Mountain Goat MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Goat
Abilities Mountainwalk
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Mountain Goat enables wide board presence for potent plays important in specific MTG strategies.
  2. Its low casting cost accelerates resources and synergizes with creature count-based cards.
  3. Mountainwalk makes Mountain Goat a strategic addition in land-heavy red deck environments.

Text of card

Mountainwalk

"Folklore has it that to capture a Mountain Goat is a sign of divine blessing. I just know it's a sign that dinner is on the way." —Klazina Jansdotter, Leader of the Order of the Sacred Torch


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mountain Goat’s interaction with certain deck mechanics can subtly boost your hand. While it doesn’t explicitly draw cards, it’s a prime enabler in decks that benefit from having a wide board presence, setting the stage for more potent plays.

Resource Acceleration: As a low-cost creature, this card seamlessly fits into strategies aiming for a quick buildup. It’s an efficient way to populate the board early, paving the way for resource acceleration through synergy with cards that capitalize on creature count.

Instant Speed: Though Mountain Goat itself isn’t an instant, it can complement an arsenal of instant speed spells. Its mere presence can deter aggression, allowing you to safely keep mana untapped for those crucial instant-speed interactions, thus maintaining the rhythm and flow of your game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Mountain Goat doesn’t necessitate discarding cards, thus this is not applicable as a con for this creature card.

Specific Mana Cost: Mountain Goat requires red mana to cast. This specific mana dependency means it fits primarily into red or multicolored decks, potentially limiting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Mountain Goat itself does not have a high mana cost, being a small creature, it may not provide the impact players look for in a card taking up a slot in their deck. Its stats and abilities must be weighed against other potential cards at similar or lower mana costs.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mountain Goat offers a unique dynamic to red decks, adept in maneuvering around different strategies with its mountainwalk ability, which can be a game-changer in formats where Mountain lands are common.

Combo Potential: This creature pairs well with land control cards, creating potential combos that can swiftly outmaneuver opponents by exploiting their land base, particularly in multi-player settings.

Meta-Relevance: With a consistently evolving meta, the Mountain Goat remains relevant in environments where players leverage decks that are heavy on Mountains, making it a subtle yet strategic choice against specific matchups.


How to beat

The Mountain Goat is a nimble creature card that can be a tricky opponent in MTG due to its mountainwalk ability, which allows it to be unblockable as long as the defending player controls a mountain. This makes it a useful tool in decks that capitalize on direct attacks, especially in formats where mountain lands are prevalent.

Dealing with the Mountain Goat effectively requires a strategy that minimizes its mountainwalk advantage. One way to achieve this is by altering the land base so that it doesn’t include any mountains, thus negating the creature’s unblockable trait. Alternatively, utilizing cards that change the land type of a player’s lands can also serve to neutralize mountainwalk.

Controlled removal spells are another potent strategy to overcome the Mountain Goat’s mountainwalk ability. Casting spells that can target and destroy creatures without relying on blocking can keep the board clear of this specific threat. Cards with flexible removal options cater to various threats and can handle the Mountain Goat regardless of its mountainwalk capability.

Lastly, strategies that focus on comprehensive board control can surpass the Mountain Goat’s advantage, ensuring that its ability does not dictate the pace of the game. Thus, with careful planning, beating the Mountain Goat and turning the tides of the game in your favor is well within reach for skilled MTG players.


Cards like Mountain Goat

Mountain Goat holds a unique spot in the pantheon of MTG creatures due to its intrinsic ability. Resembling other one-drop creatures, it offers an interesting point of comparison. Take a look at Steppe Lynx, a creature that also costs a single mana. Where Mountain Goat steadily boasts Mountainwalk—allowing it to be unblockable as long as the opponent controls a Mountain—Steppe Lynx’s power can surge with landfall, potentially outpacing the Goat’s consistent evasion ability.

Another creature worth comparing is Alpine Watchdog. Although it has a higher casting cost and lacks Mountainwalk, it compensates with vigilance and a stronger defense. This makes the Watchdog a versatile blocker as well as an attacker. Moving up the spectrum, Akoum Warrior is a prime example of versatility, doubling as a land when needed and presenting a significantly higher power when cast as a creature. While Mountain Goat suits aggressive mountain-based strategies, Akoum Warrior provides flexibility and late-game strength.

Assessing such comparisons underlines Mountain Goat’s strategic use in specific scenarios, especially decks that capitalize on land-based abilities. Whereas other creatures offer different advantages, Mountain Goat’s evasion ensures it remains a tactical option in the right MTG environment.

Steppe Lynx - MTG Card versions
Alpine Watchdog - MTG Card versions
Steppe Lynx - Zendikar (ZEN)
Alpine Watchdog - Core Set 2021 (M21)

Cards similar to Mountain Goat by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Balloon Brigade - MTG Card versions
Mons's Goblin Raiders - MTG Card versions
Hurr Jackal - MTG Card versions
Goblin Digging Team - MTG Card versions
Primordial Ooze - MTG Card versions
Goblin Artisans - MTG Card versions
Gorilla Shaman - MTG Card versions
Goblin Swine-Rider - MTG Card versions
Orcish Conscripts - MTG Card versions
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Jackal Pup - MTG Card versions
Mogg Fanatic - MTG Card versions
Flailing Soldier - MTG Card versions
Branded Brawlers - MTG Card versions
Kird Ape - MTG Card versions
Scarred Puma - MTG Card versions
Grim Lavamancer - MTG Card versions
Enslaved Dwarf - MTG Card versions
Kessig Wolfrider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Guide - MTG Card versions
Goblin Balloon Brigade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Mons's Goblin Raiders - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Hurr Jackal - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Goblin Digging Team - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Primordial Ooze - Chronicles (CHR)
Goblin Artisans - Rinascimento (RIN)
Gorilla Shaman - Coldsnap Theme Decks (CST)
Goblin Swine-Rider - Visions (VIS)
Orcish Conscripts - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Roc Hatchling - Weatherlight (WTH)
Jackal Pup - The List (PLST)
Mogg Fanatic - Tenth Edition (10E)
Flailing Soldier - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Branded Brawlers - Prophecy (PCY)
Kird Ape - From the Vault: Exiled (V09)
Scarred Puma - Invasion (INV)
Grim Lavamancer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Enslaved Dwarf - Torment (TOR)
Kessig Wolfrider - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Goblin Guide - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mountain Goat MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Fifth Edition, 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 Mountain Goat and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Mountain Goat Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11995-06-03Ice AgeICE 2031993normalblackCornelius Brudi
21997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 2521997normalwhiteCornelius Brudi
31997-05-01PortalPOR 1411997normalblackUna Fricker
41999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 1951997normalwhiteCornelius Brudi
52019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 7372015normalblackJohn Darnielle

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mountain Goat has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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