Elvish Spirit Guide MTG Card


Provides indirect card advantage by staying in hand until its ability is needed. Enables instant mana acceleration, bolstering faster gameplay and unexpected tactics. Retains importance in evolving metagames, offering strategic versatility in decks.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Elf Spirit
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

If Elvish Spirit Guide is in your hand, you may remove it from the game to add o G to your mana pool. Play this ability as an interrupt.

"We are never without guidance, if we but seek it." —Taaveti of Kelsinko, Elvish Hunter


Cards like Elvish Spirit Guide

Elvish Spirit Guide is a powerful tool in the world of Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to provide instant mana boosting and acceleration. Cards of similar nature include Simian Spirit Guide, exhibiting the same ability to be exiled from the hand to fetch a mana boost. Yet, Elvish Spirit Guide is steeped in uniqueness, as it provides a green mana, setting itself distinct from the red mana of Simian.

Exploring further, we find Lotus Petal, another addition to instant mana boost cards, but this artifact requires you to sacrifice it to gain a mana of any color. Lotus Petal’s mana versatility gives it an edge, while it falls short in terms of sustainability, as Elvish Spirit Guide can exist on the battlefield longer, offering chances for more tactical play.

Nothing beats the Elvish Spirit Guide when assessing speed and sustainability. However, when balancing pace, boosting ability, and flexibility, a player might consider each card’s holistic utility. Nevertheless, the Elvish Spirit Guide has secured its spot in the decks of MTG aficionados due to its unique, resourceful properties. Thus, to conclude, Elvish Spirit Guide is a standout among mana acceleration cards in Magic: The Gathering, championing speed and strategy-optimal gameplay.

Simian Spirit Guide - MTG Card versions
Lotus Petal - MTG Card versions
Simian Spirit Guide - MTG Card versions
Lotus Petal - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Elvish Spirit Guide by color, type and mana cost

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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

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Elvish Spirit Guide. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Oops! All SpellsOops! All Spells LegacyOops! All SpellsLegacy Challenge 32 2024-05-01
Sultai DepthsSultai Depths LegacySultai DepthsLegacy Preliminary 2024-05-03
WBRGWBRG LegacyLegacy Challenge 32 2024-05-08
Temur CascadeTemur Cascade LegacyTemur CascadeLegacy League 2024-04-30
Golgari DepthsGolgari Depths LegacySultai DepthsLegacy Challenge 32 2024-05-04
WRGWRG LegacyLegacy Preliminary 2024-05-01
Gruul InitiativeGruul Initiative LegacyGruul InitiativeLegacy Challenge 32 2024-05-01
Mono-Green CloudpostMono-Green Cloudpost LegacyGreen CloudpostLegacy Challenge 32 2024-05-04 (1)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Elvish Spirit Guide isn’t a traditional card advantage generator, but its ability doesn’t result in a card leaving your hand until it’s used. This allows you to have extra options without losing them prematurely, giving you something of an indirect card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Elvish Spirit Guide excels in this field, as it provides one green mana without any cost whenever it’s exiled from your hand. This feature allows for sudden mana acceleration, empowering faster plays and potentially game-changing momentum.

Instant Speed: The inherent ability of Elvish Spirit Guide isn’t tied to the card’s speed, but rather to when you decide to use it. You can exile it to generate mana at instant speed, which means you can react to your opponent’s actions with unexpected plays. This flexibility enhances its value in many MTG strategies.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Elvish Spirit Guide card demands the player to specifically discard the card from their hand to generate one green mana. This stipulation can be a severe drawback when you’re running low on cards or need more tactical options at your disposal.

Specific Mana Cost: The ability of this card yields only green mana, limiting its flexibility. Its narrow usage confines its use mainly with decks that heavily lean towards green mana cards or keeps it reserved for green mana-based emergencies. This specificity in mana generation could be problematic in multi-color decks with diverse mana requirements.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its unique and handy skill to create instantaneous mana without any costs on the battlefield, the Elvish Spirit Guide card doesn’t provide a massive boost considering its trade-off. With its cost of zero on the battlefield, the card doesn’t necessarily provide a beneficial return, especially when compared to other mana generator cards. For a card to just garner one green mana at the expense of losing it from your hand is comparatively high.


Reasons to Include Elvish Spirit Guide in Your Collection

Versatility: With the ability to be exiled from your hand, producing green mana instantly, the Elvish Spirit Guide provides a tactical edge in deck-building. This mana producing ability can fit seamlessly into any deck seeking quick mana advantage.

Combo Potential: The Elvish Spirit Guide shines brightly within combo decks. It can quickly accelerate your combo potential, especially in decks where immediate mana is the key to execute strategies. It acts as a surprise rogue element, bolstering combo strategies and heightening your gameplay unpredictability.

Meta-Relevance: Despite the plethora of new cards rolling out, this card maintains its relevance because of its unique ‘mana ramp’ ability. Whether you’re battling against mid-range beasts or intricate control decks, having the Elvish Spirit Guide means you can potentially out-speed your opponent. It adapts well to the shifting metagames, providing value and tactical depth in various gaming scenarios.


How to Beat

In the board game of Magic: The Gathering, the Elvish Spirit Guide card presents quite a challenge. This Green Mana creature comes with a special ability – it can be exiled from your hand to add one Green Mana to your Mana Pool. Since it’s relatively low-cost and doesn’t require you to tap it, this fast resource builder gives players an early game advantage.

However, with the right countermeasures, squaring off against Elvish Spirit Guide need not be daunting. One effective tactic is to use instant-speed removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push to remove it from play. They’re not only cost-efficient but also effective against Mana-generating creatures like Elvish Spirit Guide.

Enchantment spells like Rest in Peace that hamper graveyard strategies can also be a good choice. It shuts off the exile ability of Elvish Spirit Guide, reducing its utility and slowing down your opponent’s game plan. Counterspells such as Mana Leak or Syncopate also work well to block the deployment of this Green Mana accelerator.

Overall, the key to outmaneuvering an Elvish Spirit Guide revolves around disruption techniques and prompt removal, mitigating the card’s early game advantages and resource generating prowess.


BurnMana Recommendations

Unlock the full potential of Elvish Spirit Guide in your MTG arsenal with our curated advice. This card, known for its instant green mana generation, offers strategic play enhancements and can dictate the pace of the game. If your deck thrives on quick mana acceleration and surprise tactics, Elvish Spirit Guide could very well be the cornerstone of your next victory. We encourage you to explore its synergy with your existing deck composition or use it to inspire new deck ideas. Dive into the depth of MTG strategies on BurnMana and revolutionize your gameplay with cards like Elvish Spirit Guide. Discover more now.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Elvish Spirit Guide MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and Magic Online Promos, 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 Spirit Guide and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Elvish Spirit Guide Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 2023-01-13. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11996-06-10AlliancesALL 891993NormalBlackJulie Baroh
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 656542015NormalBlackAnna Steinbauer
32008-09-22Masters Edition IIME2 1591997NormalBlackJulie Baroh
42019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 4232015NormalBorderlessYuko Shimizu
52023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 1572015NormalBlackAnna Steinbauer
62023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 3381997NormalBlackAnna Steinbauer

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Elvish Spirit Guide has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2022-12-08 If a spell or ability’s cost includes returning a creature to your hand and paying mana, you can’t activate Elvish Spirit Guide’s mana ability after returning it to your hand. This is because mana abilities must be activated before you begin paying costs.