrior
Released1997-10-14
Set symbol
Set nameTempest
Set codeTMP
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number224
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byRon Chironna

Key Takeaways

  1. Eladamri enhances Elves’ resilience, providing evasion and defense, crucial for maintaining card advantage.
  2. Restrictions in deck-building and vulnerability to removal are notable drawbacks of incorporating Eladamri.
  3. Despite limitations, Eladamri remains a linchpin in elf-focused strategies and withstands targeted removal well.

Text of card

All Elves gain forestwalk. (If defending player controls any forests, those creatures are unblockable.) Elves cannot be the target of spells or abilities.

"We have been patient. We have planned our attack. We are ready . . . *now*." —Eladamri, Lord of Leaves


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Eladamri, Lord of Leaves doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, his ability to grant protection from sorceries to other Elves you control can prevent you from losing card advantage by helping your creatures evade common removal spells.

Resource Acceleration: Eladamri himself does not provide traditional mana acceleration, he facilitates smoother gameplay with his low casting cost and can lead to indirect resource acceleration by making your Elves harder to target and remove, thus preserving your board state and the resources you’ve invested in it.

Instant Speed: Although Eladamri is a creature card and not an instant, his abilities are always “on” once he’s in play, acting at instant speed to protect your Elves from sorceries and giving them forestwalk, which can be unexpectedly advantageous against opponents using forests, allowing for swift and potentially unblockable attacks each turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Eladamri, Lord of Leaves offers significant protection to other elves, it doesn’t shield itself from targeted effects. Having no built-in protection means it can be vulnerable to common removal spells, potentially leaving your elf strategy exposed.

Specific Mana Cost: Eladamri’s casting cost requires two green mana, which can be restrictive in multi-colored decks and may not always align smoothly with your mana base, limiting the versatility in deck construction.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a two-mana 2/2 creature, players might expect an immediate impact on the game. However, Eladamri’s abilities are more passive, meaning you’re investing in a long-term benefit, which might not always be the most efficient use of resources in faster-paced games.


Reasons to Include Eladamri Lord of Leaves in Your Collection

Versatility: Eladamri Lord of Leaves offers a unique ability to provide forestwalk and shroud to all other Elves you control. This allows for engaging gameplay across various Elf-centric decks and enhances your creatures’ protection from targeted spells or abilities.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combination with a host of Elf synergies. It can be the linchpin of an Elf combo deck, helping to facilitate the execution of powerful win conditions by safeguarding key creatures from removal.

Meta-Relevance: In metagame landscapes where elves are a prominent archetype, Eladamri Lord of Leaves becomes a valuable asset. Its ability to make key creatures untargetable ensures resilience against spot removal-heavy decks, making your elf collective a formidable force.


How to beat

Eladamri, Lord of Leaves presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to grant itself and other Elves shroud, protecting them from targeted spells and abilities. However, there are still effective strategies to overcome this obstacle. For instance, using global removal spells such as Wrath of God can bypass shroud since these do not target individual creatures. Similarly, setting up effects that hinder all creatures, like Meekstone, can restrict the abilities of Eladamri’s elvish cohort without needing to target them directly.

Another tactic involves preventing Eladamri from hitting the board in the first place. Counterspells are a straightforward resolution, though one must be mindful of the timing, as once Eladamri resolves, your window of opportunity to target closes. If Eladamri does enter play, changing the way you interact with your opponent’s creatures is key. Rather than targeting, consider using cards that affect all creatures or players, like Earthquake or Pyroclasm, to manage the Elves’ onslaught. Consequently, when constructing your deck or choosing lines of play, it’s crucial to incorporate strategies that work around Eladamri’s protective nature.

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of combat tricks and blockers to neutralize Eladamri’s forces. Efficient creatures with deathtouch or those that can assign their combat damage as though they weren’t blocked, like Thornweald Archer or Nessian Boar, can be invaluable assets. By carefully navigating around Eladamri’s defenses, you can dismantle the Elvish empire and emerge victorious.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into the world of MTG reveals the true potential of iconic cards like Eladamri, Lord of Leaves. Offering both protection and empowerment to your Elves, this card can become a cornerstone in green-centric decks, especially those focused on elf synergies. While it does have its limitations, its strengths in the right strategy cannot be overstated. Whether you’re looking to fortify your Elf deck or simply appreciate the unique abilities of MTG’s vast card pool, understanding the nuances of such cards is key. Enhance your collection and gameplay—learn more and harness the tactical edge you need with BurnMana.


Cards like Eladamri, Lord of Leaves

Eladamri, Lord of Leaves creates a distinct impression within the realm of Magic: The Gathering, offering a unique protection for Elves. When delving into cards of a similar nature, one might consider Sylvan Safekeeper. While Safekeeper forgoes granting protection from spells, its ability to sacrifice a land to give a creature shroud until end of turn can be invaluable. However, unlike Eladamri, it doesn’t grant shroud to an entire class of creatures, making its protection more situational.

Exploring further, there’s Steely Resolve, an enchantment that allows the user to choose a creature type and give them shroud. This mirrors part of Eladamri’s capability but requires additional mana investment and is vulnerable to enchantment removal. Additionally, Asceticism should be mentioned. It allows for regeneration of creatures and provides hexproof, a significant step up in durability, yet it comes with a higher mana cost and doesn’t target a creature type specifically.

Eladamri, Lord of Leaves holds a commanding presence in MTG, specializing in safeguarding an Elf deck’s key pieces. With his low mana cost and targeted defense, he stands out for his particular role in fortifying an Elf strategy amid a landscape of broader, but sometimes slower, protective options.

Sylvan Safekeeper - MTG Card versions
Steely Resolve - MTG Card versions
Asceticism - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Safekeeper - MTG Card versions
Steely Resolve - MTG Card versions
Asceticism - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Eladamri, Lord of Leaves MTG card by a specific set like Tempest, 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 Eladamri, Lord of Leaves and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Eladamri, Lord of Leaves has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Eladamri, Lord of Leaves card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2008-04-01 This card only gives forestwalk to other Elf creatures. It gives shroud to all other Elf permanents, including non-creatures like Prowess of the Fair.

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