Earth Servant MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Elemental
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Earth Servant empowers your board presence, making it a force that opponents can’t ignore.
  2. Its dependence on mountains can limit deck versatility and may strain your hand.
  3. Earth Servant’s power scales with land synergy, becoming a potent threat in red decks.

Text of card

Earth Servant gets +0/+1 for each Mountain you control.

"Fire. Air. Water. These elements spread, filling in the spaces they are not. But earth is implacable like a sullen child." —Jestus Dreya, *Of Elements and Eternity*


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Earth Servant shines when it comes to tipping the card advantage in your favor. In matches where board presence equates to power, this elemental ally stands tall by providing a significant threat that demands answers, consequently thinning out your opponent’s hand and resources.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly contributing to resource acceleration, the robust mana requirements of Earth Servant encourage the development of a mana-rich board state. Building a deck around such powerful creatures often leads to including various methods of ramping up your mana, thus speeding up your gameplay and allowing for quicker deployment of your game-changing spells.

Instant Speed: While Earth Servant itself isn’t an instant, its presence impacts game decisions at instant speed. Opponents are forced to deal with it immediately, often at the cost of diverting instant speed removal that could have been used elsewhere. In this way, it indirectly adds strategic depth to each move you make, setting up opportunities for you to capitalize on instant speed actions while your foe is distracted.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While striving to summon a formidable creature like Earth Servant, players must be mindful of its reliance on having a mountain to discard. This requirement can prove to be a hindrance, especially when a player’s hand is running low on cards, leaving them with fewer options in the midst of battle.

Specific Mana Cost: Earth Servant’s effectiveness is intrinsically tied to a deck’s ability to produce red mana. Its dependency on this specific mana type restricts the card’s versatility, as it may not seamlessly integrate into various deck builds that do not prioritize mountains or red mana production.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The casting cost associated with bringing Earth Servant to the field is substantial. With a demand for both red and generic mana, acquiring this creature can deplete valuable resources that might otherwise be allocated to more impactful plays or maintaining a diverse array of spells and abilities.


Reasons to Include Earth Servant in Your Collection

Versatility: Earth Servant shines in decks that are heavy on mountains, as its power increases with each mountain you control. This makes it a flexible addition to red decks that capitalize on land synergy.

Combo Potential: With its power directly tied to the number of mountains you have on the field, Earth Servant can be a game-changer in land-based combo decks. It can work in tandem with cards that allow land manipulation to quickly become a formidable threat.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where red decks and land strategies are prevalent, Earth Servant’s scalability can make it a potent force against opponents. Its solid stature as a creature card makes it relevant in various matchups, holding its own in a dynamic competitive environment.


How to beat

Earth Servant is a force to be reckoned with in Magic: The Gathering, known for its power that is directly tied to the number of mountains you control. To topple this mighty creature, it’s essential to disrupt the land balance that fuels its strength. Land destruction spells or effects that alter land types can significantly cut down Earth Servant’s power, making it more manageable.

Another effective strategy involves redirecting its potency against itself. Cards that reverse damage or spells that negate abilities deprive the Earth Servant of its primary advantage. Additionally, redirecting the attention of Earth Servant can be a smart move, using tricks or spells that force it to attack or block unwillingly, potentially opening up its controller to vulnerabilities. Instant speed removal spells that can deal with creatures before they become too powerful or require too much mana are also key in controlling this creature type.

In essence, Earth Servant’s reliance on mountains provides a clear pathway for countering it. By meticulously managing your resources and timings, ensuring you have the right answers when its strengths are amplified, you can maintain control over this powerful servant and come out victorious.


Cards like Earth Servant

Earth Servant shines in decks centered around land and elementals within Magic: The Gathering. This red creature thrives in an environment rich in mountains, drawing strength from each one under your control. In a manner similar to Valakut Invoker, another red creature that gains benefits from lands, Earth Servant proves to be formidable when the conditions are right. However, unlike the Invoker’s flexibility to dealing damage, Earth Servant boasts a larger body, making it a more robust blocker or attacker if you have a high mountain count on the battlefield.

Diving deeper into comparisons, Embodiment of Fury trails closely behind. Although it doesn’t pack the same power boost from mountains, it offers land recursion, turning your land cards into 3/3 creatures with trample, a unique feature that can drastically alter the playing field. The trade-off presents MTG players with interesting deck-building decisions between a steady power increase with Earth Servant or dynamic board control with Embodiment of Fury.

Ultimately, Earth Servant holds its own amongst MTG’s pantheon of elementals by offering a straightforward yet powerful advantage in land-dense decks, rewarding strategic terrain play with a formidable presence on the board.

Valakut Invoker - MTG Card versions
Embodiment of Fury - MTG Card versions
Valakut Invoker - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)
Embodiment of Fury - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)

Cards similar to Earth Servant by color, type and mana cost

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Etali, Primal Storm - MTG Card versions
Kamahl, Pit Fighter - MTG Card versions
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Lu Bu, Master-at-Arms - MTG Card versions
Shivan Dragon - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Firestorm Phoenix - Legends (LEG)
Crater Hellion - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Callous Giant - Invasion (INV)
Halam Djinn - Invasion (INV)
Bloodshot Cyclops - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Worldgorger Dragon - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Two-Headed Dragon - From the Vault: Dragons (DRB)
Iron-Barb Hellion - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Ryusei, the Falling Star - Iconic Masters (IMA)
Patron of the Akki - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Ronin Cavekeeper - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Oni of Wild Places - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Thundermare - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Pardic Dragon - Time Spiral (TSP)
Tectonic Fiend - Time Spiral (TSP)
Etali, Primal Storm - Dominaria United Commander (DMC)
Kamahl, Pit Fighter - Duels of the Planeswalkers (DPA)
Sunrise Sovereign - Lorwyn (LRW)
Lu Bu, Master-at-Arms - Masters Edition III (ME3)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Earth Servant MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2011 and Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth, 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 Earth Servant and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Earth Servant Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2010-07-16 and 2012-03-30. Illustrated by Lucas Graciano.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-07-16Magic 2011M11 1342003normalblackLucas Graciano
22012-03-30Duel Decks: Venser vs. KothDDI 602003normalblackLucas Graciano

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Earth Servant has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2010-08-15 The ability cares about lands with the land type Mountain, not necessarily lands named Mountain.

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