Argothian Wurm MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Wurm |
| Abilities | Trample |
| Released | 1998-10-12 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Urza's Saga |
| Set code | USG |
| Power | 6 |
| Toughness | 6 |
| Number | 236 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Kev Walker |
Key Takeaways
- Argothian Wurm offers card advantage by potentially returning to your hand, ensuring continuous pressure.
- It excels in resource acceleration with a strong power-to-mana ratio, pivotal for early game dominance.
- Despite its strengths, its specific mana cost and conditional abilities may limit some deck designs.
Text of card
Trample When Argothian Wurm comes into play, any player may sacrifice a land to put Argothian Wurm on top of owner's library.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Argothian Wurm ensures you maintain pressure on the battlefield. Upon entering play, the Wurm can cause an opponent to sacrifice a land. If they do, the card returns to your hand, setting you up to play the Wurm again and potentially stripping your opponent of resources over time.
Resource Acceleration: With a substantial 6/6 body for only four mana, Argothian Wurm provides an aggressive mana-to-power ratio. This efficient resource allocation can accelerate your board presence, outpacing opponents by applying early game pressure and gaining a tempo advantage.
Instant Speed: While the Argothian Wurm itself does not operate at instant speed, it interacts well with cards that can flash it into play. This synergy can catch opponents off guard, serving as both, a defensive surprise blocker or an offensive tool when paired with instant speed enablers.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Argothian Wurm is its interaction with certain board states. Upon being targeted by spells or abilities that require it to be buried, you must then ensure your library contains a land card to place on top, disrupting your deck’s flow and strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: The wurm comes with a mana cost that demands a dedicated color presence in your deck. Requiring both green and generic mana, it can be somewhat restrictive, impacting deck building, especially for those looking to integrate multiple colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana valuation pitched at four, including three forestlands, this card demands significant resources for its summoning. In the quick pace of modern games, this cost places it at a competitive disadvantage when faster, more efficient creatures are favored.
Reasons to Include Argothian Wurm in Your Collection
Versatility: Argothian Wurm offers a perfect blend of power and utility. As a 6/6 creature, it can dominate the battlefield, but its real value comes from its triggering ability, which can disrupt opponents’ land strategies—ideal for various deck builds.
Combo Potential: When paired with land control mechanics or bounce effects, Argothian Wurm becomes even more formidable. It can repeatedly force opponents to sacrifice their lands, thus integrating seamlessly with decks focusing on resource denial.
Meta-Relevance: With a metagame that includes ramp and control decks, Argothian Wurm’s presence can be quite impactful. It’s a significant threat that requires an immediate answer, making it a valuable player in any meta where land-based strategies are prevalent.
How to Beat Argothian Wurm
The Argothian Wurm presents an intriguing challenge for Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts. Not only is it a formidable 6/6 creature that can potentially trample over opponents’ defenses, but it also complicates matters with its unique ability to go back on top of the owner’s library when blocked by lands sacrificed by opponents. Going head-to-head with this creature requires a tactical approach.
One effective strategy is utilizing instant-speed removal spells that circumvent the Wurm’s ability, such as Path to Exile or Terminate. Ensuring that the Wurm never has the chance to return to their hand is key. Another tactic involves taking advantage of the Wurm’s bouncing nature by forcing a player to repeatedly play it, using cards like Counterspell or Thoughtseize to disrupt this play cycle and gain card advantage. Additionally, employing creatures that can block and kill the Wurm without having to sacrifice lands, or by using cards that can exile it from the graveyard, are both sound strategies.
Every card poses both a threat and an opportunity in Magic: The Gathering. By carefully navigating around Argothian Wurm’s distinctive landscape, savvy players can maintain control of the game and ultimately secure victory.
Cards like Argothian Wurm
Argothian Wurm is a distinctive powerhouse in the MTG universe, establishing its name in a roster of formidable green creatures that threaten the battlefield. The wurm closely resembles cards like Duskdale Wurm in terms of its overwhelming presence. Both command attention with their sizable stats, but Argothian Wurm has a tactical advantage with its land-bouncing ability. This not only disrupts opponents’ mana bases but can be a strategic move to continually apply pressure with its recurring potential.
Exploring further, we encounter Territorial Baloth, another prime example of green’s strength. Although lacking the land-based interaction, upon landfall, it enjoys a sizeable power boost which can stack in an impressive manner. This makes it an entirely different kind of threat on the board. Thragtusk is another card that offers a measure of resilience and immediate life gain, yet it doesn’t quite match the recurrent threat that Argothian Wurm promises.
Considering these comparisons, Argothian Wurm stands out with its unique combination of brute force and land-trickery, proving to be a valuable addition to any MTG player’s green creature pool and a recurring nightmare for their opponents.
Cards similar to Argothian Wurm by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Argothian Wurm MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Argothian Wurm 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Argothian Wurm has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Argothian Wurm card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2007-02-01 | When Argothian Wurm enters the battlefield, first the active player gets the option to sacrifice a land. If they decline, the next player in turn order gets the option. If a player elects to sacrifice a land, Argothian Wurm is put on top of its owner’s library, but then all remaining players still get the option. If all players decline, then nothing happens and Argothian Wurm stays on the battlefield. |
