Ebon Stronghold MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
RarityUncommon
TypeLand

Key Takeaways

  1. Ebon Stronghold allows indirect card advantage by ramping up mana for key spells, pressuring opponentsearly in the game.
  2. Its sacrifice option adds black mana instantly, ideal for casting high-cost spells at critical moments in a match.
  3. The card’s entrance tapped and specific mana type can delay plays, but its versatility in black decks is unrivaled.

Text of card

Comes into play tapped. oc T: Add o B to your mana pool. oc T: Sacrifice Ebon Stronghold to add o Bo B to your mana pool.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ebon Stronghold doesn’t directly allow for drawing cards; instead, it sets the stage for indirect card advantage by helping you deploy your crucial spells ahead of time. Essentially, this translates to having more cards in play and fewer in your hand, which can often pressure your opponent into unfavorable situations.

Resource Acceleration: Upon entering the battlefield, Ebon Stronghold may have a bit of a drawback, coming into play tapped. However, its ability to sacrifice for additional black mana can significantly accelerate your resources at a critical moment. This can be pivotal, especially when you’re on the brink of casting high-cost, game-changing spells.

Instant Speed: While Ebon Stronghold operates at sorcery speed due to its nature as a land, the flexibility it offers comes in the form of resource management at instant timing. By holding up mana and sacrificing Ebon Stronghold during your opponent’s end step, you can effectively emulate instant-speed play by boosting your available mana for the next turn without tipping off your strategic plans too early.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ebon Stronghold forces you to sacrifice a creature when you utilize its ability, which is a steep price, especially if you’re playing a deck that relies on creature synergy or a critical creature presence on the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: This location produces only black mana, which might not be a perfect fit for multicolor decks that require a more versatile mana base to cast a diverse array of spells efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Accessing the additional black mana from Ebon Stronghold comes at the cost of it entering the battlefield tapped. This delay can be significant in the early game where the speed of mana availability is crucial, setting you behind other strategies that capitalize on faster mana ramp.


Reasons to Include Ebon Stronghold in Your Collection

Versatility: Ebon Stronghold provides a special niche in decks looking to utilize lands for more than just mana. It can be a resourceful addition to black decks as it offers both mana acceleration and fixing.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with strategies revolving around land recursion or sacrifice mechanics. By sacrificing Ebon Stronghold, you not only get an immediate mana boost but also set up potential synergies with cards that benefit from lands entering the graveyard.

Meta-Relevance: In a format where black-centric strategies are prominent, Ebon Stronghold ensures consistency by smoothing out mana curves. It’s a fitting choice for decks that require a critical mass of specific mana types to execute their game plan effectively.


How to beat Ebon Stronghold

Ebon Stronghold is a unique land card that has the ability to ramp up your mana reserves in Magic: The Gathering. But like any card, it has its vulnerabilities. The key to overpowering an Ebon Stronghold is to hinder the land’s ability to benefit your opponent. Consider employing land destruction cards or strategies to disrupt your opponent’s mana base. Cards such as Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin allow you to target specific lands, potentially removing Ebon Stronghold from play before your opponent can capitalize on its ability to sacrifice for additional black mana.

Another approach is to apply pressure early in the game. Since Ebon Stronghold enters the battlefield tapped and only produces colorless mana unless sacrificed, you can take advantage of the tempo loss your opponent experiences. Aggressive decks can capitalize on this by developing their board presence and reducing the opponent’s life total before they can make use of the mana boost Ebon Stronghold provides when sacrificed.

Remember, disrupting your opponent’s strategy is just as important as building your own. By effectively neutralizing Ebon Stronghold, you’ll be one step closer to securing victory on the battlefield.


Cards like Ebon Stronghold

Ebon Stronghold finds its niche in Mana acceleration and fixing within the realm of Magic: The Gathering. It’s akin to cards like Peat Bog, which also provides black Mana; however, Ebon Stronghold has the upper hand with its ability to be tapped for colorless Mana as well. Both lands come into play tapped and can be sacrificed for additional black Mana, though Ebon Stronghold offers a more flexible Mana base at the cost of entering play tapped as well.

Diving into the comparison, Barren Moor is another relative, offering both Mana consistency and card draw through cycling. While it doesn’t accelerate your black Mana production, the ability to draw a card at a later stage can be a tactical advantage. Then we find Lake of the Dead, a more aggressive option for black Mana ramp. Although it significantly boosts your black Mana, the requirement to sacrifice a swamp can be a steep price for the surge in Mana resources.

Assessing Ebon Stronghold among its counterparts, it stands out with its dual Mana capability and a one-time Mana boost with no additional cost besides entering the battlefield tapped. This makes it a solid consideration for decks looking to ensure Mana availability without too significant a loss in resources.

Peat Bog - MTG Card versions
Barren Moor - MTG Card versions
Lake of the Dead - MTG Card versions
Peat Bog - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Barren Moor - Onslaught (ONS)
Lake of the Dead - Alliances (ALL)

Cards similar to Ebon Stronghold by color, type and mana cost

Swamp - MTG Card versions
Volrath's Stronghold - MTG Card versions
Spawning Pool - MTG Card versions
Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt - MTG Card versions
Lake of the Dead - MTG Card versions
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire - MTG Card versions
Cabal Coffers - MTG Card versions
Crypt of Agadeem - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Salvage - MTG Card versions
Bojuka Bog - MTG Card versions
Ifnir Deadlands - MTG Card versions
Barren Moor - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Tower - MTG Card versions
Westvale Abbey // Ormendahl, Profane Prince - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Swamp - MTG Card versions
Hostile Hostel // Creeping Inn - MTG Card versions
Polluted Mire - MTG Card versions
The Black Gate - MTG Card versions
Barad-dûr - MTG Card versions
Thriving Moor - MTG Card versions
Swamp - Modern Horizons 3 (MH3)
Volrath's Stronghold - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Spawning Pool - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Lake of the Dead - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Takenuma, Abandoned Mire - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Cabal Coffers - Modern Horizons 2 (MH2)
Crypt of Agadeem - Zendikar (ZEN)
Dakmor Salvage - Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari (DDJ)
Bojuka Bog - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Ifnir Deadlands - Hour of Devastation (HOU)
Barren Moor - Commander 2019 (C19)
Phyrexian Tower - Ultimate Masters (UMA)
Westvale Abbey // Ormendahl, Profane Prince - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Snow-Covered Swamp - Kaldheim (KHM)
Hostile Hostel // Creeping Inn - Innistrad: Midnight Hunt (MID)
Polluted Mire - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
The Black Gate - Tales of Middle-earth Commander (LTC)
Barad-dûr - Tales of Middle-earth Promos (PLTR)
Thriving Moor - Commander Masters (CMM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ebon Stronghold MTG card by a specific set like Fallen Empires and Pro Tour Collector Set, 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 Ebon Stronghold and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ebon Stronghold Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 1994-11-01 and 2011-11-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11994-11-01Fallen EmpiresFEM 951993normalblackMark Poole
21996-05-02Pro Tour Collector SetPTC ll951993normalgoldMark Poole
31997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 4161997normalwhiteLiz Danforth
41999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 3241997normalwhiteLiz Danforth
52000-10-01Beatdown Box SetBTD 721997normalwhiteLiz Danforth
62008-09-22Masters Edition IIME2 2281997normalblackMark Poole
72011-11-18Premium Deck Series: GravebornPD3 252003normalblackLiz Danforth

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ebon Stronghold has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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