Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials MTG Card


Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials - Innistrad
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Shaman Werewolf
Abilities Transform
Released2011-09-30
Set symbol
Set nameInnistrad
Set codeISD
Power 3
Toughness 3
Number208
Frame2003
Layouttransform
Borderblack
Illustred byDan Scott

Key Takeaways

  1. Offers both immediate board presence and a potential for incremental life gain in its transformed state.
  2. Enables ramp potential, accelerating mana availability to outpace competitors in the game.
  3. Transforms at instant speed, allowing for unexpected shifts and tactical advantages during play.

Text of card

At the beginning of each upkeep, if no spells were cast last turn, transform Ulvenwald Mystics.

"With this ritual, we cast aside our fragile humanity . . ."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The dual nature of Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials provides a strategic edge. In its initial form, you get a solid creature. Once transformed into Ulvenwald Primordials, it heals you each turn, offering sustained advantage over the course of the game.

Resource Acceleration: As Ulvenwald Primordials, this card intensifies your mana pool with each upkeep, giving you the ability to play higher-cost cards sooner and outpace your opponent’s board development.

Instant Speed: While the card itself isn’t an instant, the transformation into Ulvenwald Primordials occurs at instant speed under the right conditions. This allows for surprise swings in power, potentially catching opponents off guard and providing valuable momentum shifts during critical moments of play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials does not explicitly require a discard to play, its transform condition may encourage discarding other cards to enable delirium or other graveyard synergy mechanics. Carelessly discarding could deplete valuable hand resources without guarantee of a beneficial return.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a distinct combination of mana types to cast. Featuring both green and red mana in its cost, it necessitates a two-color deck build, which can be restrictive. Ensuring the availability of both types of mana may require a more complex and potentially less reliable mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is somewhat hefty at four mana, including both specific colors, the Mystics require a considerable investment before hitting the field. Moreover, to derive maximum benefit from its transformation into the Ulvenwald Primordials, players must often meet additional conditions that could involve further resource allocation, which can be cumbersome when faced with faster-paced decks.


Reasons to Include Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials in Your Collection

Versatility: Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials offers a dual-faceted functionality that supports a variety of deck strategies. Its ability to transform under certain conditions allows for adaptability during different phases of the game, making it a solid pick for decks that can leverage both its human and werewolf forms.

Combo Potential: As a card that changes states based on the game’s flow, it can trigger a range of interactions with other werewolf cards or those that capitalize on transformation mechanics. This provides a robust foundation for combo building, especially in decks focused around flipping cards for added benefits.

Meta-Relevance: Given that MTG metagames often fluctuate, leveraging a card like Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials could provide strategic advantages in environments where flipping cards can disrupt your opponent’s tempo or outpace control decks with transformative threats.


How to beat

Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials represents a transformative presence on the battlefield in MTG. This werewolf creature initially offers a sturdy 4/4 body that becomes even more formidable once night falls, as it transitions into Ulvenwald Primordials with a formidable 5/5 frame and the ability to regenerate. Controlling such a dual-threat can seem daunting, but understanding its vulnerabilities is key to overcoming it.

Effectively managing the day and night cycle is crucial, as the card’s strength hinges on this game mechanic. Additionally, opponents can capitalize on the Mystics’ transformation requirement by casting at least two spells in a turn to flip it back to its less threatening form. Spot removal spells are typically reliable, but timing is paramount. Using board wipes or direct removal before the Mystics become Primordials—or when they’re tapped out and unable to regenerate—is a strategic maneuver. Countering the initial casting offers a preemptive solution but requires readiness, as the available mana and right cards need to be in hand.

Overall, navigating against Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials demands tactical spellcasting and managing the rhythm of your own plays. This approach can neutralize the card’s potential power swings and regain control of the match, ensuring that these lycanthropes stay more myth than menace on the tabletop.


Cards like Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials

Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials stands out in the MTG realm of transformative creatures. Much like Kruin Outlaw // Terror of Kruin Pass, it offers strategic flexibility depending on the game state. Where Ulvenwald Mystics grants robust regeneration in its initial form, the Kruin Outlaw brings menace to the table, demanding an answer from opponents or posing a significant threat when unchecked.

Shifting to its night side, Ulvenwald Primordials echoes the prowess of Daybreak Ranger // Nightfall Predator. Both cards transform to reveal more aggressive and potent abilities. However, whereas Nightfall Predator offers a direct damage ability to single out creatures, Ulvenwald Primordials packs a fiercer punch with its improved stats and the potential to heal with each strike.

Ultimately, when we examine the transformative nature and consider the tactical adaptability of these creatures within MTG’s dynamic play, the Ulvenwald duo exhibits a formidable presence, blending defense and offense to adapt and dominate the battlefield.

Cards similar to Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials by color, type and mana cost

Giant Spider - MTG Card versions
Marsh Viper - MTG Card versions
Scarwood Bandits - MTG Card versions
Carnivorous Plant - MTG Card versions
Erhnam Djinn - MTG Card versions
War Mammoth - MTG Card versions
Aurochs - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Jackalope Herd - MTG Card versions
Golden Bear - MTG Card versions
Argothian Swine - MTG Card versions
Elvish Piper - MTG Card versions
Erithizon - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Cutter - MTG Card versions
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Fungusaur - MTG Card versions
Viridian Lorebearers - MTG Card versions
Monkey Monkey Monkey - MTG Card versions
Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker - MTG Card versions
Order of the Sacred Bell - MTG Card versions
Giant Spider - Tenth Edition (10E)
Marsh Viper - The Dark (DRK)
Scarwood Bandits - The Dark (DRK)
Carnivorous Plant - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Erhnam Djinn - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
War Mammoth - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Aurochs - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Lhurgoyf - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Jackalope Herd - Exodus (EXO)
Golden Bear - Portal Second Age (P02)
Argothian Swine - Urza's Saga (USG)
Elvish Piper - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Erithizon - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Skyshroud Cutter - Nemesis (NEM)
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Fungusaur - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Viridian Lorebearers - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Monkey Monkey Monkey - Unhinged (UNH)
Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Order of the Sacred Bell - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad, 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 Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ulvenwald Mystics // Ulvenwald Primordials has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2011-09-22 You can regenerate Ulvenwald Primordials in response to the triggered ability that would transform it. If you do, the regeneration shield will apply to Ulvenwald Mystics that turn.
2016-07-13 For more information on double-faced cards, see the Shadows over Innistrad mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/shadows-over-innistrad-mechanics).

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