Jolrael, Empress of Beasts MTG Card
2000-06-05 - Number 115
2006-10-06 - Number 81
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Human Spellshaper |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Jolrael transforms lands into dual utility assets, enabling both attack and mana acceleration.
- Her instant speed activation allows for tactical surprise and reduced risk to lands.
- Green mana focus and discard costs must be weighed against her game-changing abilities.
Text of card
o G, oc T, Discard two cards from your hand: Until end of turn, all lands target player controls are 3/3 creatures that are still lands.
"I need no army. I have Jamuraa."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Jolrael, Empress of Beasts, shines when it comes to leveraging your card resources. Her ability to turn lands into creatures not only adds to your army but also can catch opponents off-guard, transforming a defensive position into a winning attack. This tactic offers the versatility needed to press an advantage or bluff a stronger board state than what appears at face value.
Resource Acceleration: The ability of this card to animate potentially every land you have into creatures is a formidable form of resource acceleration. With Jolrael in play, you effectively maximize the potential of your land drops by using them for mana or converting them into threats. Harnessing the full utility of your lands this way can quickly escalate your position in the game, especially against opponents who may not have access to their full suite of resources yet.
Instant Speed: One of Jolrael’s most strategic advantages is her instant speed activation. This allows you to wait until the last moment, perhaps during your opponent’s end step, to transform your lands and significantly reduces the risk to them from sorcery-speed removal. Utilizing instant speed effectively can keep your opponents on their toes and unprepared for the surge of creatures that can appear at a moment’s notice.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Harnessing Jolrael’s full potential means you need to discard two cards, which might deplete crucial hand resources and leave you vulnerable to opponents’ strategies.
Specific Mana Cost: Jolrael’s activation requires specific mana types, demanding a heavy commitment to green mana sources within your deck’s mana base, potentially compromising deck flexibility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a casting cost of 3GG, Jolrael arrives with a considerable demand on your mana resources, which might slow down your gameplay compared to options with similar abilities but lower mana requirements.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Jolrael, Empress of Beasts offers flexibility in deck construction, suitable for decks that want to turn lands into creatures for a massive attack or as a reaction to mass removal, protecting your more valuable creatures.
Combo Potential: With the right setup, this card unlocks creative combos by animating your lands or potentially working with mass land recursion effects to flood the board with creatures.
Meta-Relevance: As the game ebbs and flows with different strategies, this card remains relevant by offering a unique angle of attack and the ability to adapt to a variety of board states and opponent strategies.
How to beat
Jolrael, Empress of Beasts is a unique MTG card that can turn the tides of battle by transforming lands into creatures. This ability makes her a formidable opponent in matches. However, there are strategies to counteract her presence on the battlefield. One effective approach is to employ instant-speed removal cards. Such cards can be played in response to her ability activation, taking out key lands before they become a threatening army.
Furthermore, board wipes that clear all creatures can effectively reset the field, leaving your opponent’s lands vulnerable. Making the most of creature control spells and abilities to mitigate the transformed lands or to remove Jolrael before her ability goes off can save the day. Another tactic involves playing with cards that have landwalk abilities or can’t be blocked by creatures with certain power, taking advantage of the temporary nature of your opponent’s creatures.
Warding off Jolrael’s influence requires careful planning and a responsive strategy that makes timely use of control and removal tools, assuring that your opponent’s lands stay just that—lands.
Cards like Jolrael, Empress of Beasts
Jolrael, Empress of Beasts stands out in the realm of green magic users in MTG. She finds her likeness in cards like Kamahl, Heart of Krosa, who also has the ability to animate lands. Where Jolrael brings the earth itself to life, giving all lands creature abilities until end of turn, Kamahl serves a similar role. However, Kamahl distinguishes himself by granting trample to creatures and has an Overrun effect upon his own activation.
Another card that echoes Jolrael’s land animation ability is Nissa, Who Shakes the World. Nissa, as a planeswalker, focuses on a single land per turn, granting it not only animation but also the ability to produce additional mana. Sylvan Advocate also deserves mention as it empowers land creatures later in the game, yet it does not provide the animation itself.
Jolrael, with her sweeping effect to animate multiple lands at once, offers strategic versatility, filling the board with potential attackers or blockers in a pinch. Comparable cards may provide similar functionalities, but Jolrael allows players to suddenly shift the dynamic of the battlefield, making her a unique and formidable tool in the arsenal of MTG green mages.
Cards similar to Jolrael, Empress of Beasts by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Jolrael, Empress of Beasts MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy and Time Spiral Timeshifted, 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 Jolrael, Empress of Beasts and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Jolrael, Empress of Beasts Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2000-06-05 and 2006-10-06. Illustrated by Matthew D. Wilson.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000-06-05 | Prophecy | PCY | 115 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Matthew D. Wilson | |
| 2 | 2006-10-06 | Time Spiral Timeshifted | TSB | 81 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Matthew D. Wilson |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Jolrael, Empress of Beasts has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Jolrael, Empress of Beasts card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | Only affects lands the target player controls when the ability resolves. |
| 2004-10-04 | The lands do not get a creature type. |
| 2004-10-04 | The lands retain their abilities. |
| 2008-08-01 | A noncreature permanent that turns into a creature can attack, and its abilities can be activated, only if its controller has continuously controlled that permanent since the beginning of their most recent turn. It doesn’t matter how long the permanent has been a creature. |
