Emry, Lurker of the Loch MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 10 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Abilities Mill
Power 1
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Emry, Lurker of the Loch offers consistent card advantage by milling cards and enabling artifact recursion.
  2. She accelerates resource use by casting artifacts directly from the graveyard, bypassing draw needs.
  3. Flexibility in strategy as Emry allows for strategic plays on your turn without requiring instant speed.

Text of card

This spell costs less to cast for each artifact you control. When Emry, Lurker of the Loch enters the battlefield, mill four cards. : Choose target artifact card in your graveyard. You may cast that card this turn. (You still pay its costs. Timing rules still apply.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Emry, Lurker of the Loch has the unique ability to mill the top four cards of your library when she enters the battlefield. This not only fills your graveyard with potential resources but also sets you up for recurring artifacts each turn, ensuring a continuous flow of options and card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: When it comes to resource acceleration, Emry plays a pivotal role. By tapping and allowing you to cast an artifact from your graveyard, Emry gives you access to your arsenal of artifacts without the need to draw them, effectively accelerating your ability to utilize your resources numerous times throughout the match.

Instant Speed: While Emry herself does not operate at instant speed, her ability to return an artifact to play can be activated at any time you could cast a sorcery. This means you have the flexibility to wait until your turn to make strategic plays, potentially with artifacts that do have instant speed capabilities, which can be crucial to outmaneuver your opponents.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Emry, Lurker of the Loch requires milling upon entering the battlefield. For decks not focused on graveyard synergy, this might not be optimal as it could unintentionally discard crucial spells or lands.

Specific Mana Cost: Despite having a converted mana cost of three, which includes one blue mana, Emry’s effectiveness is heavily tied to its blue mana requirement. This can potentially restrict deck-building options, favoring blue-centric or artifact-heavy strategies over more diverse color combinations.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Emry’s mana cost is reasonable, the need to play several artifacts to leverage her ability to the fullest can lead to a higher effective mana cost. Players might need to include a larger number of low-cost artifacts in their deck to bring her out early and make the most of her tap ability, which could reduce the deck’s overall power level against fast-paced or disruptive matchups.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Emry, Lurker of the Loch is a highly flexible card, seamlessly integrating into artifact-centric decks, enabling repeatable casting of artifacts from the graveyard which broadens its playability across various formats.

Combo Potential: This card is a linchpin in numerous combos, capable of pairing with other cards to create powerful, game-ending synergies or to repeatedly generate value over the course of a game.

Meta-Relevance: With constantly shifting metagames, the ability of Emry to recur high-impact artifacts gives it a staying power in competitive scenes, making it a wise choice for players looking to adapt their strategies to the ever-evolving landscape.


How to beat

Emry, Lurker of the Loch is a notable card in MTG that can be a real powerhouse in artifact centric decks. Her ability to repeatedly cast artifacts from your graveyard gives her a persistent presence on the battlefield. To counteract Emry’s influence, one of the most effective strategies is to employ graveyard hate cards. By using cards like Tormod’s Crypt or Leyline of the Void, you can remove the fuel she depends on to operationalize her strategy. Moreover, instant speed removals such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile are efficient ways to deal with Emry before she can generate overwhelming value.

Another viable tactic is to apply pressure with aggressive creatures and strategies to outpace the setup that Emry decks typically require. This can hinder the deck’s ability to stabilize and utilize Emry’s abilities to the fullest. In essence, a combination of targeted removal, graveyard disruption, and maintaining a brisk pace of play can be the keys to overcoming the card advantage and recursion that Emry, Lurker of the Loch brings to the game.


Cards like Emry, Lurker of the Loch

Emry, Lurker of the Loch is a unique artifact-centric creature in Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to both recast and cycle these powerful pieces from the graveyard. When considering similar cards, Daretti, Scrap Savant comes to mind due to his ability to swap artifacts between the battlefield and graveyard. While Daretti requires a planeswalker slot and can be more vulnerable, both characters excel at manipulating artifacts.

Similarly, Goblin Welder is another notable card with a knack for recycling artifacts. Even though this goblin is a lower-cost creature, Emry shines with her ability to be repeatedly used every turn without needing other cards to activate her ability. Additionally, whereas the Welder targets both players’ graveyards, Emry’s focus is solely on her controller’s artifacts, offering more strategic control in many situations.

Overall, Emry, Lurker of the Loch, boasts a unique set of attributes amongst Magic: The Gathering artifact enablers, coupling cost reduction qualities with a steadfast artifact recursion, which makes her stand out clearly even among similar cards that touch the same design space.

Daretti, Scrap Savant - MTG Card versions
Goblin Welder - MTG Card versions
Daretti, Scrap Savant - Commander 2014 Oversized (OC14)
Goblin Welder - Urza's Legacy (ULG)

Cards similar to Emry, Lurker of the Loch by color, type and mana cost

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Wall of Water - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
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Mistform Warchief - Scourge (SCG)
Blind Phantasm - Future Sight (FUT)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Emry, Lurker of the Loch MTG card by a specific set like Throne of Eldraine and Throne of Eldraine, 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 Emry, Lurker of the Loch and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Emry, Lurker of the Loch Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2019-10-04 and 2023-04-21. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-10-04Throne of EldraineELD 3422015normalblackLivia Prima
22019-10-04Throne of EldraineELD 432015normalblackLivia Prima
32022-02-18Neon Dynasty CommanderNEC 912015normalblackLivia Prima
42022-11-02Secret Lair 30th Anniversary Countdown KitSLC 20192015normalborderlessBrandi Milne
52022-11-18The Brothers' War CommanderBRC 811997normalblackLivia Prima
62023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 139z2015normalblackWylie Beckert
72023-04-21March of the Machine Art SeriesAMOM 692015art_seriesborderless
82023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 92015normalblackWylie Beckert
92023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 1392015normalblackWylie Beckert
102023-04-21Multiverse LegendsMUL 742015normalblackLivia Prima

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Emry, Lurker of the Loch has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelRestricted
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2019-10-04 Casting the target card causes it to leave your graveyard and become a new object. You can't cast it again if it returns to your graveyard this turn.
2019-10-04 If Emry's last ability targets an artifact land card, you can't play it. Effects that allow you to “cast” a card don't allow you to play a land card.
2019-10-04 Once you announce that you're casting a spell, no player may take actions until the spell has been paid for. Notably, opponents can't try to change by how much Emry's cost is reduced.
2019-10-04 The cost reduction ability reduces only the generic mana in Emry's cost. The colored mana must still be paid.
2019-10-04 To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions (such as that of Emry). The mana value of the spell remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.
2019-10-04 You must follow the normal timing permissions and restrictions for the target artifact card. Unless it has flash, you'll most likely only be able to cast it during your main phase while the stack is empty.
2019-10-04 You'll still pay all costs for a spell cast this way, including additional costs. You may also pay alternative costs if any are available.

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