Tel-Jilad Lifebreather MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Troll Shaman
Released	2004-06-04
Set symbol
Set name	Fifth Dawn
Set code	5DN
Power	3
Toughness	2
Number	96
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jim Nelson

Key Takeaways

Tel-Jilad Lifebreather can create significant card advantage through life gain and draw synergies.
With low mana cost, it accelerates resource availability for synergy with artifact strategies.
Encourages instant-speed play, enhancing the strategic depth and timing of your game.

Text of card

, , Sacrifice a Forest: Regenerate target creature.

"The Tangle loans you life. Spend it well."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Tel-Jilad Lifebreather is on the battlefield, its ability to gain life based on the number of artifacts you control can potentially lead to significant card draw if combined with cards that allow you to draw when you gain life. This interaction creates an opportunity to outpace your opponent in terms of available resources, making it easier for you to command the game.

Resource Acceleration: Tel-Jilad Lifebreather’s low casting cost means it can hit the board quickly, setting the stage for an effective defense or acting as a catalyst for your artifact-based strategies. Since artifacts often have synergistic relationships in MTG, the ability to establish a board presence early with this creature allows you to capitalize on those synergies sooner, speeding up your overall gameplay.

Instant Speed: Though not an instant itself, Tel-Jilad Lifebreather encourages a playstyle that benefits from instant-speed interactions. By holding mana open for artifact activation or instant-speed spells that can protect your Lifebreather, you optimize the timings of your plays, reacting to your opponents’ actions in the most efficient way possible.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Despite its life-gaining abilities, Tel-Jilad Lifebreather demands a card be discarded to activate its full potential. This caveat can be particularly burdensome when a player’s hand is running thin, turning a possible boon into a potential setback in late-game scenarios.

Specific Mana Cost: Having Tel-Jilad Lifebreather in your deck means you are committed to spending both green and colorless mana to cast it. This specific mana requirement may not always align seamlessly with your deck’s mana base, especially in multicolored decks that might struggle to produce the necessary green consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Tel-Jilad Lifebreather’s abilities come at a non-negligible cost. The initial investment of three mana for a creature that does not immediately impact the board could be substantial especially if you are aiming for a fast-paced game. Other cards in the same mana range could offer immediate pressure on the opponent or more versatile responses to the evolving battlefield.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tel-Jilad Lifebreather offers a way to protect and enhance any green-based deck, thriving in environments that value creature longevity and counter strategies.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to transfer +1/+1 counters among creatures unveils numerous synergies with popular counter-related mechanics, acting as an engine in proliferate combos or with cards reacting to counter placements.

Meta-Relevance: In a landscape that often sees attrition wars between creatures, Tel-Jilad Lifebreather can be pivotal, sustaining board presence while disrupting opponent’s removal equations.

How to beat

Tel-Jilad Lifebreather is a unique creature card that can significantly bolster your opponent’s health in a Magic the Gathering battle. With the ability to convert +1/+1 counters into precious life points, it can quickly turn the tide in your favor. However, like any card, it has its vulnerabilities.

Facing Tel-Jilad Lifebreather means you’ll need to adapt your strategy. Cards that prevent or remove counters can be particularly powerful against it. Consider running spells that will negate the creature’s abilities or employ creature removal cards to take it out before its life-giving feature can be activated. Efficient removal spells, such as Murder, can take it down no matter how many counters it has. On the other hand, if you’re able to restrict your opponent’s ability to put counters on their creatures, Tel-Jilad Lifebreather’s healing potential dwindles, making cards with that effect an excellent counterstrategy.

It’s also worth remembering that Tel-Jilad Lifebreather’s strength lies in prolonged gameplay. If you can accelerate your strategy and apply pressure early on, you might be able to claim victory before its abilities can impact the game. In conclusion, while Tel-Jilad Lifebreather can seem daunting, planning and the correct cards can ensure it’s a manageable threat in your Magic the Gathering matchups.

Cards like Tel-Jilad Lifebreather

Tel-Jilad Lifebreather brings an intriguing dynamic to the realm of life gain and creature enhancement within Magic: The Gathering. Comparable cards in this space include Kitchen Finks, which similarly offers a way to gain life. Despite not having the ability to directly boost other creatures, Kitchen Finks returns to the battlefield after death with a -1/-1 counter, leading to additional life gain opportunities.

Another parallel can be drawn with Scavenging Ooze, with its ability to grow its power and toughness while simultaneously removing cards from graveyards, incidentally gaining life in the process. While Scavenging Ooze provides a more reactive approach to improving board state and life totals, it lacks the targeted creature buffing that Tel-Jilad Lifebreather offers.

Exemplar of Strength is also worth mentioning, as it enters the battlefield with a life gain trigger and removes -1/-1 counters to strengthen itself. Unlike Tel-Jilad Lifebreather, which is geared toward supporting other creatures, Exemplar of Strength is more focused on self-enhancement. Assessing these cards side by side, Tel-Jilad Lifebreather stands out due to its potential to perpetually empower a single creature, a unique aspect amongst its counterparts.

Exemplar of Strength - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Tel-Jilad Lifebreather by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tel-Jilad Lifebreather MTG card by a specific set like Fifth Dawn, 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 Tel-Jilad Lifebreather and other MTG cards: