Zodiac Monkey MTG Card


Zodiac Monkey grants significant card advantage and can outmaneuver land-based restrictions effectively. Its modest mana cost enables faster resource acceleration and early game advantage. Combining it with instant speed spells and effects enhances its battlefield prowess.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Monkey
Abilities Forestwalk
Power 2
Toughness 1

Text of card

Forestwalk (If defending player has a forest in play, Zodaic Monkey can't be blocked.)

". . . By six offensives from the hills of Qi Kongming sought to change Han's destiny. . . ."


Cards like Zodiac Monkey

Zodiac Monkey stands out in the realm of versatile green creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It draws parallels to cards like Gladecover Scout for its low mana cost, yet it’s distinguished by its ability to gain forestwalk. This means the Zodiac Monkey becomes unblockable as long as the opponent controls a Forest, a trait not shared by the Scout.

Contrastingly, there’s Elvish Mystic, which also costs one green mana but serves a different purpose by providing mana acceleration. Unlike Zodiac Monkey, which can become a tactical assailant against specific decks, Elvish Mystic is a consistent utility creature helping to ramp up your mana resources early in the game.

Furthermore, looking at Silhana Ledgewalker, it bears forestwalk as well, but comes with the added advantage of hexproof, preventing it from being the target of spells or abilities your opponent controls. Zodiac Monkey doesn’t have this, but its lower converted mana cost could make it a preferable choice in situations where speed is key.

In essence, the Zodiac Monkey carves a niche for itself among green creatures with its own set of capabilities, offering strategic advantages in matches where forestwalk can be exploited.

Gladecover Scout - MTG Card versions
Elvish Mystic - MTG Card versions
Silhana Ledgewalker - MTG Card versions
Gladecover Scout - MTG Card versions
Elvish Mystic - MTG Card versions
Silhana Ledgewalker - MTG Card versions

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Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse - MTG Card versions
Scavenging Ooze - MTG Card versions
Heir of the Wilds - MTG Card versions
Mayor of Avabruck // Howlpack Alpha - MTG Card versions
Wren's Run Vanquisher - MTG Card versions
Muscle Sliver - MTG Card versions
Utopia Tree - MTG Card versions
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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Unleashing the full potential of Zodiac Monkey in your MTG game can swing the balance in your favor through strategic card advantage. This potent green creature card not only puts a formidable presence on the battlefield but its ability to dodge land-based restrictions can catch opponents off-guard, securing you a lead in card economy.

Resource Acceleration: Speed is often the key to victory and Zodiac Monkey does not disappoint. Its modest mana cost can lead to early game plays, and when combined with forest lands, it accelerates your resource development, paving the way for dropping larger threats much sooner than your adversary can anticipate.

Instant Speed: It’s all about timing and flexibility. While Zodiac Monkey itself isn’t an instant, it benefits from spells and effects at instant speed that can clear the path or provide protection during your opponent’s turn, allowing your monkey to swing in unimpeded on your next attack.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When playing Zodiac Monkey, you may be forced to make tough choices on resource allocation. Its ability sometimes necessitates discarding another card which could be a setback, especially when your hand is already sparse.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature card’s demand for green mana means that it naturally finds a home in green-based decks. However, for multi-colored or other archetype decks, incorporating Zodiac Monkey can pose challenges in maintaining a consistent mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Zodiac Monkey carries a mana cost that may seem steep considering its power and toughness. In many scenarios, there are alternative creatures or spells that might provide more bang for your buck and fit more smoothly into your overall strategy, thus making it a less attractive option for some deck builds.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Zodiac Monkey’s ability to gain forestwalk allows it to slip past green decks unchallenged, making it a sneaky addition to any aggressive strategy looking to bypass potential blockers.

Combo Potential: This creature can become quite potent when combined with land-affecting cards that turn your opponents’ lands into Forests, thus enabling guaranteed hits every turn.

Meta-Relevance: Against decks heavy in green mana bases, Zodiac Monkey can serve as a consistent threat, ensuring its relevance in such metas and providing an edge in specific matchups.


How to beat

Zodiac Monkey holds a quaint spot in the range of creature cards available to players in Magic: The Gathering. As a special nod to the Chinese Zodiac, it boasts a unique feature allowing it to gain a combat edge against blue creatures, a rare trait reminiscent of classic color-hate cards from MTG’s early sets. Its inherent abilities aside, the key to outmaneuvering this simian adversary is quite straightforward. Much like combating any creature with specific color advantages, you should avoid engaging with it using blue creatures.

Employing removal spells that aren’t color-specific is an effective strategy. Evasion tactics play well here too; one could use flying creatures or unblockable entities that aren’t hindered by Zodiac Monkey’s intrinsic abilities. Other alternative approaches include setting up defensive measures that render the monkey’s special abilities irrelevant, such as enlisting creatures with protection from green or simply overrunning your opponent with an even more formidable creature force, negating the need for direct confrontation with this particular forest-dwelling foe.

Thus, while Zodiac Monkey can be a quirky and situationally powerful card, it ultimately can be contained through classic control techniques, strategic foresight, and a willingness to adapt your in-game tactics to the strengths and weaknesses of your opponent’s deck.


BurnMana Recommendations

As you refine your MTG gameplay, consider the subtle strengths of Zodiac Monkey. This card captures attention with its ability to circumvent green defenses, unlocking potential in both casual and competitive play. Although it has its downsides, such as a specific mana cost and balancing discard mechanics, the advantages it brings to the table should not be overlooked. Its combo potential and meta relevance against green-heavy decks can tip scales in your favor. Dive deeper into the strategic use of Zodiac Monkey, enhance your deck’s performance, and outmaneuver your opponents. For a comprehensive understanding and effective deck strategies involving Zodiac Monkey, ally with us and explore its full potential.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Zodiac Monkey MTG card by a specific set like Portal Three Kingdoms 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 Zodiac Monkey and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Zodiac Monkey Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1999-05-01 and 2005-07-29. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11999-05-01Portal Three KingdomsPTK 1601997NormalWhiteAi Desheng
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 350841997NormalBlackAi Desheng
32005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 2852003NormalWhiteRichard Sardinha
42005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 285★2003NormalBlackRichard Sardinha

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Zodiac Monkey has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal