Phytotitan MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost6
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Plant Elemental
Power 7
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Its ability to return tapped after destruction provides a dependable threat that opponents must address multiple times.
  2. Phytotitan’s versatility and combo potential make it a valuable asset in decks designed around recurring creatures.
  3. Despite its strengths, Phytotitan can be effectively countered with exile effects or by taking control of it.

Text of card

When Phytotitan dies, return it to the battlefield tapped under its owner's control at the beginning of their next upkeep.

Its root system spans the entire floor of the jungle, making eradication impossible.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Phytotitan shines in its resilience, offering continuous board presence. Even when defeated in combat or removed, it returns to the battlefield tapped at the beginning of the next upkeep, essentially providing a regenerating threat that demands repeated answers from opponents.

Resource Acceleration: Despite not accelerating resources in the traditional sense, Phytotitan’s innate ability to return to the game can indirectly save mana. This is because, instead of casting new creatures, players can invest their mana into other spells, knowing Phytotitan will recover from most situations.

Instant Speed: While Phytotitan operates at sorcery speed due to being a creature, its unwavering return to the battlefield can be a strategic advantage. Savvy players can capitalize on this by planning their turns accordingly, leaving mana open for other instant-speed interactions since they don’t need to recast Phytotitan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Phytotitan offers resilience with its recurring ability, it mandates frequent sacrificing or discarding from your hand to trigger its return from the graveyard. This can be a taxing demand on your hand, especially when you’re trying to maintain card advantage against your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Phytotitan requires a precise combination of mana to cast—specifically four generic and two green mana. This can potentially skew your deck building strategy, as you have to ensure a consistent flow of green sources, possibly making your land base less flexible for other spells.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of six mana, Phytotitan is a hefty investment, particularly considering the calibre of threats or board presence other cards could establish for the same or less investment. In fast-paced formats where tempo is critical, dedicating six mana to a single creature that doesn’t have an immediate impact might be problematic.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Phytotitan is a unique creature card that can fit into various deck types that take advantage of its recurring ability to return to the battlefield. It can be a persistent threat in midrange and control decks, consistently providing board presence.

Combo Potential: With its ability to return to play after being destroyed, Phytotitan works well with sacrifice outlets and strategies revolving around death triggers, creating opportunities for powerful combos and interactions.

Meta-Relevance: As the gaming environment shifts, Phytotitan can become an unexpected trump card, particularly in metas where removal is prevalent, and endurance is key to outlasting opponents.


How to Beat Phytotitan

Phytotitan is a formidable creature in Magic: The Gathering that threatens to return to the battlefield whenever it is destroyed. This trait can make the card frustrating to deal with in any match as it lingers like a specter over the battlefield, ready to re-emerge. However, understanding its weaknesses is key to neutralizing its menacing presence effectively.

One straightforward approach is to use exile effects. Since Phytotitan’s ability triggers only when it is destroyed, removing it from the game entirely circumvents its return. Therefore, casting spells that exile target creatures will ensure that Phytotitan doesn’t get the chance to come back. Another tactic is to take control of the creature. If you gain control of Phytotitan and it dies under your watch, it won’t return to the opponent’s side on the next player’s upkeep. Additionally, since Phytotitan returns to the battlefield tapped, making use of this vulnerability by applying pressure while your opponent’s defenses are down could be crucial, leaving them open to a decisive attack.

While Phytotitan presents a recurring threat with its ability to rise time and again, a strategic approach focusing on exile effects, control magic, and timely aggression can ensure victory against this persistent force of nature.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG involves not only recognizing potent cards but understanding how to weave them into your deck strategy. Phytotitan stands as a resilient force, repeatedly returning to pressure your opponents. Its regenerative nature can be the cornerstones of control or midrange decks, defying common removal threats. However, consider its mana requirements and the tempo of your deck. Phytotitan may not fit every deck archetype, but when it aligns with your strategy, it shines its brightest. Curious about how to optimize Phytotitan in your deck? Ready to explore interactions that can bring your deck together? Join us for deeper insights and become the architect of an indomitable deck.


Cards like Phytotitan

Phytotitan shines in its unique resilience on the battlefield. When considering other creatures that return to the battlefield, Strangleroot Geist is a card that might come to mind. This spirit bears the undying mechanic, allowing it to come back once with a +1/+1 counter. However, Phytotitan’s rebirth is not limited to just once, effectively returning at the beginning of each of your upkeeps if destroyed. That said, it does have a notable drawback: the return is delayed until the next upkeep, potentially giving opponents a window of opportunity to react.

Reviving creatures in Magic: The Gathering often comes with caveats. Reassembling Skeleton, for example, allows for repeated revival, similar to Phytotitan. Yet, the Skeleton’s power lies in its low-cost revival and instant speed, which Phytotitan lacks. On the flip side, the titan boasts a formidable 7/2 stat line, offering a much bigger threat. Then we have Penumbra Wurm, which, rather than returning to the board, creates a token replica upon death. Unlike its similarity in resilience, Phytotitan requires no mana investment to return, essentially outlasting many in a war of attrition.

In a landscape of regenerative creatures within Magic: The Gathering, Phytotitan stands out for its relentless returns and substantial combat presence, making it a compelling option in decks that capitalize on recurring threats.

Strangleroot Geist - MTG Card versions
Reassembling Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Penumbra Wurm - MTG Card versions
Strangleroot Geist - Dark Ascension Promos (PDKA)
Reassembling Skeleton - Archenemy (ARC)
Penumbra Wurm - Apocalypse (APC)

Cards similar to Phytotitan by color, type and mana cost

Craw Wurm - MTG Card versions
Gaea's Liege - MTG Card versions
Wiitigo - MTG Card versions
Autumn Willow - MTG Card versions
Ancient Silverback - MTG Card versions
Sulam Djinn - MTG Card versions
Verdeloth the Ancient - MTG Card versions
Nemata, Grove Guardian - MTG Card versions
Gang of Elk - MTG Card versions
Kavu Howler - MTG Card versions
Crashing Centaur - MTG Card versions
Giant Warthog - MTG Card versions
Rhox - MTG Card versions
Kodama of the East Tree - MTG Card versions
Terra Stomper - MTG Card versions
Feral Throwback - MTG Card versions
Brontotherium - MTG Card versions
Elvish Aberration - MTG Card versions
Force of Nature - MTG Card versions
Fangren Pathcutter - MTG Card versions
Craw Wurm - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Gaea's Liege - Revised Edition (3ED)
Wiitigo - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Autumn Willow - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Ancient Silverback - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Sulam Djinn - Invasion (INV)
Verdeloth the Ancient - Modern Masters (MMA)
Nemata, Grove Guardian - The List (PLST)
Gang of Elk - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Kavu Howler - Apocalypse (APC)
Crashing Centaur - Odyssey (ODY)
Giant Warthog - Judgment (JUD)
Rhox - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Kodama of the East Tree - Commander Legends (CMR)
Terra Stomper - Zendikar (ZEN)
Feral Throwback - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Brontotherium - Legions (LGN)
Elvish Aberration - Masters 25 (A25)
Force of Nature - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Fangren Pathcutter - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Phytotitan MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic 2015 Promos, 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 Phytotitan and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Phytotitan Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2014-07-17 and 2014-07-18. Illustrated by Marco Nelor.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 538302015normalblackMarco Nelor
22014-07-17Magic 2015 PromosPM15 1912015normalblackMarco Nelor
32014-07-18Magic 2015M15 1912015normalblackMarco Nelor

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Phytotitan has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-07-18 Phytotitan’s ability will return it to the battlefield only if it’s still in the graveyard when the delayed triggered ability resolves. If it’s not, it won’t return to the battlefield.

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