Koth of the Hammer MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Planeswalker — Koth
Loyalty 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Koth’s abilities allow for mana advantage, transforming mountains into powerful resources.
  2. Ramping capability and instant-speed play options create aggressive gameplay potential.
  3. Four mana casting cost and red mana dependency shapes deck compatibility.

Text of card

+1: Untap target Mountain. It becomes a 4/4 red Elemental creature until end of turn. It's still a land. -2: Add to your mana pool for each Mountain you control. -5: You get an emblem with "Mountains you control have ‘: This land deals 1 damage to target creature or player.'"


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Koth of the Hammer offers a unique kind of card advantage in MTG by enabling direct access to additional mana from your mountains, effectively multiplying the resources at your disposal and allowing you to cast more spells or activate abilities without sacrificing card presence in hand.

Resource Acceleration: Koth’s second ability is a quintessential tool for ramping, capable of turning any mountain into an engine for an aggressive mana boost. This acceleration allows for a faster gameplay, enabling you to outpace opponents by deploying threats or interacting with the board ahead of schedule.

Instant Speed: While Koth of the Hammer itself isn’t an instant, the synergy with lands it creates can lead to instant-speed interactions. By untapping a mountain, which can then be used for instant-speed spells, Koth indirectly contributes to the flexible and responsive playstyle that instant-speed magic allows.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Koth of the Hammer’s abilities do not necessitate a discard, so this drawback is not pertinent to his evaluation.

Specific Mana Cost: Koth’s loyalty abilities require a hefty commitment to red mana, which may not mesh well with multi-colored or color-flexible decks, potentially restricting deck-building options.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes three red mana, Koth of the Hammer can be difficult to play on curve, especially in decks that are not mono-red. Additionally, as planeswalkers go, four mana is a reasonable cost yet could be deemed costly depending on the tempo of the match and the player’s strategic goals.


Reasons to Include Koth of the Hammer in Your Collection

Versatility: Koth of the Hammer boasts a flexible skill set that allows him to be a competent player in various deck archetypes. His ability to untap mountains transforms them into potential damage sources or mana accelerators, making him a staple in red-focused decks.

Combo Potential: Koth’s ultimate ability can set off explosive plays, particularly in decks designed around land interactions. By turning mountains into persistent threats, he opens up the field for numerous synergistic plays that can swiftly turn the tide of any game.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames dominated by aggressive or midrange strategies, Koth can be an extremely valuable asset. His capacity to apply pressure through creating hasty land creatures or ramping up for significant spells keeps him relevant and often a step ahead of the opposing forces.


How to beat

Koth of the Hammer is a powerful planeswalker in MTG known for ramping up a player’s mana and turning mountains into threatening creatures. While facing Koth, timing is critical. The key to defeating this card is to manage your removal spells efficiently. It’s essential to have instant-speed removal to disrupt the activation of Koth’s abilities, especially when mountains are transformed into creatures. Additionally, countering Koth upon casting can protect your game plan from disruptive mana acceleration.

Direct damage spells and abilities that can target planeswalkers are also effective. This allows you to remove Koth from the field before its ultimate ability becomes a reality. It’s crucial to keep the board clear of multiple mountains, as they can quickly become a potent offensive force under Koth’s influence. Targeted land destruction or effects that restrict the untapping of lands can hinder the effectiveness of Koth’s abilities, preserving your control over the match. Understanding the strategies and mechanics that Koth brings to the table will be your best tool in neutralizing this formidable foe.


BurnMana Recommendations

MTG embraces a vast array of strategies, and Koth of the Hammer exemplifies the strength of quick mana acceleration and the clever usage of lands. If you’ve been intrigued by Koth’s capabilities, from turning mountains into mana sources to setting the stage for game-ending plays, there’s a wealth of knowledge awaiting you. Refine your deck-building skills, uncover powerful synergies, and gain the competitive edge that transforms every duel into a victory. Redefine your MTG experience with strategic insights and deck tech that will make your mountains more menacing than ever. Join the BurnMana community to further your journey in the spellbinding world of MTG.


Cards like Koth of the Hammer

Koth of the Hammer is a renowned planeswalker card in Magic: The Gathering with a unique blend of abilities that energize red mana strategies. When considering counterparts, Chandra, Torch of Defiance emerges as a strong parallel. Chandra offers a versatile toolkit, with both direct damage and card advantage, much like Koth’s potential to unlock mountains of mana. However, Koth specifically enhances mountain cards, turning them into immediate threats.

Another comparable card is Sarkhan Vol, which shares Koth’s affinity for augmenting creature capabilities but leans towards boosting an army of creatures instead of ramping up mana. Both planeswalkers excel in aggressive strategies, yet Koth’s singular focus on lands can sometimes offer a more direct path to overwhelming an opponent with resources.

While assessing similar planeswalker cards, Koth of the Hammer holds a distinctive niche in MTG for players looking to exploit land-centered tactics, making it a potent option particularly for mono-red decks centered around a rush of mountainous might.

Chandra, Torch of Defiance - MTG Card versions
Sarkhan Vol - MTG Card versions
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Kaladesh (KLD)
Sarkhan Vol - Shards of Alara (ALA)

Cards similar to Koth of the Hammer by color, type and mana cost

Zariel, Archduke of Avernus - MTG Card versions
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - MTG Card versions
Chandra, Fire Artisan - MTG Card versions
Jaya, Fiery Negotiator - MTG Card versions
Chandra, Pyromaster - MTG Card versions
Chandra, the Firebrand - MTG Card versions
Daretti, Scrap Savant - MTG Card versions
Chandra, Gremlin Wrangler - MTG Card versions
Chandra, Novice Pyromancer - MTG Card versions
Sarkhan, Wanderer to Shiv - MTG Card versions
Koth, Fire of Resistance - MTG Card versions
Zariel, Archduke of Avernus - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms (AFR)
Chandra, Torch of Defiance - Commander Masters (CMM)
Chandra, Fire Artisan - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Jaya, Fiery Negotiator - Dominaria United Promos (PDMU)
Chandra, Pyromaster - Amonkhet Remastered (AKR)
Chandra, the Firebrand - Magic 2013 (M13)
Daretti, Scrap Savant - Commander Masters (CMM)
Chandra, Gremlin Wrangler - 2016 Heroes of the Realm (HTR16)
Chandra, Novice Pyromancer - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Sarkhan, Wanderer to Shiv - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons (J21)
Koth, Fire of Resistance - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Koth of the Hammer MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin and Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth, 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 Koth of the Hammer and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Koth of the Hammer Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2010-10-01 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-10-01Scars of MirrodinSOM 942003normalblackJason Chan
22012-03-30Duel Decks: Venser vs. KothDDI 442003normalblackEric Deschamps
32019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 12482015normalblackSam Burley

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Koth of the Hammer has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Koth of the Hammer 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 Emblems behave similarly to enchantments: They have an ability that, in a general sense, continually affects the game. The primary difference between them is that emblems aren’t permanents and don’t exist on the battlefield. Nothing in the game can remove an emblem, simply because no other spell or ability references them. Once you get an emblem, you keep it for the rest of the game. Emblems have no color, name, card type, or other characteristics beyond the listed ability.
2011-01-01 If Koth’s first ability animates a Mountain that came under your control that turn, it will have “summoning sickness” and be unable to attack. It will also be unable to be tapped to activate an ability with the symbol in its cost, such as the Mountain’s mana ability or the ability granted to it by Koth’s emblem.
2011-01-01 Koth’s emblem grants an activated ability to each Mountain you control at any given time for the rest of the game. It will continuously check which permanents you control are Mountains to determine what has the ability. For example, a Mountain that comes under your control later in the game will have the ability, while a Mountain you controlled at the time the emblem was created, but that later came under the control of another player, will no longer have the ability.
2011-01-01 Koth’s first ability can target any Mountain, including an untapped Mountain and/or a Mountain another player controls.
2011-01-01 Loyalty abilities can’t be mana abilities. Koth’s second ability uses the stack and can be countered or otherwise responded to. Like all loyalty abilities, it can be activated only once per turn, during your main phase, when the stack is empty, and only if no other loyalty abilities of this permanent have been activated this turn.

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