Earth Elemental MTG Card


Earth Elemental intimidates the board with strong power, potentially swinging combat in your favor. Specific casting cost and high mana demand challenge deck flexibility and pace in gameplay. Its simple yet powerful nature makes Earth Elemental a versatile choice for various MTG strategies.
Card setsReleased in 19 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Elemental
Power 4
Toughness 5

Cards like Earth Elemental

Earth Elemental is a solid creature card that has been part of Magic: The Gathering’s long history. This red creature is easy to compare with other elemental beings in the game, like the classic Hill Giant. Both cards share the same power and toughness, standing on a 4/5. However, Earth Elemental’s higher mana cost makes it less favorable in terms of efficiency. Hill Giant comes out quicker with one less mana to cast, favoring those who want to impact the board early.

Looking at the broader spectrum of red elementals, we also encounter the likes of Fire Elemental. This creature offers a slightly different balance, providing more power with a 5/4 stat line. What makes Earth Elemental stand out is its slightly superior toughness, which can be crucial in outlasting opponents’ creatures. Despite similar casting costs, the choice between the two would largely depend on whether a player prioritizes offense over defense.

In light of these comparisons, Earth Elemental often features in decks where its sturdy nature and iconic status as an early MTG creature card are appreciated. It embodies the brute force that red decks can be known for, even though it may not be the most cost-efficient option available.

Hill Giant - MTG Card versions
Fire Elemental - MTG Card versions
Hill Giant - MTG Card versions
Fire Elemental - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Earth Elemental by color, type and mana cost

Fire Elemental - MTG Card versions
Eron the Relentless - MTG Card versions
Balduvian War-Makers - MTG Card versions
Hivis of the Scale - MTG Card versions
Hulking Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Flame Spirit - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Salamander - MTG Card versions
Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions
Ravaging Horde - MTG Card versions
Covetous Dragon - MTG Card versions
Thundering Giant - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Strike Force - MTG Card versions
Savage Firecat - MTG Card versions
Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions
Tephraderm - MTG Card versions
Avarax - MTG Card versions
Bonethorn Valesk - MTG Card versions
Frost Ogre - MTG Card versions
Heartless Hidetsugu - MTG Card versions
Shard Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Fire Elemental - MTG Card versions
Eron the Relentless - MTG Card versions
Balduvian War-Makers - MTG Card versions
Hivis of the Scale - MTG Card versions
Hulking Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Flame Spirit - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Salamander - MTG Card versions
Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions
Ravaging Horde - MTG Card versions
Covetous Dragon - MTG Card versions
Thundering Giant - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Strike Force - MTG Card versions
Savage Firecat - MTG Card versions
Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions
Tephraderm - MTG Card versions
Avarax - MTG Card versions
Bonethorn Valesk - MTG Card versions
Frost Ogre - MTG Card versions
Heartless Hidetsugu - MTG Card versions
Shard Phoenix - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Earth Elemental is a robust creature with a substantial power that can often outmatch opponents’ creatures on the board, leading to a potential two-for-one interaction in your favor when it comes to trading in combat.

Resource Acceleration: Although Earth Elemental itself does not provide direct mana acceleration, it’s a powerhouse on the field that can quickly become a pressing threat, potentially forcing your opponent to divert resources to address it, thus indirectly accelerating your own board state advantage.

Instant Speed: While the Earth Elemental is not an instant, having such creatures in your deck may influence how your opponent plays their instants and removal spells. They might need to hold back resources in anticipation, giving you the upper hand in the pacing of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: There is an inherent downside in that if you’re short on cards in hand, deploying Earth Elemental can further deplete your resources, making it challenging to sustain momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: The card demands a specific environmental commitment—two red mana—in its casting cost, which can narrow deck-building options and is less flexible in multicolored decks or those with a stringent mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, Earth Elemental may seem inefficient when you consider the pace of the current MTG meta, where numerous creatures offer greater value or impactful abilities for the same or lower investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Earth Elemental offers a straightforward approach to deck building, fitting seamlessly into red-based decks that capitalize on raw power. Its simplicity harmonizes with a diverse array of strategies, from aggressive to ramp decks, where a sturdy creature presence is key.

Combo Potential: While not overtly combo-centric, Earth Elemental can interact favorably with landfall mechanics or cards that benefit from having a strong, earthy presence on the battlefield, multiplying its strategic value in specific builds.

Meta-Relevance: Given the right environment, the brute strength provided by Earth Elemental can be a force against creature-light control or combo decks, potentially skewing in your favor when navigating a meta that’s creature-adverse or filled with damage-susceptible threats.


How to beat

Earth Elemental is a classic creature card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, known for its solid stance on the battlefield. This formidable creature often requires strategic maneuvers to overcome. Removing it typically involves targeting it with removal spells; these spells can come in the form of direct destruction like Murder, which simply states “destroy target creature”, circumventing Earth Elemental’s considerable toughness.

Another effective way to conquer this rocky behemoth is through combat tricks, employing creatures with deathtouch like Typhoid Rats, which can destroy any creature it deals damage to, regardless of the creature’s toughness. Control strategies also prevail using counterspells to prevent Earth Elemental from hitting the board in the first place, with classics like Counterspell itself or even more modern options like Dovin’s Veto, which stops a spell dead without any chance of it being countered back.

Lastly, overpowering Earth Elemental in battle can work, especially with creatures that have abilities like trample, flying, or other forms of evasion. Creature buffs and auras can also help your smaller creatures rise above Earth Elemental’s strength. When facing this stalwart of stone, remember these tactics to help turn the tides of war in your favor.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Earth Elemental MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Earth Elemental and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Earth Elemental Magic the Gathering card was released in 18 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 1441993NormalBlackDan Frazier
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 1451993NormalBlackDan Frazier
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 1451993NormalWhiteDan Frazier
41993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 1451993NormalBlackDan Frazier
51993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 1451993NormalBlackDan Frazier
61994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 1461993NormalWhiteDan Frazier
71994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 1461993NormalBlackDan Frazier
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 1461993NormalWhiteDan Frazier
91995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 1881993NormalWhiteDan Frazier
101995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 1881993NormalBlackDan Frazier
111999-07-01Starter 1999S99 951997NormalWhiteDan Frazier
122007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 1992003NormalBlackAnthony S. Waters
132010-06-04Duels of the PlaneswalkersDPA 422003NormalBlackAnthony S. Waters
142017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 1272015NormalBlackAnthony S. Waters
152018-06-08BattlebondBBD 1742015NormalBlackAnthony S. Waters
162019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 9142015NormalBlackAnthony S. Waters
172020-09-26The ListPLST BBD-1742015NormalBlackAnthony S. Waters
182022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 1412015NormalBlackDan Frazier
192022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 4381997NormalBlackDan Frazier

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Earth Elemental has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal