Claws of Valakut MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Key Takeaways

  1. Turns creatures into significant threats by using the number of mountains to boost power.
  2. Encourages land-heavy strategies, rewarding players with formidable creature augmentation.
  3. Lacks flexibility with sorcery speed but still pivotal during strategically timed turns.

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +1/+0 for each Mountain you control and has first strike.

"Swords may sunder. Shields may fail. My will is stronger than steel, and my flesh and bone far more deadly."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Claws of Valakut itself does not directly allow you to draw cards, its ability to potentially turn a single creature into a major threat can create indirect card advantage. Your opponents may need to use multiple resources to deal with the buffed creature, thus putting you ahead in the overall resource exchange.

Resource Acceleration: As an enchantment that benefits from the number of mountains you control, Claws of Valakut encourages and rewards you for playing a land-heavy strategy. This can lead to a form of resource acceleration as each mountain played makes the enchanted creature increasingly formidable, enabling it to close games more rapidly.

Instant Speed: Claws of Valakut is cast at sorcery speed, which means it doesn’t have the flexibility of instant speed spells. However, the power boost it grants can still be a game-changer during your turn, especially when played in a well-timed sequence with other threats that might force your opponent to make difficult decisions on how to use their instant speed removal.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Claws of Valakut requires no card discard, it has limitations in versatility, locking its potential in decks focused on land boosts.

Specific Mana Cost: Necessitating a source of red mana could confine Claws of Valakut’s inclusion primarily within mono-red or compatible multicolored decks, occasionally limiting strategic variety.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial investment of three mana plus additional for each mountain you control, there are alternative buff spells or auras that might bring more immediate battlefield impact at a lower cost.


Reasons to Include Claws of Valakut in Your Collection

Versatility: Claws of Valakut is a flexible enchantment that scales with the number of Mountains you control, making it a fitting addition to red-dominated decks that concentrate on land presence. Its potential to transform even the smallest creature into a significant threat makes it highly adaptable for various strategies.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to give a huge power boost can work well in combination with creatures that have evasion or trample, ensuring that the added power translates into considerable damage. It pairs especially well in decks harnessing landfall or other mechanics that encourage playing multiple lands.

Meta-Relevance: Given its scalability, Claws of Valakut can remain relevant even as the game progresses into later stages, which is ideal in a meta with a heavy emphasis on ramp and big creatures. As players look to build defensible positions, having a scalable enchantment can be pivotal in breaking stalemates and achieving victory.


How to beat

Claws of Valakut is a potent enchantment that can turn any creature into a formidable threat on the battlefield. With its ability to grant a creature +1/+0 for each mountain you control, it certainly packs a punch in red-based land-heavy decks. Going up against this card, the strategy should involve controlling your opponent’s land count or targeting the enchantment itself.

Land destruction spells or cards that restrict land plays, like land tax effects, can minimize the impact that Claws of Valakut could have. Utilizing spells that bounce permanents back to the hand can also neutralize the temporary boost it gives. A direct approach is to use enchantment removal cards, which are abundant in colors like green and white. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant work perfectly to remove Claws of Valakut from play.

Alternatively, you can focus on eliminating the enchanted creature. Targeted removal spells are key in this tactic. Watching for the right moment to cast your removal spell can ensure that you get rid of the buffed creature without your opponent getting the benefit of the huge power boost Claws of Valakut provides.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive deeper into the MTG realm and utilize Claws of Valakut to your advantage. Understanding its pros and cons, and the strategic depth it can add to your red-focused decks, is crucial. The landscape of MTG is vast and intricate, and cards like Claws of Valakut can be game-changers in the right context. By recognizing similar cards and developing methods to counteract your opponents’ strategies, you’ll enhance your gameplay significantly. We encourage you to continue exploring MTG strategies and invite you to expand your knowledge and skills with us. Forge your path to victory with tailored MTG content that speaks directly to your gaming needs.


Cards like Claws of Valakut

Claws of Valakut is an intriguing enchantment for players looking to bolster their creatures in Magic: The Gathering. With its dependence on the number of mountains you control, it draws a natural comparison to other power-boosting auras like Madcap Skills. Madcap Skills provides a more immediate and palpable effect by adding significant power and a beneficial evasion ability, all without the requirement of controlling a specific land type.

Another card coming into the comparison is Inferno Fist, which offers not only a power boost but also the flexibility of being sacrificed for direct damage, a feature that Claws of Valakut lacks. And while Claws of Valakut potentially delivers a larger power increase over time, Inferno Fist’s secondary ability can be crucial for removing blockers or finishing off an opponent.

In assessing such enchantments’ roles in player strategies, Claws of Valakut showcases its latent strength in land-focused decks while encouraging a building approach around mountain terrains. It’s a niche card that, under the right conditions, can dramatically change the game’s momentum in favor of the player with a mountainous battlefield.

Madcap Skills - MTG Card versions
Inferno Fist - MTG Card versions
Madcap Skills - Gatecrash (GTC)
Inferno Fist - Magic 2015 (M15)

Cards similar to Claws of Valakut by color, type and mana cost

Mana Flare - MTG Card versions
Gravity Sphere - MTG Card versions
Goblin War Drums - MTG Card versions
Aggression - MTG Card versions
Heat Stroke - MTG Card versions
Seismic Assault - MTG Card versions
Torch Song - MTG Card versions
Ghitu War Cry - MTG Card versions
Goblin Warrens - MTG Card versions
Fervor - MTG Card versions
Spellshock - MTG Card versions
Mana Cache - MTG Card versions
Insolence - MTG Card versions
Steam Vines - MTG Card versions
Curse of Hospitality - MTG Card versions
Anax, Hardened in the Forge - MTG Card versions
Draconic Destiny - MTG Card versions
Mechanized Warfare - MTG Card versions
Blood Moon - MTG Card versions
Pyromancer's Swath - MTG Card versions
Mana Flare - Wilds of Eldraine: Enchanting Tales (WOT)
Gravity Sphere - Legends (LEG)
Goblin War Drums - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Aggression - Ice Age (ICE)
Heat Stroke - Weatherlight (WTH)
Seismic Assault - Tenth Edition (10E)
Torch Song - Urza's Saga (USG)
Ghitu War Cry - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Goblin Warrens - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Fervor - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Spellshock - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Mana Cache - Nemesis (NEM)
Insolence - Planeshift (PLS)
Steam Vines - Odyssey (ODY)
Curse of Hospitality - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Anax, Hardened in the Forge - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Draconic Destiny - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Mechanized Warfare - The Brothers' War Promos (PBRO)
Blood Moon - The List (PLST)
Pyromancer's Swath - Future Sight (FUT)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Claws of Valakut MTG card by a specific set like Worldwake and Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons, 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 Claws of Valakut and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Claws of Valakut Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2010-02-05 and 2011-04-01. Illustrated by Igor Kieryluk.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-02-05WorldwakeWWK 752003normalblackIgor Kieryluk
22011-04-01Duel Decks: Knights vs. DragonsDDG 722003normalblackIgor Kieryluk

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Claws of Valakut has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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