Claws of Wirewood MTG Card
2003-05-26 - Number 114
2014-06-16 - Number 201
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Cycling |
Key Takeaways
- Offers card advantage by potentially removing multiple flying threats in one sweep.
- Indirectly accelerates resources, enabling ground assaults by clearing aerial defenses.
- Effects versatility, combo potential, and targeted meta-relevance make it a strategic inclusion.
Text of card
Claws of Wirewood deals 3 damage to each creature with flying and each player. Cycling (, Discard this card from your hand: Draw a card.)
They say the forest has eyes. They never mention its claws.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Claws of Wirewood offers a significant advantage by potentially dealing damage to multiple flying creatures. This impact can tilt the board presence in your favor, potentially removing threats while maintaining your creatures on the field.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly increasing your mana pool, the ability to clear the skies of opponent’s flying creatures can be a form of indirect resource acceleration. It paves the way for your ground forces to attack without the interference of potentially stronger aerial defenders, effectively hastening the pace at which you can reduce your opponent’s life points.
Instant Speed: The surprise element of Claws of Wirewood being a sorcery can put opponents off-balance. Although not at instant speed, the timing of this card’s deployment during your turn can be pivotal, aligning with your strategic plays and potentially catching your opponent during a moment of vulnerability.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Claws of Wirewood comes with a caveat that impacts your hand. To unleash its power, you’re required to discard a card. This can backfire, especially during late-game scenarios where every card in hand is vital for clinching the win. Strategic players might find this trade-off limiting, particularly when their hand size is dwindling and every resource counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Deck construction can be a delicate art, and the mana requirements for Claws of Wirewood dictate its place in a deck. Requiring three green mana, it finds synergy in monogreen or heavily green-influenced decks. However, this can be restrictive, as players with multicolored or less green-centric decks might find it challenging to consistently meet its mana demands, thereby reducing the card’s overall flexibility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, including three of which are green-specific, Claws of Wirewood necessitates a significant mana investment. In a game where tempo and efficiency are key, its mana cost may deter some players from including it in their decks. There are alternative spells that can deliver similar or greater impact with a lower or more flexible mana cost, which tends to be a more appealing choice for players looking to optimize their gameplay.
Reasons to Include Claws of Wirewood in Your Collection
Versatility: Claws of Wirewood is not pigeonholed into a single strategy. It can be a game-changer in decks that are designed to deal with a board full of flying creatures. With its ability to deal damage to each creature with flying and each player, it becomes a strategic weapon in various matchups.
Combo Potential: As a card that impacts multiple targets, Claws of Wirewood holds potential in combos, especially in decks that capitalize on damage amplification or spells that benefit from targeting multiple objects or players.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that is heavy with flying creatures, this card becomes an unassuming trump card. Its ability to clear the skies can tilt the battlefield in your favor, while also dealing incidental damage to opponents which can be pivotal in competitive play.
How to beat
Claws of Wirewood stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a unique sorcery spell. This card delivers a punch, dealing damage to each creature with flying and each player. It’s a strategic asset in games, especially for those looking to counteract decks heavily reliant on flying creatures.
To effectively counter Claws of Wirewood, it’s worthwhile to focus on versatility. Since the card impacts players directly as well, running life gain strategies can mitigate the damage taken. Additionally, incorporating creatures without flying, or those with reach, ensures your board presence remains unaffected by its sweeping effect. Cards with hexproof or shroud can also evade the damage altogether, ensuring your key creatures stay in play. It’s also advisable to have instant-speed removal or counterspells handy to deal with Claws of Wirewood, as preventing it from resolving can be the most straightforward approach.
Understanding the card’s domain is crucial; Claws of Wirewood can sway the game’s momentum in favor of the caster. A well-prepared defense that anticipates such threats and employs countermeasures will ensure this card does not become the downfall of a carefully crafted strategy.
Cards like Claws of Wirewood
Claws of Wirewood joins the roster of impactful sorceries that target multiple creatures in Magic: The Gathering. A fitting comparison can be made with Earthquake, a card that also deals damage to each creature without flying and each player. Yet, what distinguishes Claws of Wirewood is its cycling ability, allowing players an alternative way to utilize the card when it’s not the prime time to cast it. Earthquake lacks this, presenting Claws of Wirewood with an edge in flexibility.
Likewise, Pyroclasm and Anger of the Gods offer similar mass-damage effects at a cheaper cost. Pyroclasm deals two damage to each creature, presenting a weaker but more cost-efficient board sweeping option. On the other hand, Anger of the Gods has the extra benefit of exiling creatures it kills, preventing graveyard-based strategies from flourishing. Compared to these, Claws of Wirewood does have the unique trait of avoiding creatures with flying, potentially steering clear of your own aerial threats while affecting the field.
Assessing across various factors, Claws of Wirewood provides a situational advantage for players looking to strategize around a flying-heavy metagame, proving its specialized use in certain decks within Magic: The Gathering’s vast array of board control options.
Cards similar to Claws of Wirewood by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Claws of Wirewood MTG card by a specific set like Scourge and Vintage Masters, 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 Wirewood and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Claws of Wirewood Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2003-05-26 and 2014-06-16. Illustrated by Tony Szczudlo.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2003-05-26 | Scourge | SCG | 114 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Tony Szczudlo | |
| 2 | 2014-06-16 | Vintage Masters | VMA | 201 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tony Szczudlo |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Claws of Wirewood has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Claws of Wirewood card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not. |
