Woodborn Behemoth MTG Card


Woodborn Behemoth dominates the board as a potential 8/8 giant, demanding strategic counters from opponents. It synergizes well with land ramp strategies, turning it into a colossal early-game threat. Though powerful, its specialized mana cost and high mana demand may limit deck-building options.
Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Elemental
Power 4
Toughness 4

Text of card

As long as you control eight or more lands, Woodborn Behemoth gets +4/+4 and has trample. (If this creature would assign enough damage to its blockers to destroy them, you may have it assign the rest of its damage to defending player or planeswalker.)


Cards like Woodborn Behemoth

Woodborn Behemoth shines in the realm of beefy green creatures in Magic: The Gathering, drawing parallels with other formidable giants such as Terra Stomper. Both cards are significant for their ability to swing games by being sizable bodies on the field. Terra Stomper boasts not only a hefty attack and defense like Woodborn Behemoth but also can’t be countered and has trample, ensuring that its damage potential isn’t easily thwarted.

Another relative in the green behemoth family includes Duskdale Wurm, which, while not as substantial in stats compared to Woodborn Behemoth, does offer a consistent trample ability from the start. This difference highlights Woodborn Behemoth’s unique land threshold ability, which becomes a trampling powerhouse once you control eight or more lands. Similarly, there’s Plated Slagwurm, with a significant toughness advantage and built-in hexproof, though without the conditional trample Woodborn Behemoth might acquire in the late game.

Each of these creatures brings diverse advantages to the table, but Woodborn Behemoth stands out in decks designed to unlock its full trample capability swiftly, capitalizing on the mana-rich environment typical of green-centric strategies.

Terra Stomper - MTG Card versions
Duskdale Wurm - MTG Card versions
Plated Slagwurm - MTG Card versions
Terra Stomper - MTG Card versions
Duskdale Wurm - MTG Card versions
Plated Slagwurm - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Woodborn Behemoth by color, type and mana cost

Thicket Basilisk - MTG Card versions
Cockatrice - MTG Card versions
Ironroot Treefolk - MTG Card versions
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Primeval Force - MTG Card versions
Spitting Spider - MTG Card versions
Copperhoof Vorrac - MTG Card versions
Tel-Jilad Lifebreather - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Bramble Elemental - MTG Card versions
Indrik Stomphowler - MTG Card versions
Golgari Grave-Troll - MTG Card versions
Thicket Basilisk - MTG Card versions
Cockatrice - MTG Card versions
Ironroot Treefolk - MTG Card versions
Elvish Bard - MTG Card versions
Durkwood Boars - MTG Card versions
Elven Riders - MTG Card versions
Redwood Treefolk - MTG Card versions
Spined Wurm - MTG Card versions
Rabid Wolverines - MTG Card versions
Deadly Insect - MTG Card versions
Vintara Elephant - MTG Card versions
Spring-Leaf Avenger - MTG Card versions
Primeval Force - MTG Card versions
Spitting Spider - MTG Card versions
Copperhoof Vorrac - MTG Card versions
Tel-Jilad Lifebreather - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Bramble Elemental - MTG Card versions
Indrik Stomphowler - MTG Card versions
Golgari Grave-Troll - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With the potential to become a formidable 8/8 giant, Woodborn Behemoth can pressure opponents and dominate the board, creating a significant presence that requires an answer—potentially trading with multiple cards from your adversary.

Resource Acceleration: Woodborn Behemoth excels in decks focused on land acceleration. Its synergy with cards that enable you to play extra lands can turn it into a colossal threat early in the game, providing a fast track to overpowering your opponents.

Instant Speed: Although Woodborn Behemoth itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it thrives in formats that favor instant-speed interactions. By encouraging opponents to hold back their removal spells in anticipation of this massive creature, it opens the field for you to safely cast other key spells at instant speed while they brace for the behemoth’s arrival.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Woodborn Behemoth requires a stringent mana investment, demanding a total of five mana, with a necessity for at least three forests. This specific cost makes it less flexible, as it’s tailored for decks heavy on green mana, potentially limiting its inclusion in multi-colored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its high mana cost, playing Woodborn Behemoth can slow down your early game. Other creatures and spells with a lower mana requirement may provide a quicker board presence or an immediate effect that influences the game state.

Discard Requirement: While Woodborn Behemoth itself doesn’t come with a discard requirement, building a deck around it often means including cards that help you reach the threshold of eight lands to activate its ability. This could lead to a scenario where you’re discarding valuable cards in an attempt to buff your Behemoth, which could be a costly trade.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Woodborn Behemoth easily fits into various green decks that utilize the “ramp to large creatures” strategy, as it thrives in environments rich with forests.

Combo Potential: This creature has the capacity to become a significant threat when paired with cards that search for lands, ensuring that its bonus ability is a consistent advantage.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors larger creatures and combat-centric interactions, Woodborn Behemoth stands out as a resilient force capable of going toe-to-toe with other formidable threats on the battlefield.


How to beat Woodborn Behemoth

Woodborn Behemoth shines in MTG as a force among green creature cards, thanks mainly to its imposing presence once you control five or more lands that turn it into an 8/8 elemental with trample. Overcoming this colossal might necessitate a strategic approach. One effective tactic is to limit the player’s land count, hindering the Behemoth’s evolution into its greater form. Land destruction or control decks can be particularly effective in this endeavor.

Furthermore, direct removal spells serve as the bane of the Woodborn Behemoth. Spells like Path to Exile or Murder offer an immediate resolution to the threat, irrespective of the Behemoth’s size. Pacifism effects, represented by cards such as Oblivion Ring or Darksteel Mutation, bypass the brute strength of the creature, neutralizing it without necessarily removing it from the battlefield. Lastly, leveraging bounce spells or effects to return it to the owner’s hand can disrupt the momentum gained from casting such a significant creature and waste resources poured into it.

In essence, while the Woodborn Behemoth can be a considerable adversary when fully empowered, preemptive and reactive measures can effectively mitigate its impact in a game, maintaining the delicately balanced scales of MTG gameplay.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Woodborn Behemoth MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2014 and Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob Nixilis, 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 Woodborn Behemoth and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Woodborn Behemoth Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2013-07-19 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Matt Stewart.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-07-19Magic 2014M14 2032003NormalBlackMatt Stewart
22016-09-02Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob NixilisDDR 262015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
32017-06-16Archenemy: Nicol BolasE01 792015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
42019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 13762015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
52020-07-17JumpstartJMP 4462015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
62020-09-26The ListPLST E01-792015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
72022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 7442015NormalBlackMatt Stewart

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Woodborn Behemoth has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal