Archelos, Lagoon Mystic MTG Card


Archelos shines by controlling game tempo, creating an advantage through strategic tap-untap mechanics. It accelerates resources and can set up powerful turns, enabling a swift advancement in strategy. Despite its strengths, Archelos demands careful deck construction due to its specific mana and higher cost.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Turtle Shaman
Power 2
Toughness 4

Text of card

As long as Archelos, Lagoon Mystic is tapped, other permanents enter the battlefield tapped. As long as Archelos is untapped, other permanents enter the battlefield untapped.

"Life ... is not ... a race."


Cards like Archelos, Lagoon Mystic

Archelos, Lagoon Mystic is a unique commander option for MTG enthusiasts who love to control the tempo of the game. Just like the well-regarded Fatespinner, Archelos has the ability to affect the phases of each player’s turn. While Fatespinner offers opponents a tough choice between skipping their draw step, combat phase, or end step, Archelos subtly slows down your adversaries by ensuring any permanents entering the battlefield under their control do so tapped, barring haste from their strategies.

In the realm of Sultai commanders, Damia, Sage of Stone presents an alternative draw engine that complements a more reactive game plan, bypassing the need to play additional draw spells. Although Damia doesn’t manipulate the board state’s pace directly, the continuous card advantage she provides can be key to outlasting opponents. On the contrary, Archelos leans into permanent-based control, affecting all aspects of the board and interacting differently with various types of MTG strategies.

Assessing Archelos against other Sultai commanders and control creatures reveals its value as a multifaceted piece in your MTG toolkit. It’s not just about drawing cards or producing mana but also a testament to the subtle art of tempo control within the game, offering a divergence in strategy for any player fond of the slower, more methodical approach to victory.

Fatespinner - MTG Card versions
Damia, Sage of Stone - MTG Card versions
Fatespinner - MTG Card versions
Damia, Sage of Stone - MTG Card versions

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Archelos, Lagoon Mystic, shines as a card advantage engine in commander games. When tapped, Archelos ensures that permanents your opponents control enter the battlefield tapped, effectively stifling their pace. But when he’s untapped, your permanents enjoy the same benefit – entering the battlefield ready for action. This unique ability lets you maintain an edge in resource management throughout the game.

Resource Acceleration: As a commander, Archelos excels in accelerating your resources. Its presence turns land ramp spells into incredibly potent tools, allowing your lands to come into play untapped despite their usual constraints. This can lead to explosive turns where you can play multiple spells ahead of your opponents, swiftly advancing your board state and strategy.

Instant Speed: While Archelos itself isn’t at instant speed, its inherent ability to impact the battlefield works around the clock. With Archelos on the field, you can strategically choose when to tap or untap it, enabling your instant-speed spells and abilities to be even more disruptive or beneficial according to the state of play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Archelos Lagoon Mystic does not directly necessitate discarding a card, its potential to accelerate land deployment might push players to prematurely deplete their hand, leaving fewer options for subsequent turns.

Specific Mana Cost: The activation of Archelos’ abilities requires a diverse mana base, often demanding a precise mix of colors that could restrict its integration into single or dual-color decks, potentially complicating the deckbuilding process.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding four mana, Archelos may compete with other potent four-drops in deck slots. This could lead to dilemmas during deck construction, especially when considering the card’s tempo impact against other options available in these colors.


Reasons to Include Archelos Lagoon Mystic in Your Collection

Versatility: Archelos Lagoon Mystic is a card that can easily find a home in various decks, adding a layer of strategy in games that require precise timing. Its ability to manipulate whether permanents enter the battlefield tapped or untapped means it can be a boon to your plays while simultaneously hindering your opponents.

Combo Potential: This turtle shaman excels in decks that revolve around tap-untap mechanics, working seamlessly with cards that capitalize on such interactions. With the right combination of cards, Archelos can effectively amplify both offensive and defensive strategies, making it a dark horse in any game.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where the pace can make or break your success, Archelos offers a form of control that is subtly powerful. It can slow down aggressive decks while accelerating your own plan, proving its value across various metagames where tempo is a key factor.


How to Beat

Archelos, Lagoon Mystic can be quite a challenge to overcome with its ability to manipulate the pace of the game upon entering the battlefield. Known for its synergy in commander decks, particularly those involving landfall mechanics, it can quickly sway the dynamics of a match by dictating whether lands come into play tapped or untapped. To effectively neutralize this formidable turtle shaman, players have to adopt strategies that interfere with its activation ability or remove it from play outright.

Targeted removal spells are essential when facing Archelos. Instant-speed spells like Path to Exile or Assassin’s Trophy can efficiently deal with Archelos before it can lock you down in a state of playing tapped lands. Counter magic also comes in handy; countering Archelos on cast ensures that you avoid its potential disruption altogether. Should Archelos hit the board, employing bounce spells can temporarily set your opponent back, giving you time to advance your board state or find a permanent removal solution. In decks without sufficient removal, ramping to outpace the slow-down effect that Archelos presents can also be a viable approach to maintain tempo and keep pressure on your opponent.


BurnMana Recommendations

MTG enthusiasts understand that every card can be a game-changer, and Archelos, Lagoon Mystic is no exception. With its ability to sway the tempo of the battlefield, Archelos stands as a resourceful commander for those looking to gain an edge through calculated plays. Mastering this card will require a balance between strategy and adaptability, making it a compelling addition to your collection. Are you ready to enhance your commander experience and take control of the game’s pace? Dive deeper into the strategies and synergies that Archelos can offer in your deck. Join BurnMana for an array of insights and tips on maximizing this powerful card’s potential.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Archelos, Lagoon Mystic MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander Legends, 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 Archelos, Lagoon Mystic and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Archelos, Lagoon Mystic Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-11-20 and 2022-09-09. Illustrated by Dan Scott.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 863342015NormalBlackDan Scott
22020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 5882015NormalBlackDan Scott
32020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 2682015NormalBlackDan Scott
42022-09-09Dominaria United CommanderDMC 1402015NormalBlackDan Scott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Archelos, Lagoon Mystic has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Archelos, Lagoon Mystic card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2020-11-10 Archelos's abilities don't apply to itself as it enters the battlefield, nor do they apply to any permanents entering the battlefield at the same time.
2020-11-10 If another replacement effect says that a permanent enters the battlefield tapped while Archelos is untapped, the entering permanent's controller chooses whether the permanent enters tapped or untapped. If a permanent is simply put onto the battlefield tapped without a replacement effect being applied, it always enters untapped if Archelos is untapped.
2020-11-10 If more than one Archelos is on the battlefield, the controller of an entering permanent chooses how to order the replacement effects.