Tomebound Lich MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you summon Tomebound Lich, its ability not only allows you to draw a card, but you also get to cycle your hand by discarding a card, which can help streamline your strategy and keep your hand fresh with useful resources.

Resource Acceleration: While Tomebound Lich itself doesn’t directly produce mana or tokens, its looting effect can accelerate your resource management by finding the key pieces you need for your game plan more quickly or by filling your graveyard for various abilities that allow you to utilize it as a resource.

Instant Speed: The Lich’s deathtouch ability means that it can act as an effective instant-speed removal deterrent for attackers since most opponents will think twice before attacking into a creature that can kill any of their attackers regardless of size.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Tomebound Lich demands a card to be discarded each time it enters the battlefield or deals combat damage. This requisite can be detrimental, primarily if your hand is already depleted or the cards you hold are vital for your game strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature card calls for a precise blend of mana— one black, one blue, and one of any type—making it less flexible and potentially challenging to cast in multicolored decks without the appropriate mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The Lich, with a casting cost of three mana, might be seen as somewhat expensive given it’s a 1/3 creature. When evaluating potential inclusions for your deck, it’s worthwhile to consider other creatures or spells that might offer a greater impact on the board state for a similar, if not lower, mana investment.

Reasons to Include Tomebound Lich in Your Collection

Versatility: Tomebound Lich offers a unique mix of abilities with deathtouch, lifelink, and the ability to loot upon entering the battlefield or dealing combat damage. This allows the card to fit seamlessly into various deck types, pivot roles between an aggressive and defensive play, and provide consistent value in each match.

Combo Potential: As a card that loots, Tomebound Lich can help set up graveyard strategies or act as an enabler for reanimator or delve decks. Its repeatable looting mechanism triggers each turn it deals damage, supporting cards that thrive on discard or card draw synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where incremental advantage is key, the Lich can shine against aggressive decks by gaining life while eliminating threats and against control by providing a resilient threat that replaces itself in hand. Its capability to impact the board while contributing to hand quality makes it a solid choice in ever-shifting MTG metagames.

How to beat

Tomebound Lich boasts a trifecta of abilities that make it a valuable asset for any MTG deck focused on control or reanimation strategies. Its draw-and-discard ability upon entering the battlefield or dealing combat damage allows for strategically cycling through your deck, and its deathtouch and lifelink elevate its combat relevance.

To effectively deal with Tomebound Lich, one must prioritize removal spells that bypass its deathtouch, such as those that exile or enchant. Cards like Banishing Light offer a temporary solution by removing the Lich from the battlefield without triggering any damage-based effects. Additionally, spells that force the opponent to sacrifice a creature can outmaneuver its self-protection abilities. Should the Lich become a recurring threat from the graveyard, graveyard hate cards like Tormod’s Crypt can nullify this advantage, helping you maintain control of the match’s tempo. Deploying these strategies disrupts your opponent’s flow and mitigates the incremental advantage provided by Tomebound Lich’s abilities.

Considering the nuanced capabilities of Tomebound Lich, adjusting your deck to include such tactical measures is essential. Doing so enhances your resilience against decks that depend on the synergistic performance of creatures like Tomebound Lich and maintains your standing in the game.

BurnMana Recommendations

MTG aficionados searching for a unique blend of advantages in gameplay would be wise to consider Tomebound Lich. This card offers more than just its immediate abilities; it’s a keystone for decks focusing on synergy with the graveyard and card advantage. Adept at streamlining strategies and providing defense, the Lich also shines in its versatility. This creature has the potential to dynamically impact your matches, whether it’s through looting mechanisms or acting as a deterrent with its deathtouch ability. Learn more about optimizing your deck with Tomebound Lich and honing your skills for a resilient playstyle in any MTG game format.