Wayward Swordtooth MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wayward Swordtooth allows players to play an additional land on each of their turns, which can lead to significant card advantage by rapidly depleting their hand of land cards and thus increasing the chances of drawing into non-land spells.

Resource Acceleration: This aspect is particularly powerful, as it enables increased mana availability much more quickly. It’s a solid way to ramp up one’s mana base, allowing for more impactful plays or earlier casting of high-cost creatures and spells.

Instant Speed: While Wayward Swordtooth doesn’t operate at instant speed, its ability to put multiple lands into play without using the stack allows seamless development of your board state. This bypasses the need for instant speed interaction and can be especially beneficial after an opponent’s board wipe or end-step actions, preparing you for a strong follow-up play.

Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: The Wayward Swordtooth requires a specific mana combination to play, demanding one green and two generic mana. This can be restraining for decks that run on a tight color curve or those that rely on multiple colors, making it less versatile outside of mono-green or two-colored decks which focus on green.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Wayward Swordtooth is costlier compared to other creatures that enable lands to be played additionally. In some cases, players may find that for the same cost or less, there are creatures which not only allow the extra land drop but also bring additional abilities to the table, potentially offering a greater return on investment.

Discard Requirement: Although Wayward Swordtooth doesn’t have a discard requirement itself, its ascend ability, which grants you the benefits once you control ten or more permanents, can pressure players to prematurely play extra lands or overextend their board presence, potentially making them vulnerable to mass removal spells. This can inadvertently lead to a situation where players might have to discard due to hand size limits before achieving the city’s blessing.

Reasons to Include Wayward Swordtooth in Your Collection

Versatility: Wayward Swordtooth offers a dynamic option for a variety of deck types with its ability to allow you to play an additional land on each of your turns. This flexibility can be a boon for landfall strategies or ramp decks aiming to play high-cost spells ahead of schedule.

Combo Potential: This dinosaur’s synergy with cards that benefit from land drops or high land counts can lead to explosive turns. It’s a staple in decks looking to maximize the value of landfall triggers or quickly reach the city’s blessing with its ascend keyword.

Meta-Relevance: As games often hinge on resource development, Wayward Swordtooth can be a key piece in ensuring land drops are consistent. In formats where fast mana acceleration is crucial, having an early Wayward Swordtooth can provide the edge you need against opponents, making it a relevant inclusion in your arsenal.

How to beat

Overcoming the challenge of Wayward Swordtooth in your MTG matches requires strategic moves. This potent dinosaur allows players to play an additional land on each of their turns, rapidly accelerating their mana base. To tackle this creature, removal spells are key. Cards like Path to Exile or Assassin’s Trophy provide an immediate answer by removing Wayward Swordtooth from the game or forcing its controller to sacrifice it.

Board control is another effective strategy. Since Wayward Swordtooth can’t attack or block unless its controller has the city’s blessing, it’s relatively harmless in the early game. Utilize this time to develop a strong presence and pressure your opponent before they can take full advantage of the additional lands.

Finally, make use of land disruption cards. Blood Moon can turn nonbasic lands into basic Mountains, which simplifies the management of Wayward Swordtooth’s advantage. Field of Ruin and Ghost Quarter can target and destroy key lands, undercutting the benefit that Wayward Swordtooth provides. By adopting these tactics, you’ll bolster your chances of coming out on top against this formidable dinosaur.

BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering the art of Magic the Gathering means being prepared for every scenario. With Wayward Swordtooth, you unlock potent mana acceleration, making it a formidable asset in ramp or landfall decks. While its value in specific builds is irrefutable, balancing your deck to mitigate its limitations is crucial. To counteract removal spells and maximize your land plays, diversify your strategies. Delve deeper into the world of MTG with us, where you can learn to optimize your deck’s performance, explore combos, and adapt to any challenge that arises. Elevate your tactics and fortify your collection with our insights.