Thunder-Thrash Elder MTG Card
2008-10-03 - Number 117
2012-06-01 - Number 53
2016-11-25 - Number 53
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Viashino Warrior |
| Abilities | Devour |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Devour 3 (As this comes into play, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature comes into play with three times that many +1/+1 counters on it.)
Viashino thrashes are led by elders who have survived countless challenges.
Cards like Thunder-Thrash Elder
Thunder-Thrash Elder brings a unique dynamic to creature play in Magic: The Gathering. It’s most closely related to cards like Scavenging Ooze, with its ability to grow dramatically in terms of power and toughness. Thunder-Thrash Elder requires you to sacrifice other creatures to amplify its strength, essentially feeding off of your own board to become a significant threat. Scavenging Ooze, in contrast, offers a more gradual growth pattern and gains only single +1/+1 counters each time it exiles a card from a graveyard.
In the realm of creatures benefitting from others, the likes of Carrion Feeder also spring to mind. This card shares the sacrifice aspect with Thunder-Thrash Elder but does so in a more incremental fashion, adding one counter at a time. It does not have the same explosive potential but is a more steady and less resource-heavy option. Another formidable comparator is the Altar’s Reap-type effects, where the focus is less on enhancing creatures and more on deriving value via card draw from the sacrifice of your creatures.
Each card’s utility ultimately depends on the deck’s broader strategy and the player’s ability to leverage these sacrifices for maximum effect. It’s clear that within the creature-sacrifice mechanic, Thunder-Thrash Elder emerges as an excellent choice for those looking to quickly escalate a single creature’s presence on the battlefield.
Cards similar to Thunder-Thrash Elder by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With the potential to swell into a massive creature, Thunder-Thrash Elder can be a significant threat that demands an answer. When it devours multiple creatures, you’re effectively consolidating board presence into a single, formidable entity, making it harder for your opponent to deal with it using a one-for-one removal, thereby generating card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: In decks designed around sacrificing creatures for value, Thunder-Thrash Elder acts as a major catalyst. By devouring smaller creatures, not only does it grow in size but it often works in tandem with other cards in your deck that generate benefits when creatures die, effectively turning a single play into a source of multiple resources.
Instant Speed: While Thunder-Thrash Elder itself doesn’t directly interact at instant speed, it thrives in a deck that operates on instant-speed synergies. Sacrificing creatures in response to removal, or just before your turn to maximize its power, can present opponents with challenges that are difficult to efficiently resolve on their timetable.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Thunder-Thrash Elder requires you to sacrifice other creatures to scale its power, which can deplete your battlefield presence and resources, making it a situational play.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes both red and green mana, this card demands a dedicated color commitment, potentially limiting its integration into various deck archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sporting a mana cost of three, including one red and one green, the Elder competes with a range of other mid-game creatures and spells, which might offer better value or immediate impact on the game state.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Thunder-Thrash Elder offers a dynamic role in decks that capitalize on +1/+1 counters. The Elder’s ability to grow rapidly can make it a formidable threat in a variety of strategies, particularly in counter-centric builds.
Combo Potential: With its devour ability, this card can enable explosive plays by interacting with cards that generate tokens or benefit from creature sacrifice. Thunder-Thrash Elder can serve as a crucial piece in synergistic decks that aim to quickly overwhelm opponents.
Meta-Relevance: In a metagame that’s heavy on creature play, having Thunder-Thrash Elder can be a game-changer. It can potentially scale to outmatch other creatures on the battlefield, making it relevant in numerous metagame scenarios and a worthy inclusion for players looking to stay competitive.
How to beat
Thunder-Thrash Elder presents a formidable challenge on the battlefield with its potential to grow into a colossal creature. Dealing with this creature becomes a priority once it hits the board, especially considering its Devour ability, which allows it to become significantly larger by sacrificing other creatures. To mitigate this threat, the key is to disrupt the synergy it relies upon. Removing the Elder before it has the chance to devour, preferably in response to the devour trigger, is essential.
Another effective strategy is to limit the number of creatures your opponent controls. This not only curtails the potential size of the Thunder-Thrash Elder but also makes it a less impactful play from your opponent’s side. Counterspells and removal spells are primary tools here. Specifically, instant speed answers are invaluable, like Path to Exile or Doom Blade, which can address the creature before the Devour ability resolves.
Furthermore, graveyard manipulation effects, such as those from cards like Scavenging Ooze, can preemptively remove potential Devour fodder from play. This cripples the Elder’s chance to ever become a threat. Being vigilant about the state of the board and the creature resources your opponent has at their disposal is your best defense against the growing threat of Thunder-Thrash Elder.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Thunder-Thrash Elder MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara and Planechase 2012, 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 Thunder-Thrash Elder and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
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- Card Market
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- MTG Mint Card
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Printings
The Thunder-Thrash Elder Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2008-10-03 and 2016-11-25. Illustrated by Brandon Kitkouski.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2008-10-03 | Shards of Alara | ALA | 117 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Brandon Kitkouski | |
| 2 | 2012-06-01 | Planechase 2012 | PC2 | 53 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Brandon Kitkouski | |
| 3 | 2016-11-25 | Planechase Anthology | PCA | 53 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Brandon Kitkouski |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Thunder-Thrash Elder has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Thunder-Thrash Elder card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | If multiple creatures with devour are entering the battlefield under your control at the same time, you may use each one’s devour ability. A creature you already control can be devoured by only one of them, however. (In other words, you can’t sacrifice the same creature to satisfy multiple devour abilities.) All creatures devoured this way are sacrificed at the same time. |
| 2008-10-01 | If you cast this as a spell, you choose how many and which creatures to devour as part of the resolution of that spell. (It can’t be countered at this point.) The same is true of a spell or ability that lets you put a creature with devour onto the battlefield. |
| 2008-10-01 | You may choose not to sacrifice any creatures for the Devour ability. |
| 2008-10-01 | You may sacrifice only creatures that are already on the battlefield. If a creature with devour and another creature are entering the battlefield under your control at the same time, the creature with devour can’t devour that other creature. The creature with devour also can’t devour itself. |