Underworld Hermit MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Underworld Hermit brings friends to the fight by creating a number of 1/1 green Squirrel creature tokens equal to your devotion to green. This effectively populates your board, potentially turning a tight game to your advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Each of these Squirrels isn’t just cute furry fodder; they’re also mana-producing little workers. Tap two untapped Squirrels you control: Add one green mana to your mana pool, ramping up your ability to cast high-cost spells earlier in the game. This can lead to surprising swings in board state and game tempo.

Instant Speed: Though the card itself does not have instant speed, Underworld Hermit synergizes well with flash-enabling effects in the game, allowing for unexpected end-of-turn plays. Playing it at the last moment before your turn can give you a substantial untapped army ready to march or tap for mana without giving your opponents a chance to respond on their turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Underworld Hermit demands a particular board state to truly flourish. Without sufficient graveyard setup, its impact is substantially lessened, potentially leaving you with a hefty cost and modest reward.

Specific Mana Cost: The deckbuilding requirements are stringent due to an exacting mana cost that leans heavily into green. This restricts deck diversity and can complicate your mana base, especially in multi-colored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of five, Underworld Hermit faces stiff competition from other cards that might provide more immediate or flexible effects. This can affect its overall efficiency and role in your game plan.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Underworld Hermit is a solid option for various Commander and Modern decks. It’s not only an efficient token generator but also synergizes with strategies that capitalize on having a high creature count.

Combo Potential: The Squirrel tokens produced by Underworld Hermit are perfect for combos with cards that benefit from creatures entering the battlefield or dying, such as those with sacrifice outlets or overrun effects.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of graveyard-centric strategies in several MTG formats, Underworld Hermit can become a key player by providing a steady source of board presence, making it a potentially impactful addition in a creature-focused meta.

How to beat

Underworld Hermit is a card that, upon entering the battlefield, brings an army of Squirrel tokens with it in Magic: The Gathering. This card sees play in decks that benefit from having a large number of creatures and can be particularly overwhelming if left unchecked. Each Squirrel not only bolsters your opponent’s defenses but can also become a significant threat if paired with global buffs or synergies that benefit from creature numbers.

To effectively counter Underworld Hermit, board wipes like Wrath of God or Damning Verdict can clear out the Squirrels in a single fell swoop. Spot removal isn’t as efficient here due to the number of creatures produced. Instead, cards that prevent creature tokens from being generated, such as Hushbringer or Tocatli Honor Guard, can nip the problem in the bud before the Hermit’s ability triggers. Inclusive strategies such as deploying cards like Crippling Fear, which allows you to choose a creature type that survives the wipe, could handle the multitude of tokens while preserving your board state.

Deploying continuous removal spells like Pestilence can discourage an opponent from playing Underworld Hermit or quickly deal with the tokens post-generation. In summary, a combination of creature token prevention and sweeping removal gives you the edge against Underworld Hermit’s otherwise overwhelming presence.

BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the nuances of Underworld Hermit can significantly boost your gameplay, especially if you’re drawn to strategies overflowing with creature tokens. This card proves its worth by populating the battlefield and bolstering your mana resources, a dual advantage that can shift the tides of battle. While it might require fine-tuning your deck to maximize its potential, the payoff in creature-based synergy is undeniable. For those interested in enhancing their green devotion or exploring new combo avenues, consider adding Underworld Hermit to your collection. Its presence in your deck could be the turning point for many victories. Embark on the journey to discover the full extent of this card’s capabilities and ensure your arsenal is ready for any challenge.