Lullmage's Familiar MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Beast |
| Released | 2020-09-25 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Zendikar Rising |
| Set code | ZNR |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 227 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Gabor Szikszai |
Key Takeaways
- Enhances card longevity through life gain from kicked spells, fostering additional card draws.
- Acts as a mana engine, speeding up spell casting and fixing for multicolor decks.
- Limited effectiveness without other cards; its specific mana colors may restrict use.
Text of card
: Add or . Whenever you cast a kicked spell, you gain 2 life.
"They store energy in special gastric organs ... but I guess you'd probably rather have me clear the path than ramble about guts." —Fahar, expedition wizard
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Lullmage’s Familiar enhances your deck’s longevity by granting you the capacity to gain extra life each time you cast a kicked spell, which in turn can lead to drawing more cards if synergized with the right supporting cards in your deck.
Resource Acceleration: The familiar acts as a mana engine by providing an extra blue or green mana, which is essential for ramping up resources to cast high-value spells earlier in the game or for multicolor decks that need consistent mana fixing.
Instant Speed: While Lullmage’s Familiar itself isn’t an instant, it facilitates casting powerful instants on your opponent’s turn by providing additional mana. This interaction allows for a reactive playstyle, giving you the freedom to respond to threats immediately and potentially casting more spells with the benefits of kicker.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Lullmage’s Familiar necessitates having other cards in play to fully utilize its abilities. If you’re facing a situation where your hand or battlefield is sparse, this MTG card might not be as effective, potentially stalling your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Locked into a specific color combination, blue and green, Lullmage’s Familiar can be restrictive. Decks that don’t run both colors can’t harness the full potential of this card, limiting its versatility across various deck builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including one blue and one green, this MTG card’s abilities may not be as cost-effective as other options. In a fast-paced game, the mana expenditure for Lullmage’s Familiar could be a considerable setback, especially when quicker alternatives are available.
Reasons to Include Lullmage’s Familiar in Your Collection
Versatility: Lullmage’s Familiar can slot effortlessly into a multitude of deck archetypes. With its ability to ramp your mana and gain life, it’s a valuable addition especially in decks that are centered around lifegain strategies or require consistent mana production to cast high-cost spells.
Combo Potential: In decks that leverage the casting of instant and sorcery spells, Lullmage’s Familiar’s secondary ability serves as a combo enabler. By reducing the cost of these spells, it opens up possibilities for chains of plays in a single turn that could turn the tide of the game in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: Given its capacity to extend your survivability through life gain, Lullmage’s Familiar is particularly potent in a meta where aggressive strategies are prevalent. It can act as a bulwark against early-game pressure, giving you the necessary time to establish your board and execute your game plan.
How to beat
Lullmage’s Familiar is a card that offers a unique blend of mana acceleration and life gain in Magic: The Gathering. Players looking to tackle this creature should consider its role in the opponent’s strategy. Primarily, it sits in decks that capitalize on its ability to ramp up mana and sustain life totals, making it an integral part of combo or ramp decks. One effective way to deal with Lullmage’s Familiar is by interrupting its mana abilities. Cards that can tap opponents’ creatures or counter creature spells can be invaluable here.
Spot removal spells are another avenue to disrupt the presence of Lullmage’s Familiar on the battlefield. Direct damage spells or target-specific destruction cards can eliminate the Familiar before the opponent gets a chance to maximize its benefits. In decks that lack these spells, leveraging aggressive strategies to overwhelm the opponent before they can gain substantial advantage from Lullmage’s Familiar is key.
Ultimately, recognizing the pivotal role Lullmage’s Familiar plays in an opponent’s deck allows players to prioritize its removal, and thus maintain control over the game’s pace and their own path to victory.
Cards like Lullmage's Familiar
Lullmage’s Familiar joins the ranks of mana-generating creatures within MTG, offering a unique blend of abilities. It closely aligns with creatures like Paradise Druid, which also provides a mana advantage. Lullmage’s Familiar offers the additional benefit of gaining life whenever you cast a kicked spell, putting it a step ahead in terms of durability and longevity in the game.
Comparing it to other creatures such as Zhur-Taa Druid, Lullmage’s Familiar doesn’t damage opponents but offers a steadier gain of life, which can be pivotal in longer matches. It presents a two-color mana access similar to that of Risen Reef, a highly valued elemental creature. While Risen Reef enables card advantage through land and elemental synergy, Lullmage’s Familiar focuses on life gain and consistent mana support, especially in decks that feature the kicker mechanic.
Each creature brings its own strengths to a player’s strategy, yet Lullmage’s Familiar manages to shine within decks that can maximize on its life-gaining ability. It stands as a relevant choice for players who need reliable mana sources coupled with incremental life increments to sustain their stance throughout a match.
Cards similar to Lullmage's Familiar by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Lullmage's Familiar MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar Rising, 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 Lullmage's Familiar 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 Lullmage's Familiar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
