Wirewood Pride MTG Card
2002-10-07 - Number 303
2005-08-22 - Number B55
2005-08-22 - Number B44
2005-08-22 - Number B32
2022-10-14 - Number 112
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
Target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of Elves in play.
"Though you may leave this haven we have found, may our strength never leave you."
Cards like Wirewood Pride
Wirewood Pride is a unique instant in Magic: The Gathering, enhancing the might of elves in a player’s army. In a similar fashion to Giant Growth, which also provides a temporary power and toughness boost, Wirewood Pride differentiates itself with its elf-centric design, giving an elf creature +2/+2 until end of turn for each forest you control. Giant Growth, while not restricted to elf creatures, grants a flat +3/+3 boost irrespective of land type count.
Elvish Fury is another card to consider in the pool of elf enhancing spells. It offers repeatable use through its buyback ability, albeit for a higher initial mana cost. It doesn’t scale with land count but provides flexibility over multiple turns. Taunting Elf, though not a spell, serves a tactical role within an elf deck, making it easier for your creatures to deal damage by drawing away blockers. Unlike Wirewood Pride, Taunting Elf affects the game more strategically rather than providing a straight power/toughness increase.
Ultimately, Wirewood Pride shines in a land-rich and elf-populated deck, capitalizing on both of these elements to outclass similar cards that offer a less synergistic approach to elf empowerment in MTG.
Cards similar to Wirewood Pride by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Wirewood Pride offers a significant boost in power and toughness to a selected creature, often enabling that creature to survive combat and generate advantageous board states, potentially leading to an overwhelming card advantage over time.
Resource Acceleration: Notably, the cost-efficiency of Wirewood Pride facilitates a player’s ability to pump up their creatures without expending substantial resources, leaving mana available for additional plays, and effectively accelerating one’s in-game resources.
Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of Wirewood Pride allows players to adapt to dynamic game states, using it defensively to protect a key creature or offensively to secure an unexpected combat victory, adding a layer of tactical depth to engagements.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Wirewood Pride can be a powerful buff for your elves, it requires you to have another elf card in hand to reap the maximum benefit. This can be a drawback as it often leads to a smaller hand size, limiting your options in subsequent turns.
Specific Mana Cost: Wirewood Pride demands green mana for its casting and doesn’t offer much flexibility. If your deck isn’t heavily concentrated on green or if you find yourself mana-locked without green sources, this card becomes a dead draw.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With many low-cost pump spells available in the format, Wirewood Pride’s mana cost may seem steep for the effect it gives. Although it can significantly boost an elf, you might find more cost-efficient alternatives that offer similar or better utility without being as restrictive.
Reasons to Include Wirewood Pride in Your Collection
Versatility: Wirewood Pride is a card that shines in decks focused on creature buffs, specifically in Elves tribal decks. Its low mana cost allows it to be easily slotted into various game stages, making it a flexible pick for many strategies.
Combo Potential: This instant not only increases a creature’s power and toughness but also synergizes well with strategies that benefit from casting spells during combat or that involve creatures with tap abilities. Its compatibility with Elf-centric combos makes it a solid inclusion for synergistic plays.
Meta-Relevance: As creature-based strategies maintain their presence in the meta, Wirewood Pride remains relevant. It’s particularly effective in environments where combat tricks can turn the tides of battle or where Elf decks are a staple.
How to Beat
Wirewood Pride is known for its sudden boost in combat within the realm of Magic: The Gathering. This instant spell can quickly turn the tides by giving a creature +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of Elves on the battlefield. Unlike other pump spells that offer a fixed power increase, Wirewood Pride can scale dramatically in an Elf-heavy deck, leading to unexpected and substantial swings in power during combat.
To counteract the effects of Wirewood Pride, targeted removal spells are highly effective. By keeping the number of Elves on the battlefield in check, you reduce the potential impact of the card. Timing is essential; removing key Elves before the combat phase can neuter the potential of Wirewood Pride. Additionally, board wipes are equally devastating, as they can clear multiple Elves at once, rendering the card far less threatening. Another strategy is to utilize counter spells to prevent Wirewood Pride from resolving in the first place, ensuring that the opponent’s planned combat trick falls flat and keeping your creatures safe from an oversized adversary.
Understanding the conditions under which Wirewood Pride thrives allows players to prepare and respond accordingly. By managing the board state and having the right spells at the ready, players can mitigate the card’s effect and maintain control of the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Wirewood Pride MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught and Salvat 2005, 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 Wirewood Pride and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Wirewood Pride Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2002-10-07 and 2022-10-14. Illustrated by Dave Dorman.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2002-10-07 | Onslaught | ONS | 303 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Dave Dorman | |
| 2 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | B55 | 2003 | Normal | White | Dave Dorman | |
| 3 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | B44 | 2003 | Normal | White | Dave Dorman | |
| 4 | 2005-08-22 | Salvat 2005 | PSAL | B32 | 2003 | Normal | White | Dave Dorman | |
| 5 | 2022-10-14 | Game Night: Free-for-All | GN3 | 112 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dave Dorman |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Wirewood Pride has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |