Lotleth Giant MTG Card
2018-10-05 - Number 74
2023-08-04 - Number 171
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 7 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Zombie Giant |
| Abilities | Undergrowth |
| Power | 6 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Key Takeaways
- Enhances card advantage by turning graveyards into a damage-dealing resource.
- Pairs well with instant-speed graveyard fillers, adding a layer of strategy.
- Demands a substantial graveyard buildup for maximum effectiveness.
Text of card
Undergrowth — When Lotleth Giant enters the battlefield, it deals 1 damage to target opponent for each creature card in your graveyard.
"I prefer the big and looming to the small and skittering." —Cevraya, Golgari shaman
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When Lotleth Giant enters the battlefield, it becomes a devastating force for those who manipulate their graveyard effectively. It deals damage to an opponent equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard. This effect not only pressures your opponent’s life total but also turns the graveyard into a resource, enhancing your card advantage in long games.
Resource Acceleration: Although Lotleth Giant itself doesn’t accelerate resources in the traditional sense, paving the way for its arrival often involves stocking the graveyard with creatures quickly. This can be leveraged by other cards that capitalize on high creature counts in the graveyard, effectively accelerating the impact of Lotleth Giant’s entry and the power of recursion strategies.
Instant Speed: While Lotleth Giant operates at sorcery speed, its undergrowth ability aligns perfectly with instant-speed interactions that fill the graveyard. This means that even though the giant itself may arrive predictably, the power it wields comes from the unpredictability and instant-speed manipulation of the graveyard throughout the course of the match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One potential drawback is that Lotleth Giant’s Undergrowth ability requires a substantial number of creature cards in the graveyard to be truly effective. This need for a discard strategy can leave you vulnerable if your game plan doesn’t pan out or if an opponent has graveyard disruption tactics.
Specific Mana Cost: Lotleth Giant comes with a hefty seven mana to cast, of which one must be black. This specific mana requirement means it can be challenging to accommodate in multicolored decks, potentially restricting its play to primarily black or Golgari (black-green) decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The sheer scale of its seven mana cost can make Lotleth Giant a late-game play. In quicker formats or against aggressive decks, having high-cost cards in hand early on can slow down your game progression significantly compared to other lower-cost creatures or spells which offer immediate impact on the board.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Lotleth Giant functions as more than just a creature card. With its ability to deal damage equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard, it serves as an excellent finisher in decks that utilize self-mill or reanimation strategies.
Combo Potential: This giant offers significant combo potential in decks that rapidly fill the graveyard. Pairing it with cards like Stitcher’s Supplier or Glowspore Shaman amplifies its impact, turning it into a game-ending threat.
Meta-Relevance: Given the rise of graveyard-centric decks in the current competitive scene, Lotleth Giant has become a relevant choice for its ability to swing games in favor of players who capitalize on synergies between the graveyard and the battlefield.
How to beat
Lotleth Giant is a unique card within Magic: The Gathering, presenting a challenge for players due to its imposing presence and game-ending Undergrowth ability. This creature becomes more potent with each creature card in your graveyard, potentially dealing lethal damage upon entering the battlefield. Understanding the mechanics behind Lotleth Giant is key to formulating a successful counter-strategy.
Effective approaches to tackle this formidable foe include keeping graveyard interaction to a minimum, thereby reducing the Giant’s impact. Cards with graveyard hate, such as Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void, can neutralize the threat by eliminating the Undergrowth trigger’s potential. Alternatively, countering this creature spell could prevent it from reaching the battlefield altogether. Ensuring the availability of counterspells in your deck at crucial moments is essential. Lastly, instant-speed removals that can target Lotleth Giant after it hits the field but before its ability resolves, can save you from an otherwise devastating turn.
By focusing on these tactical maneuvers, MTG players can effectively mitigate the Lotleth Giant’s impact on the game, maintaining control and emerging victorious even in the face of such a colossal adversary.
Cards like Lotleth Giant
Lotleth Giant stands out in the roster of finisher creatures in the realm of Magic: The Gathering. It offers a unique endgame option by dealing damage to an opponent based on the number of creature cards in your graveyard. This is somewhat reminiscent of creatures like Bonehoard, which gains power and toughness equivalent to the number of creatures in all graveyards, although it doesn’t deal direct damage.
In comparing Lotleth Giant to other cards, Breaker of Armies calls for mention; it also presents a colossal late-game threat, though its impact is on board control rather than life totals. Moreover, unlike Breaker of Armies, Lotleth Giant’s undergrowth ability scales with graveyard size, rewarding a more graveyard-focused strategy. Then there’s Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord, who sacrifices creatures for a similar effect but offers repeatable use at the expense of requiring more board presence.
Overall, Lotleth Giant holds a niche as a dedicated closer in graveyard-centric decks that can accumulate a significant number of creatures in the graveyard, providing a potentially match-ending burst of damage.
Cards similar to Lotleth Giant by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Lotleth Giant MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Commander 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 Lotleth Giant 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 Lotleth Giant Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Alex Konstad.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018-10-05 | Guilds of Ravnica | GRN | 74 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alex Konstad | |
| 2 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 171 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Alex Konstad |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Lotleth Giant has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Lotleth Giant card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-10-05 | Because tokens aren’t cards, they never count for undergrowth abilities. |
| 2018-10-05 | Creature cards with other types, such as artifact creature cards, count for undergrowth abilities. |
