Trollbred Guardian MTG Card


Trollbred Guardian - Ravnica Allegiance
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Troll Frog Warrior
Abilities Adapt
Released2019-01-25
Set symbol
Set nameRavnica Allegiance
Set codeRNA
Power 5
Toughness 5
Number148
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byMathias Kollros

Key Takeaways

  1. The adapt ability of Trollbred Guardian offers late-game power boosts, acting like a card advantage.
  2. While not a ramp card, its synergy with +1/+1 counters can accelerate your board’s threat level.
  3. Its adapt mechanic allows surprise combat tricks, mimicking instant speed to catch opponents off-guard.

Text of card

: Adapt 2. (If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put two +1/+1 counters on it.) Each creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it has trample.

His favorite food is kraul.


Card Pros

Trollbred Guardian is a card that weaves itself neatly into the fabric of a well-constructed MTG deck due to its various advantages. Let’s delve into what makes this creature card a beneficial addition to your arsenal.

Card Advantage: While Trollbred Guardian doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, its adapt ability gives you the option to strengthen it during the later stages of the game. This means that instead of drawing into another creature, you can essentially ‘draw’ power and toughness onto the board by making the Guardian bigger, achieving a kind of card advantage through improved board presence.

Resource Acceleration: Resource acceleration isn’t directly granted by Trollbred Guardian; however, its synergy with decks that capitalize on +1/+1 counters can lead to ramping advantages. As you accumulate these counters, not only does the Guardian grow, but it also interacts with other cards that benefit from or add to the proliferation of these counters, indirectly leading to a form of resource acceleration as your board becomes more threatening at a quicker pace.

Instant Speed: Again, Trollbred Guardian isn’t an instant, but by virtue of its adapt mechanic, you have the flexibility to use it as a surprise combat trick. You can wait until your opponent’s end step to adapt the Guardian, making it instantly more formidable before your turn begins and reacting to the state of the game almost as if it had instant speed capabilities.

Considering these attributes, the Trollbred Guardian is an adaptable and strategic asset that can sway the tide of a match in your favor when used effectively.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Trollbred Guardian doesn’t specifically ask players to discard cards, it can indirectly lead to hand depletion. The card thrives in a deck with a strong +1/+1 counter theme, which often requires committing multiple cards to the board to boost its impact. This strategy can backfire if an opponent clears the board, leaving you short on cards and options.

Specific Mana Cost: Trollbred Guardian comes with a specific mana requirement that includes two green mana within its five total mana cost. This can pose a challenge in multicolored decks that might struggle to have the necessary green mana at the crucial time to cast it, therefore limiting its flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The five total mana cost of Trollbred Guardian is significant, especially when compared to other creatures in the format. While a 5/5 body with the potential for trample is substantial, in the ever-evolving MTG metagame, players might find more value in creatures that cost less and offer additional abilities or synergies.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Trollbred Guardian is a flexible inclusion in decks that utilize +1/+1 counters. Its adaptability allows it to become a significant threat at any stage of the game.

Combo Potential: This creature can synergize with various counter-centric cards to enhance its power. Its ability to give trample to other creatures with +1/+1 counters can turn an imposing board into an unstoppable force.

Meta-Relevance: As games become more prolonged and combat-oriented, Trollbred Guardian’s trample-enabling ability can be a game-changer, allowing your creatures to punch through defensive lines effectively.


How to beat

Trollbred Guardian emerges as a formidable creature within the world of Magic: The Gathering, boasting adaptability and the capacity to strengthen itself, not to mention its ability to enhance fellow creatures on the battlefield. Facing such a creature on the opposite side of the table compels one to devise a strategy aimed at mitigating its impact and ultimately overcoming its presence.

Contestants against the Guardian should consider removal spells capable of bypassing the Guardian’s increased size post-adaptation. Efficiency is key, with spells such as Murder or Doom Blade presenting optimal solutions due to their ability to target and destroy creatures irrespective of their power and toughness. Alternatively, players could deploy countermeasures such as countermagic to prevent the creature from entering the battlefield in the first place or enchantments that neutralize the creature’s abilities.

In essence, while Trollbred Guardian can indeed pose a significant threat once fully realized on the battlefield, a tactical approach utilizing targeted removal or preemptive disruption can effectively thwart the creature’s potential and safeguard one’s stance in the game.


Understanding Trollbred Guardian in Context

The Trollbred Guardian is a unique creature within the vast ecosystem of MTG cards. As a formidable green creature card, it holds its ground thanks to its adaptability and the ability to strengthen other creatures. By comparing it to similar cards, we get a clear picture of where it stands.

Cards like Trollbred Guardian

Trollbred Guardian finds its kin in cards like Battering Krasis. Both are aligned with Simic’s adapt mechanic, enabling them to grow in size. However, Trollbred Guardian takes a leap further with its ability to grant trample to any creature with a +1/+1 counter, giving it a key role in enabling hefty damage to bypass defending creatures. On the other side, we have the Renegade Krasis, whose evolutionary ability allows it to distribute +1/+1 counters each time it evolves, yet it doesn’t offer the trample bonus to other creatures like our Guardian does.

Trollbred Guardian also echoes the features of Experiment One, albeit at a higher cost and size. Both have the potential to regenerate and evolve, yet Experiment One is favored for its lower cost, providing a swift early game advantage. Still, in the late game, Trollbred Guardian’s influence can be more pronounced, turning any sizable creature into an immediate threat.

Despite the competition, Trollbred Guardian confidently holds a place in decks that capitalize on +1/+1 counter strategies, particularly in ‘go tall’ green strategies where its ability to confer trample can turn the tide of a game.

Battering Krasis - MTG Card versions
Renegade Krasis - MTG Card versions
Experiment One - MTG Card versions
Battering Krasis - Dragon's Maze (DGM)
Renegade Krasis - Dragon's Maze (DGM)
Experiment One - Gatecrash (GTC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Trollbred Guardian MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance, 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 Trollbred Guardian and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Trollbred Guardian has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

DateText
2019-01-25 If a creature somehow loses all of its +1/+1 counters, it can adapt again and get more +1/+1 counters.
2019-01-25 You can always activate an ability that will cause a creature to adapt. As that ability resolves, if the creature has a +1/+1 counter on it for any reason, you simply won’t put any +1/+1 counters on it.

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