Tel-Jilad Fallen MTG Card


Tel-Jilad Fallen - Scars of Mirrodin
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Phyrexian Elf Warrior
Abilities Infect,Protection
Released2010-10-01
Set symbol
Set nameScars of Mirrodin
Set codeSOM
Power 3
Toughness 1
Number130
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJames Ryman

Key Takeaways

  1. Card advantage with Tel-Jilad Fallen arises from its artifact protection and potential as a persistent battlefield threat.
  2. It supports your overall game strategy by its low cost and ability to force the opponent’s hand.
  3. Complements decks that capitalize on instant speed tricks by providing a sturdy creature that’s hard to remove.

Text of card

Protection from artifacts Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.)

"No longer am I shackled to antiquity. My new masters will etch a glorious future."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tel-Jilad Fallen can be a subtle source of card advantage in longer games. Its protection from artifacts ensures it remains a persistent threat against decks relying on artifact-based removal or creatures, often forcing opponents to use multiple resources to deal with it.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly increasing your mana pool, Tel-Jilad Fallen’s relatively low casting cost combined with its impactful presence on the board can accelerate your game plan by demanding responses and allowing you to dictate the pace of the game.

Instant Speed: Although not at instant speed itself, Tel-Jilad Fallen complements instant speed strategies well. Its presence on the battlefield means your opponent must always consider the potential for combat tricks or protection spells you may have, knowing that the Fallen is resilient to many of their artifact-based answers.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tel-Jilad Fallen’s discard condition to gain protection from artifacts may put you at a card disadvantage, making it a risky play if your hand is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise combination of green mana to cast, which could be limiting in multi-colored decks that might not always have the necessary mana readily available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an investment of four mana to get this creature on the board, it faces stiff competition from other cards in the same mana bracket that might provide a more immediate board presence or utility.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tel-Jilad Fallen is a dynamic choice for decks emphasizing green’s inherent strength in creature-focused strategies. With protection from artifacts, it can provide a solid defense against commonly played artifact strategies, fitting well into sideboards or even main decks in the right meta.

Combo Potential: This creature can synergize with effects that benefit from or grant protection, making it an intriguing option for those who enjoy intricate play combinations. Its synergies with cards that interact with the infect mechanic or proliferate effects can be especially potent in escalating its threat level.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of artifact-based decks in certain game formats, Tel-Jilad Fallen has the capability to be a significant player, offering valuable resistance and advancing board presence against artifact-heavy opponents or during periods where artifact strategies are highly favored.


How to beat

Tel-Jilad Fallen is a uniquely resilient green creature card that can be troublesome for many players. Known for its protection from artifacts, it glides through the battlefield often untouched by common artifact strategies. The card presents a challenge, but all is not lost. Overcoming this card relies on finding the right approach, sidestepping its protective nature.

Removal spells that don’t target, such as those causing all creatures to be sacrificed or losing a percentage of their toughness, can be a way around its protection. Another method is using non-artifact-based creature combat, leveraging larger creatures or those with deathtouch to overpower the Tel-Jilad Fallen in fight sequences. Enchantment-based removal, such as Pacifism, can effectively neutralize this card without ever engaging its artifact protection.

Finding an effective strategy requires a little creativity and a good understanding of your deck’s strengths. By employing indirect methods of control or overpowering your opponent’s creatures in battle, you can navigate around the challenges posed by Tel-Jilad Fallen and maintain control over the game. Flexibility and the right tools are the keys to turning the tide in your favor.


Cards like Tel-Jilad Fallen

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Tel-Jilad Fallen is a noteworthy member of the infect creature category. Its infect ability allows it to deal damage in the form of -1/-1 counters to creatures or poison counters to players, akin to the Phyrexian Crusader. While the Crusader boasts protection from red and from white, making it incredibly resilient against certain decks, Tel-Jilad Fallen has protection from artifacts, making it a compelling choice in metagames where artifacts are prevalent.

Looking at another relative, the Blighted Agent presents itself as an unblockable creature with infect, invaluable for ensuring those critical poison counters reach the opponent. Tel-Jilad Fallen, however, requires tactical maneuvering to avoid blockers, yet offers a sturdier body in return. Moreover, Plague Stinger offers a flying alternative with infect, providing a different kind of evasion. It trades off some power and toughness when compared to Tel-Jilad Fallen, which could be a decisive factor depending on your strategy.

When examining these similar cards, Tel-Jilad Fallen finds a unique niche with its artifact immunity and robust stats for its cost, making it a respectable choice for players leveraging the infect mechanic in their Magic: The Gathering decks.

Phyrexian Crusader - MTG Card versions
Blighted Agent - MTG Card versions
Plague Stinger - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Crusader - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Blighted Agent - New Phyrexia (NPH)
Plague Stinger - Wizards Play Network 2010 (PWP10)

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

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Giant Spider - Tenth Edition (10E)
Marsh Viper - The Dark (DRK)
Scarwood Bandits - The Dark (DRK)
Carnivorous Plant - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Erhnam Djinn - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
War Mammoth - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Aurochs - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Lhurgoyf - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Jackalope Herd - Exodus (EXO)
Rootwater Alligator - Exodus (EXO)
Golden Bear - Portal Second Age (P02)
Argothian Swine - Urza's Saga (USG)
Elvish Piper - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Erithizon - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Saber Ants - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Skyshroud Cutter - Nemesis (NEM)
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Fungusaur - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Viridian Lorebearers - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Monkey Monkey Monkey - Unhinged (UNH)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tel-Jilad Fallen MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin, 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 Fallen and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tel-Jilad Fallen has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Tel-Jilad Fallen card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2011-01-01 A player who has ten or more poison counters loses the game. This is a state-based action.
2011-01-01 Damage from a source with infect affects planeswalkers normally.
2011-01-01 Damage from a source with infect is damage in all respects. If the source with infect also has lifelink, damage dealt by that source also causes its controller to gain that much life. Damage from a source with infect can be prevented or redirected. Abilities that trigger on damage being dealt will trigger if a source with infect deals damage, if appropriate.
2011-01-01 If damage from a source with infect that would be dealt to a player is prevented, that player doesn’t get poison counters. If damage from a source with infect that would be dealt to a creature is prevented, that creature doesn’t get -1/-1 counters.
2011-01-01 Infect’s effect applies to any damage, not just combat damage.
2011-01-01 The -1/-1 counters remain on the creature indefinitely. They’re not removed if the creature regenerates or the turn ends.
2011-01-01 “Protection from artifacts” means the following: -- Tel-Jilad Fallen can't be blocked by artifact creatures. -- Tel-Jilad Fallen can't be equipped. It also can't be enchanted by Auras that have somehow become artifacts in addition to enchantments. -- Tel-Jilad Fallen can't be targeted by abilities from artifact sources. -- All damage that would be dealt to Tel-Jilad Fallen by artifact sources is prevented.

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