Zilortha, Strength Incarnate MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Dinosaur
Abilities Trample
Power 7
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Despite no direct card draw, Zilortha helps maintain board presence, saving resources and keeping powerful creatures safe.
  2. Demanding specific mana types, Zilortha’s steep cost can be restrictive, especially for non-Gruul strategy decks.
  3. Zilortha’s unique toughness-over-power ability makes it versatile, fitting into various deck archetypes and strategies.

Text of card

Trample Lethal damage dealt to creatures you control is determined by their power rather than their toughness.

"Many thought they knew its weakness. They are dead." —Kelsien, the Plague


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Zilortha, Strength Incarnate doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it encourages a strategy that mitigates card disadvantage. By protecting your creatures with high power from damage, it helps maintain a sturdy board presence, often saving resources over the course of a game.

Resource Acceleration: Although not a typical accelerant, Zilortha can accelerate your game plan by enabling you to apply pressure with powerful creatures early on. Commanding the battlefield with robust creatures can be just as impactful as ramping your mana resources, setting the pace in your favor.

Instant Speed: Zilortha itself may not function at instant speed, but it amplifies the strength of instant-speed interactions. As it makes high-power creatures less vulnerable to damage, you’re free to use instants for other strategic plays without worrying as much about the removal of your key creatures during combat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Zilortha, Strength Incarnate demands that you not only have the right creatures on the field but also requires additional resources to be effective. This adds pressure to maintain card advantage, which might not always be feasible during a game where every card in hand could be critical to your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Zilortha’s casting cost is specifically steep, demanding a precise combination of mana types that makes it less versatile and more challenging to slot into multicolored decks. Those not dedicated to a Gruul (red/green) strategy may find this mana cost restrictive and hard to manage.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its five-mana cost for an impressive body that influences creature toughness, Zilortha faces competition with other five-mana creatures or impactful spells that could provide immediate board presence or utility. Considering the speed of most games, the cost is on the higher side, potentially slowing down your tempo and leaving you vulnerable while you set up the required mana.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Zilortha, Strength Incarnate can seamlessly transition into a multitude of deck archetypes. With its ability to elevate your creatures’ toughness, it’s a natural fit for decks that prioritize durability and survival.

Combo Potential: Its unique perk, which links damage to toughness instead of power, unlocks numerous synergies. Players can devise inventive combinations that maximize the resilience of their creatures while dishing out serious punishment.

Meta-Relevance: For a metagame that is creature-heavy or where stalling tactics prevail, Zilortha can be a game-changer. It offers a robust design that can resist many of the common removal spells and thrive amid the battlefield’s chaos.


How to beat Zilortha, Strength Incarnate

Zilortha, Strength Incarnate presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to keep creatures alive based on their power rather than their toughness. However, there are strategic ways to tackle this formidable beast. One effective method is through the use of removal spells that don’t rely on damage, such as “Path to Exile” or “Rapid Hybridization”. These can bypass Zilortha’s passive ability altogether.

Controlling the board with enchantments like “Pacifism” or “Frogify” can also neutralize Zilortha without having to deal with its special ability. Moreover, since Zilortha thrives in decks with other powerful creatures, board wipes such as “Damnation” or “Wrath of God” can clear the path of multiple threats at once, irrespective of their power statistics.

Understanding the dynamics of when Zilortha hits the table is key. Maintain a reserve of answers in your deck and remember that while Zilortha can turn the tide of battles by virtue of its power, it also succumbs to the clever tactics of prepared opponents


BurnMana Recommendations

Grasping the strengths and weaknesses of Zilortha, Strength Incarnate is crucial to both wielding and countering its colossal presence in play. While its resilience against damage and ability to empower creature-based strategies are noteworthy, its specific mana requirements and high casting cost tell a tale of power and vulnerability. For deck builders keen on optimizing their lineups, considering Zilortha’s unique mechanics can offer a significant edge. Are you ready to explore the depths of this majestic dinosaur in your MTG journey? Dive deeper with us and unlock the full potential of Zilortha in your decks and collections.


Exploring the Power of Zilortha, Strength Incarnate

Zilortha, Strength Incarnate takes its rightful place among the giants of MTG creature cards. Comparable in heft to other formidable beings, Zilortha offers an intriguing mix of raw power and protective measures not often seen in one package. Its kinship might be noticed with cards such as Impervious Greatwurm, another colossal creature. They both boast devastating combat capabilities; however, Zilortha shines in its unique ability to keep creatures with high power safe from being dealt lethal damage unless via combat.

Cards like Zilortha, Strength Incarnate

Zilortha, Strength Incarnate is distinct among heavy hitters in MTG. Resembling the likes of Ghalta, Primal Hunger, Zilortha shares the twin agendas of an immense stat line and trample. Yet, it reaches further with its shield-like ability, ensuring creatures you control with significant power remain standing in strife, contrasting Ghalta’s solely aggressive nature. Another relative in scale and might is Galta, where the synergy with high-power creatures is apparent. Zilortha, nonetheless, shifts the dynamic, focusing on survival rather than just the massacre.

When stacking Zilortha up against these titans of the game, the differential is clear. Zilortha encapsulates a balance between offensive ferocity and defensive strategy. Its utility in decks that can harness and protect massive creatures turns the tides of battle, rendering this legendary dinosaur an exceptional ally. Hence, it does more than just compare with its colossal counterparts—it stands as a singular force within MTG’s array of gargantuan creatures.

Impervious Greatwurm - MTG Card versions
Ghalta, Primal Hunger - MTG Card versions
Impervious Greatwurm - MTG Card versions
Ghalta, Primal Hunger - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Zilortha, Strength Incarnate MTG card by a specific set like Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths and Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, 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 Zilortha, Strength Incarnate and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Zilortha, Strength Incarnate Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-04-24 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 275y2015NormalBlackChase Stone
22020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 2752015NormalBorderlessAntonio José Manzanedo
32023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 5992015NormalBlackChase Stone
42023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 3662015NormalBlackChase Stone

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Zilortha, Strength Incarnate has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-04-17 A creature with 0 power isn’t destroyed unless it has at least 1 damage marked on it.
2020-04-17 A creature with 0 toughness is put into its owner’s graveyard. This state-based action isn’t a consequence of damage, so Zilortha doesn’t affect it.
2020-04-17 Any time the game is checking whether damage is lethal or if a creature should be destroyed for having lethal damage marked on it, use the power of your creatures rather than their toughness to check the damage against. This includes being assigned trample damage, damage from Flame Spill, and so on.
2020-04-17 Because damage remains marked on a creature until the damage is removed as the turn ends, nonlethal damage dealt to a creature you control may become lethal if Zilortha enters or leaves the battlefield during that turn.

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