Rumbling Baloth MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Beast
Power 4
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Forces opponents to use resources, potentially leading to card advantage on your side.
  2. Excels in ramp strategies, allowing for quicker play than its mana cost suggests.
  3. Complements green’s instant-speed interactions, enhancing combat and board dynamics.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While the Rumbling Baloth might not directly hand you extra cards, its formidable presence on the battlefield often demands a response from the opposition. This can lead to situations where opponents are forced to use removal spells or other resources to deal with it, potentially giving you a card advantage as they expend multiple cards to contend with just one of yours.

Resource Acceleration: Standing strong in green’s slice of the color pie, the Rumbling Baloth shines in decks oriented toward resource acceleration. It benefits immensely from ramp strategies, where lands and mana dorks pave the way for a quicker deployment than its four-mana cost might suggest. This ensures that your game plan stays ahead of the curve, applying pressure and molding the pace of the game.

Instant Speed: While the Rumbling Baloth operates at sorcery speed, its existence in a deck often complements the instant-speed dynamics of green’s interaction with the board. For instance, it pairs well with combat tricks and flash creatures that can be played at instant speed, creating opportunities for advantageous engagements and surprise synergies during your turn or in response to an opponent’s actions.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Rumbling Baloth requires a specific mana investment of four green to cast. This can be restrictive and often necessitates a deck heavily focused on producing green mana or one that includes mana fixing to ensure it can be played on curve.

Discard Requirement: While Rumbling Baloth itself does not have a discard requirement, its typical role in decks that utilize creatures for card advantage could lead to situations where discarding cards becomes necessary, indirectly affecting its utility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its four green mana cost, Rumbling Baloth can be considered mana-intensive, especially when compared to other four-mana creatures in MTG. There are creatures with lower mana costs and potentially more impactful abilities or stats, which may offer better board presence or game advancement at an earlier stage.


Reasons to Include Rumbling Baloth in Your Collection

Versatility: Rumbling Baloth offers a robust addition to any green deck, standing out with its solid stats. As a 4/4 creature for four mana, it can hold its own on the battlefield, fitting seamlessly into both aggressive and midrange decks.

Combo Potential: With its respectable power and toughness, Rumbling Baloth works well with various cards that synergize with sizable creatures. Enhance its impact by pairing it with enchantments or abilities that capitalize on its sheer presence during combat.

Meta-Relevance: Particularly in formats where creature-based strategies are prevalent, the Baloth can become a valuable asset. Its straightforward mana cost makes it a reliable play in the face of removal-heavy environments, ensuring you have a consistent board presence.


How to Conquer Rumbling Baloth

Rumbling Baloth, with its formidable presence on the battlefield, can be a genuine challenge in Magic: The Gathering. The key to mastering this creature lies in understanding its capabilities and planning a strategy around its sheer power. As a vanilla 4/4 creature for four mana, it offers no immediate board impact aside from its size, which can be used to your advantage.

To effectively counter this beast, look towards removal spells or cards that negate its strength. Murder is a straightforward spell that can eliminate the Baloth regardless of its size. Similarly, bounce spells like Unsummon can pave the way to victory, putting the Baloth back in its owner’s hand and opening up their defenses. Counter spells held until the opponent attempts to cast Rumbling Baloth can prevent it from ever touching the field.

Strategically, board control and removal spells are your best friends against Rumbling Baloth. Efficient trading and timing your spells will inevitably render this gentle giant a non-issue. In multicolor games, exile effects or forced sacrifice can also be effective. Utilizing such strategies will ensure that the Rumbling Baloth’s impact is minimal, allowing you to turn the tide of the game in your favor.


Cards like Rumbling Baloth

Rumbling Baloth is an intriguing beast creature in Magic the Gathering that offers solid board presence for a green deck. Comparable to other four-mana creatures such as Baloth Gorger, Rumbling Baloth offers a consistent 4/4 body without additional mana investment. Baloth Gorger, however, has the potential to grow further, thanks to its kicker ability, but requires an additional investment of mana to truly outshine the simple efficiency of the Rumbling Baloth.

Another peer in the circle of green creatures is the Scaled Behemoth. While this colossal creature provides a hefty 6/7 stat line and hexproof, it demands a higher mana cost. The Rumbling Baloth’s lower cost can help to stabilize the board earlier in the game. Lastly, let’s consider the Leatherback Baloth, a card valued for its lower cost and substantial 4/5 stats, but it’s locked behind a requirement of three green mana symbols, making it less flexible in multicolored decks compared to the Rumbling Baloth.

When comparing these cards, Rumbling Baloth stands as a go-to choice for players looking for a straightforward, low-maintenance creature that fits seamlessly into various green deck builds, offering reliable power and toughness on the battlefield at a reasonable cost.

Baloth Gorger - MTG Card versions
Scaled Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Leatherback Baloth - MTG Card versions
Baloth Gorger - Dominaria (DOM)
Scaled Behemoth - Amonkhet (AKH)
Leatherback Baloth - Wizards Play Network 2010 (PWP10)

Cards similar to Rumbling Baloth 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 Rumbling Baloth MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014 and Arena New Player Experience Extras, 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 Rumbling Baloth and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Rumbling Baloth Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2013-07-19 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Jesper Ejsing.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-07-19Magic 2014M14 1932003normalblackJesper Ejsing
22018-07-14Arena New Player Experience ExtrasXANA 472015normalblackJesper Ejsing
32020-07-17JumpstartJMP 4262015normalblackJesper Ejsing
42020-08-13Arena Beginner SetANB 1032015normalblackJesper Ejsing

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rumbling Baloth has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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