Thornling MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Mythic
Type	Creature — Elemental Shapeshifter
Released	2009-02-06
Set symbol
Set name	Conflux
Set code	CON
Power	4
Toughness	4
Number	95
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Kev Walker

Key Takeaways

Thornling offers a significant edge in surviving removal, securing its presence during gameplay.
Its instant-speed abilities grant flexibility, crucial for adapting to dynamic gameplay situations.
This creature’s mana-efficient activation costs permit tactical plays, leading to potential tempo advantages.

Text of card

: Thornling gains haste until end of turn. : Thornling gains trample until end of turn. : Thornling is indestructible this turn. : Thornling gets +1/-1 until end of turn. : Thornling gets -1/+1 until end of turn.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Thornling presents a distinct edge in terms of card advantage as it’s resilient to typical removal methods, ensuring that it stays in play to continue exerting pressure and value over the course of the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Thornling itself does not directly contribute to resource acceleration, its abilities can be utilized strategically to save resources. Efficiently using mana to activate its abilities can lead to significant tempo gains.

Instant Speed: The card’s various activated abilities can be used at instant speed, providing flexibility in response to the actions of an opponent. This adaptability allows players to make reactive decisions that could turn the tide of the game without committing to a course of action too early.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Thornling, as mighty as it can be on the battlefield, does not come with a direct discard requirement. Nonetheless, its abilities where it begins to truly shine require open mana. Ensuring that you have enough mana to utilize its abilities while still developing your board or holding responses can be taxing, meaning you might discard other valuable resources indirectly.

Specific Mana Cost: Thornling demands a specific mana commitment with one green and four colorless mana, which might not be substantial but certainly predisposes its inclusion to green-centric or two-color decks, possibly undermining its versatility in decks with a broader color identity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its five total mana cost, Thornling finds itself competing against other impactful five-mana creatures or game-changing spells. Within this mana range, players often evaluate the immediate impact of a creature against the potential for removal, and so, Thornling can be overshadowed by options that either provide instant value or demand an immediate answer upon hitting the table.

Reasons to Include Thornling in Your Collection

Versatility: Thornling is a dynamic creature that offers a range of abilities, allowing it to adapt to numerous board states. This card’s power comes from its ability to gain indestructible, haste, and to change its power and toughness, ensuring it fits well into decks that value flexibility on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: With Thornling, players gain access to a creature that can easily synergize with strategies focused on +1/+1 counters or those that require a durable and adaptable threat. Its self-buffing capabilities enable it to dodge removal or become a formidable attacker out of nowhere.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames dominated by creature-based strategies or where the board is regularly wiped by spells, Thornling’s indestructibility holds significant value. It survives through most removal, making it a recurring threat that can dominate games if left unchecked.

How to beat

Thornling is a formidable creature in Magic: The Gathering, boasting versatility and resilience. Players facing this creature often struggle with its suite of abilities that make it a challenge to remove from the battlefield. To counter it effectively, you’ll need to rely on spells that don’t target, as Thornling can gain indestructible. Global removal spells like Wrath of God or Damnation can bypass Thornling’s indestructible status as they don’t target individual creatures.

Another strategy is to manipulate its abilities against it. Since its controller can pay mana to give Thornling various abilities, if you can limit their mana availability through disruption or land destruction, you reduce Thornling’s adaptability. Cards like Blood Moon or Stone Rain can severely hamper their mana base, making Thornling less of a threat.

It’s also effective to deal with Thornling by changing the rules of engagement. Using enchantments like Humility can strip away its abilities, leveling the playing field. In summary, overcoming Thornling requires strategic planning and the right spell selection to navigate around its robust skill set.

Cards like Thornling

Thornling offers versatility and resilience for MTG players, drawing comparisons to its predecessor, Morphling. Much like Morphling, Thornling comes equipped with an array of abilities that can be activated at instant speed, enabling dynamic playstyles. Both creatures share the capacity to boost their power and toughness and to gain abilities like trample or the power to become harder to harm. However, Thornling sets itself apart with its innate ability to gain indestructible until end of turn, which Morphling lacks, thus providing it an added layer of durability against board wipes and removal.

Another related creature is Torchling, which retains the same framework of abilities but pivots towards red’s aggressive play. While Thornling emphasizes protection and survival through indestructibility, Torchling shifts the paradigm to redirecting spells or changing target blockers, reflecting red’s tactical manipulation in combat. Additionally, Aeolipile presents an intriguing match in adaptive creature utility, albeit through a different lens. It’s an artifact that can deal damage, thus delivering direct influence on the game board, albeit without the comprehensive adaptability of Thornling’s multiple modes.

To sum up, Thornling holds its ground as a lynchpin in creature-centric strategies within MTG, incorporating its defense-orientated skills and outclassing similar creatures with its superior survivability.

Cards similar to Thornling by color, type and mana cost

Tel-Jilad Lifebreather - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Thornling MTG card by a specific set like Conflux, 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 Thornling and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Thornling has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2013-07-01	Lethal damage and effects that say “destroy” won’t cause a creature with indestructible to be put into the graveyard. However, a creature with indestructible can be put into the graveyard for a number of reasons. The most likely reasons are if it’s sacrificed, if it’s legendary and another legendary creature with the same name is controlled by the same player, or if its toughness is 0 or less.