Thelonite Monk MTG Card


Thelonite Monk provides a twist on card advantage, transforming lands into creatures at instant speed. Instant speed and flexible land transformation make it a strategic asset in your MTG deck. Though powerful, its discard requirement and specific mana cost present deck-building challenges.
Thelonite Monk - Fallen Empires
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Insect Monk Cleric
Released1994-11-01
Set symbol
Set nameFallen Empires
Set codeFEM
Power 1
Toughness 2
Number79
Frame1993
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byBryon Wackwitz

Text of card

oc T: Sacrifice a green creature to turn a target land into a basic forest. Mark changed land with a counter.

"As the climate worsened, some Thelonites turned to fertilizing with fresh blood in an attempt to keep Havenwood alive and growing." —*Sarpadian Empires, vol. III*


Cards like Thelonite Monk

Thelonite Monk holds a unique place in the pantheon of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. A card it often gets compared to is Flickerwisp, known for its temporary removal ability. Yet, the Monk offers a different approach by transforming any land into a basic Forest, an effect that can fundamentally alter the landscape of a match. Unlike Flickerwisp, Thelonite Monk permanently changes the board state, potentially disrupting the opponent’s mana base significantly.

Another card in the same ballpark is Realmwright. While Realmwright also involves land alteration, it allows you to choose a land type that all lands you control will become. This is less aggressive than the Monk’s ability to target an opponent’s land. On the flip side, Veteran Explorer’s effect shares similarities in impacting lands but in a radically different way, rewarding both players with additional land cards on its death rather than modifying the board directly.

Despite the differing mechanisms of these cards, Thelonite Monk stands out by offering a unique kind of control over the game’s resources. It intervenes directly with the opponent’s strategy and can cascade into a significant advantage for those skilled in land-centric tactics.

Flickerwisp - MTG Card versions
Realmwright - MTG Card versions
Veteran Explorer - MTG Card versions
Flickerwisp - MTG Card versions
Realmwright - MTG Card versions
Veteran Explorer - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Thelonite Monk by color, type and mana cost

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Giant Spider - MTG Card versions
Marsh Viper - MTG Card versions
Scarwood Bandits - MTG Card versions
Carnivorous Plant - MTG Card versions
Erhnam Djinn - MTG Card versions
War Mammoth - MTG Card versions
Aurochs - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Jackalope Herd - MTG Card versions
Golden Bear - MTG Card versions
Argothian Swine - MTG Card versions
Elvish Piper - MTG Card versions
Erithizon - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Cutter - MTG Card versions
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Fungusaur - MTG Card versions
Viridian Lorebearers - MTG Card versions
Monkey Monkey Monkey - MTG Card versions
Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Thelonite Monk offers a unique twist on card advantage. Instead of traditional draw, it turns any land into a potent creature threat. This conversion can be particularly useful when extra lands are less beneficial, allowing you to turn surplus resources into potential game-changers on the board.

Resource Acceleration: This spell leverages land cards, which are abundant resources in gameplay, by transforming them into creatures that can pressure your opponent. Such a transformation can rapidly accelerate your board presence without sacrificing hand resources, thereby keeping your strategy flexible and your arsenal full.

Instant Speed: Its ability functions at instant speed, enabling dynamic play decisions. You can develop your board stealthily, avoid sorcery-speed removal, and synergize with effects that benefit from creature generation during unusual phases. The versatility of instant-speed interaction makes Thelonite Monk a subtle yet powerful asset to any game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Thelonite Monk necessitates you to discard a card to fully leverage its abilities. During gameplay, discarding can put you at a disadvantage, particularly if you’re already depleting your hand and need every card to maintain your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Thelonite Monk requires a dedicated mana sequence for casting – one that includes green mana. This demand means the card is best suited for mono-green or dual-colored decks, potentially restricting its inclusion in more varied or multi-colored deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that is on the higher end of the spectrum, it competes with other impactful creatures and spells in the same range. Players might find that when evaluating potential deck additions, there are more cost-effective creatures or spells that provide similar or greater value to the board state.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Thelonite Monk brings an adaptable mechanic to the table, allowing players to transform any land into a creature, which can be pivotal in games that require flexible responses or when you’re low on creatures.

Combo Potential: This card works exceptionally well with strategies that exploit lands becoming creatures, potentially pairing with cards that buff creatures or with landfall abilities that trigger upon lands entering the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where enchantments and effects that turn lands into lethal threats are prevailing, Thelonite Monk could slide into your arsenal as a crafty answer to such trends or reinforce your own strategies.


How to Beat Thelonite Monk

Thelonite Monk paves its unique path within the realm of Magic the Gathering as a game-changing creature card, especially known for its quirky land transformation ability. When piloting a deck against this mystifying monk, it’s essential to keep removal spells handy to thwart its plans before your lands get turned into creatures, which not only diminishes your mana base but also empowers your opponent’s army. Employing instant speed removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile could efficiently dispatch the monk before its ability triggers. Control decks that can counter creature spells, such as those packing Counterspell or Mana Leak, also stand a strong chance by keeping the monk from ever entering the battlefield.

It’s also worth considering the state of your board; having creatures with defender or those that offer a favorable block against newly created creatures can mitigate the impacts of the monk’s ability. Finally, revisiting your sideboard and bringing in cards specifically designed to deal with transforming or counter-heavy strategies provides a considerable edge — think Tormod’s Crypt for graveyard disruption or Pithing Needle to nullify the monks’ troublesome abilities directly. Playing smart and being prepared will ensure that Thelonite Monk doesn’t catch you off guard.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Thelonite Monk MTG card by a specific set like Fallen Empires, 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 Thelonite Monk and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Thelonite Monk has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2006-10-15 Will not add or remove the supertype snow to or from a land.