Cantivore MTG Card


Cantivore - Odyssey
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Lhurgoyf
Abilities Vigilance
Released2001-10-01
Set symbol
Set nameOdyssey
Set codeODY
Power *
Toughness *
Number13
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byDaren Bader

Key Takeaways

  1. With graveyard enchantments, Cantivore becomes a dynamic threat that can rapidly escalate in power.
  2. Casting on curve can be challenging due to its specific mana cost, potentially hampering tempo.
  3. Removal spells and graveyard control are effective tactics for mitigating Cantivore’s impact on the game.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.

Text of card

Attacking doesn't cause Cantivore to tap. Cantivore's power and toughness are each equal to the number of enchantment cards in all graveyards.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Cantivore is a versatile card that can capitalize on the number of enchantments in a player’s graveyard. The ability to grow its power and toughness equal to the number of enchantments present gives players a unique way to turn late-game graveyard clutter into a tangible benefit, hence leveraging graveyard content into board presence.

Resource Acceleration: While Cantivore itself does not directly provide resource acceleration, its interaction with enchantments can indirectly bolster your resource management. By posing a significant threat that scales with enchantment volume, it forces opponents to handle it swiftly, potentially diverting resources that could have been used for acceleration of their own.

Instant Speed: Although Cantivore is a creature card and does not operate at instant speed, it influences the battlefield in a way that can rival the flexibility of instant-speed interactions. As your graveyard fills with enchantments naturally or through various game actions, Cantivore’s strength adjusts dynamically, often catching opponents off guard and requiring an immediate response.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside to Cantivore is that it’s reliant on card types residing in graveyards to be effective. Without a steady stream of spells in your own or your opponent’s graveyard, Cantivore’s power and toughness may remain low, which doesn’t justify its initial investment.

Specific Mana Cost: Cantivore comes with a very specific mana cost, which could be tricky for multicolored decks that struggle with color fixing. Not being able to cast it on curve due to mana issues can be a significant setback.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana, Cantivore’s initial investment is substantial when considering other creatures you could deploy at this stage in the game. There’s potential for it to enter the battlefield as a less-than-impressive threat if there aren’t enough enchantments in graveyards to power it up.


Reasons to Include Cantivore in Your Collection

Versatility: Cantivore offers a unique angle of play as it thrives in environments flush with enchantments. This creature grows stronger with each enchantment in all graveyards, making it adaptable to a variety of deck themes and a possible game-changer in the right setup.

Combo Potential: With each enchantment that hits the graveyard, Cantivore’s power and toughness increase, making it an ideal fit for decks centered around enchantment cycling or self-mill strategies where it can quickly become a formidable threat on the board.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where enchantments are widely used, Cantivore becomes significantly more relevant. Its ability to scale with the number of enchantments being used by all players makes it a strategic addition, particularly in longer, more drawn-out matches where graveyards are filled with a variety of spells.


How to beat Cantivore

Cantivore presents a unique challenge on the battlefield of Magic: The Gathering. It’s a card that grows in power and toughness for each enchantment in all graveyards. While facing a deck that features this card, your first instinct might be to limit the number of enchantments you play. However, a more effective strategy can be to focus on removals or graveyard manipulation.

Efficient removal spells are essential. Consider using instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or Beast Within, which can handle Cantivore regardless of its size at any point in the match. Moreover, active graveyard management can prove to be a game-changer. Spells like Relic of Progenitus or Bojuka Bog can exile graveyards, substantially reducing Cantivore’s potency. It’s also wise to avoid strategies relying heavily on enchantments unless you have a reliable way to counter your opponent’s strategy with Cantivore.

In short, adaptability is key when playing against Cantivore. By utilizing spell removals and graveyard manipulation, you can keep Cantivore’s threat under control and maintain an advantage on the playing field.


Cards like Cantivore

Cantivore presents a unique challenge to players seeking creatures that thrive on enchantments in the graveyard. Its power and toughness are determined by the number of enchantment cards in all graveyards, elevating it in games high on those spells. Size-wise, it seems akin to Lhurgoyf, another graveyard-dependent creature. Lhurgoyf’s strength grows with the total number of creature cards in all graveyards, but it does not interact with enchantments.

Analogous to Cantivore in synergy with a specific card type is Psychatog, which lets you discard or remove a card in your graveyard to bolster its power. While it doesn’t inherit the accumulating nature of Cantivore, Psychatog allows for instant size adjustments, making it a variable and sometimes unpredictable threat. Nighthowler is another creature that benefits from graveyards, but like Lhurgoyf, it’s confined to creatures, not enchantments, to buff its power.

In essence, when we measure the potency and deck-building potential across MTG cards with graveyard mechanics, Cantivore stands out especially in enchantment-heavy metas, offering an ever-scaling threat that can become a dominating force on the battlefield.

Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Psychatog - MTG Card versions
Nighthowler - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - Ice Age (ICE)
Psychatog - Odyssey (ODY)
Nighthowler - Theros Promos (PTHS)

Cards similar to Cantivore by color, type and mana cost

Argivian Blacksmith - MTG Card versions
Jamuraan Lion - MTG Card versions
Femeref Knight - MTG Card versions
Border Guard - MTG Card versions
Benalish Knight - MTG Card versions
Regal Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Wild Griffin - MTG Card versions
Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions
Dogged Hunter - MTG Card versions
Diving Griffin - MTG Card versions
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - MTG Card versions
Freewind Equenaut - MTG Card versions
Sanctum Guardian - MTG Card versions
Field Marshal - MTG Card versions
Kithkin Healer - MTG Card versions
Kor Hookmaster - MTG Card versions
Zhalfirin Commander - MTG Card versions
Silverblade Paladin - MTG Card versions
Emancipation Angel - MTG Card versions
Steelform Sliver - MTG Card versions
Argivian Blacksmith - Antiquities (ATQ)
Jamuraan Lion - Media Inserts (PMEI)
Femeref Knight - Mirage (MIR)
Border Guard - Portal (POR)
Benalish Knight - Anthologies (ATH)
Regal Unicorn - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Wild Griffin - Starter 2000 (S00)
Pianna, Nomad Captain - Odyssey (ODY)
Dogged Hunter - Odyssey (ODY)
Diving Griffin - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Faithful Squire // Kaiso, Memory of Loyalty - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Freewind Equenaut - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Sanctum Guardian - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Field Marshal - Coldsnap (CSP)
Kithkin Healer - Lorwyn (LRW)
Kor Hookmaster - Zendikar (ZEN)
Zhalfirin Commander - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Silverblade Paladin - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Emancipation Angel - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Steelform Sliver - Magic 2014 (M14)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cantivore MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey, 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 Cantivore and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Cantivore has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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