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Pojo's Magic The Gathering Card of the Day
Daily Since November 2001!

Leatherback Baloth
Image from Wizards.com

Leatherback Baloth
Worldwake

Reviewed March 2, 2010

Constructed: 3.00
Casual: 3.20
Limited: 2.50
Multiplayer: 3.00

Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale
1 being the worst.  3 ... average.  
5 is the highest rating

Click here to see all our 
Card of the Day Reviews 

BMoor

Leatherback Baloth

Look at this card and Woolly Thoctar side by side. Woolly Thoctar hasn't made much of an impact on Standard, possibly because it just doesn't do anything except swing for 5. Leatherback Baloth only swings for 4. Any deck that is capable of producing the mana for Woolly Thoctar would choose it over the Baloth. However, the Baloth has two important aspects going for it in favor of the Thoctar-- it is playable in a monogreen deck, and it can survive Bituminous Blast (and, in older formats, Flame Javelin or Sudden Death).

Constructed- 2
Casual- 2.25
Limited- 2.75
Multiplayer- 2


David Fanany

Player since 1995

Leatherback Baloth

A creature I like to call "the card of Unless." Only useful in mono-green, unless you have enough of those fancy rare lands everyone likes. Only a vulnerable vanilla creature, unless you have Eldrazi Monument or Overrun or Kitesail. This card may never be considered a top-tier threat, whatever that means, but it is going to do a lot of damage to a lot of people in a lot of games for a lot of years.

Constructed: 3/5
Casual: 3/5
Limited: 2/5
Multiplayer: 2/5

Miguel

Tuesday 3-2-10

 

Leatherback Baloth

 

Constructed: Until Sprounting Thrinax leaves standard, this little guy will only see play in mono green decks. Maybe to help out Elves, like they need any help.

 

Casual & Multiplayer: Good green fatty to add to any green beat down deck and cheap.

 

Limited: Going green in draft or sealed this is a great addition. Just watch for Smother or Hideous End.

 

Overall it is a cheap Beast.

 

Constructed: 3

Casual: 4

Multiplayer: 3

Limited: 4

 

Later

Miguel

Paul

Magic The Gathering Card of The Day: Leatherback Baloth

Welcome back readers today’s card of the day is Leatherback Baloth a powerhouse of a card from Worldwake that unfortunately doesn’t have many abilities. This particular Baloth costs three green mana and has a 4/5 body this makes players from times past whisper power creep. In today’s current standard environment we have powerhouse creatures like Baneslayer Angel and Wooly Thoctor whom switches power and toughness with this card. I don’t see this card seeing a fair amount of play in standard as the deck most likely to run it Naya already has a powerhouse in the form of Wooly Thoctor, then again Kird ape and Loam lion will most likely be played together so never say never. Mana bases in standard and extended are complex enough to handle creatures with varied mana costs, powerhouse mono green decks aside from Eldrazi green don’t see much competitive play as there are more powerful creatures in the formats. In eternal, no chance in hell too slow not enough effect on the game and vanilla. In casual and multiplayer this is what the doctor ordered, drop this turn three and then put a Rancor on it pure gold baby, it may draw removal but then again it’s a vanilla creature. In limited it requires a heavy commitment to green, not a first pick but if you’re sure your going into green it can beat faces.

Constructed: 2.5
Casual: 3.0
Limited: 2.5
Multiplayer: 3.5

Michael "Maikeruu" Pierno

Today's card of the day is Leatherback Baloth which is a vanilla 4/5 for just three Green mana. Presuming an entirely Green deck due to the cost this can fairly easily be played on the second turn, making it an extremely dangerous threat early and still solid if drawn later in the game. It may not see a great deal of play due to the lack of an effect or major support from type or multiple colors, but the high toughness and low cost makes it worthy of playing when able.

In Constructed, Casual, and Multiplayer this is a simple yet effective threat that can tie up an opponent's resources allowing your more flexible cards to shine. The lack of Trample and very dedicated casting cost are limitations, but in the right deck it is quite the bargain for what it offers. This is also similar to the three colored Woolly Thoctar from Shards which is quite popular, but at least in part due to the Gold nature which this Baloth is lacking. Mono-Green is short on several valuable tools for most deck designs and that overall lack of versatility will likely hold this card back.

For Limited the very specific mana cost is fairly difficult to work around even with Green's excellent supply of mana management. In Sealed it is very difficult to run a single color and unless Green is the vast majority of mana sources this may not see play until the fifth turn or even later. With Booster this is a difficult card to draft unless you are already solidly into Green as your deck's primary or only color. If by design you are able to play this card relatively early in a game the
4/5 is a very serious threat and will require some kind of removal by the opponent. Played later in the game this will be unlikely to have as heavy of an impact and other large creatures with effects will likely be better suited to the deck, even with higher casting costs.

Constructed: 4.0
Casual: 4.0
Limited: 2.0
Multiplayer: 4.0


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