Elvish Ranger MTG Card


Elvish Ranger shines in card advantage and ramps up resource acceleration in green decks. Demands strategic deck building due to its specific mana cost and discard downside. A valuable collectible with its elf synergy, combo potential, and relevance in the meta.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Elf Ranger
Power 4
Toughness 1

Cards like Elvish Ranger

The Elvish Ranger is a classic creature card teeming with the rich lore and utility that Magic: The Gathering is renowned for. Its kin in the realm of green creature cards includes the likes of Llanowar Elves, a staple in many decks for its mana-generating ability. The Ranger stands out with its more formidable power and toughness, making it a bigger threat on the battlefield. However, it lacks the direct acceleration of mana that Llanowar Elves provides to a player.

Looking at another relative, the Elvish Visionary allows a player to draw a card upon entering the battlefield, offering immediate value regardless of its smaller size. While the Visionary is less robust in combat compared to the Elvish Ranger, the added card draw could be more beneficial in certain deck strategies. Meanwhile, the Elvish Warrior comes in as a strong competitor, sharing a similar mana cost to the Ranger but focusing solely on aggressive stats without additional abilities.

Ultimately, the Elvish Ranger’s position in the roster of green creatures is secured by its balance of cost-effectiveness and battlefield presence, appealing to players who value a straightforward approach to pressuring their opponents with hardy Elvish kin.

Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Elvish Visionary - MTG Card versions
Elvish Warrior - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Elvish Visionary - MTG Card versions
Elvish Warrior - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Elvish Ranger by color, type and mana cost

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Rysorian Badger - MTG Card versions
Sabertooth Cobra - MTG Card versions
Quirion Druid - MTG Card versions
Uktabi Orangutan - MTG Card versions
Spike Feeder - MTG Card versions
Hungry Hungry Heifer - MTG Card versions
Titania's Chosen - MTG Card versions
Taoist Mystic - MTG Card versions
Femeref Archers - MTG Card versions
Lydari Druid - MTG Card versions
Steel Leaf Champion - MTG Card versions
Realmwalker - MTG Card versions
Topiary Stomper - MTG Card versions
Territorial Scythecat - MTG Card versions
Wirewood Savage - MTG Card versions
Shizuko, Caller of Autumn - MTG Card versions
Reki, the History of Kamigawa - MTG Card versions
Timberwatch Elf - MTG Card versions
Leatherback Baloth - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Elvish Ranger stands out for its ability to synergize with decks focused on drawing cards. Its synergy with other elves can quickly translate into an overwhelming board presence, providing an indirect path toward card advantage through creature-based strategies.

Resource Acceleration: As a valuable component of green’s ramp capabilities, the Elvish Ranger often integrates into strategies for resource acceleration. Its presence bolsters mana resources, enabling you to cast high-impact spells sooner than your opponent.

Instant Speed: Although Elvish Ranger itself does not operate at instant speed, its inclusion in your deck supports strategies that capitalize on flash-enabled elves or other creatures. This adds a layer of versatility and unpredictability to your plays, aligning well with green’s tactical profile in MTG.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While this Elvish card provides strategic advantages, the requirement to discard can deplete your hand, leaving you vulnerable to future plays and disrupting your tempo if your deck doesn’t synergize with discarding mechanisms.

Specific Mana Cost: Elvish Ranger demands a precise mana cost, incorporating both generic and green mana. This prerequisite confines the card’s compatibility primarily to decks that can reliably produce green mana, potentially limiting its versatility in multi-color strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even though the Elvish Ranger offers decent stats and abilities, its mana cost is on the higher side considering the current pace of the game. Players may find themselves opting for lower-cost creatures with similar impacts to maintain a competitive edge in faster game formats.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Elvish Ranger is a classic creature that can be slotted into various Green-based decks. Its sizeable power and toughness for the mana cost make it a solid addition to decks aiming for a strong board presence early in the game.

Combo Potential: With the Ranger’s elf subtype, it can synergize with other elf-related cards to enhance tribal decks or strategies revolving around creature type synergies. This opens up possibilities for combos using various elf-centric boosts and abilities.

Meta-Relevance: Given its efficient rate and tribal synergies, Elvish Ranger can be particularly potent in metas where elf decks are prevalent or where its stature as a blocker or attacker can disrupt your opponents’ game plan. Its capacity to quickly escalate board state makes it a relevant choice for several matchups.


How to Beat Elvish Ranger

The Elvish Ranger is one such cornerstone, a creature card known for its simplicity and direct approach to enhancing a player’s board presence. With its solid stats as a 4/1 creature, it poses a notable threat early on. To effectively tackle the Elvish Ranger, prioritizing removal spells that can deal with creatures of such caliber is essential. Spells like Murder or Doom Blade are fundamental as they offer the means to target and eliminate the Ranger before it can impact the game significantly. These cards are not only straightforward but also cost-efficient, ensuring that the Elvish Ranger’s advantage is short-lived.

Moreover, Red-based strategies can employ direct damage with options like Lightning Bolt, making short work of the Ranger thanks to its 1 toughness. It’s crucial to manage resources effectively, opting for a one-for-one trade or better, keeping the board clear and maintaining pressure. Board wipes like Day of Judgment also serve as a catch-all solution, resetting the field and nullifying the Elvish Ranger’s board impact entirely. By having these answers in your deck, the Elvish Ranger, while a respectable foe, becomes a manageable challenge in your quest for victory.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Elvish Ranger MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and Alliances, 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 Elvish Ranger and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Elvish Ranger Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11996-06-10AlliancesALL 88b1993NormalBlackTerese Nielsen
21996-06-10AlliancesALL 88a1993NormalBlackTerese Nielsen
31997-05-01PortalPOR 1651997NormalBlackDiTerlizzi
42008-09-22Masters Edition IIME2 1581997NormalBlackTerese Nielsen

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Elvish Ranger has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal