Introduction
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a distinctive card from the Magic: The Gathering universe. With its unique abilities and strategic advantages, it has become a sought-after card for many players. This article delves deep into the intricacies of this card, its synergies, strategies, and its impact across various formats.
Key Takeaways: Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner
- Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a versatile card suitable for multiple MTG formats.
- The card offers unique abilities that provide both card and tempo advantages.
- It synergizes well with various other cards, enhancing deck strategies.
- Kiora’s price fluctuates based on its popularity and edition.
- Understanding Kiora’s abilities can provide a significant edge in gameplay.
- The card’s artwork, done by Cynthia Sheppard, adds to its appeal.
- Countering Kiora requires strategic use of disruption and direct attacks.
- Its presence in decks can influence game outcomes, especially in competitive play.
Mana Cost and Card Type
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a 4-mana creature card from the expansion set Theros Beyond Death. It has a converted mana cost of 5 and it is a green creature with a creature type of Elemental Beast. Its mana cost is composed of one green mana symbol, two generic mana symbols and a variable colorless mana symbol, which changes depending on the card’s chosen target.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner’s power and toughness are determined at the time the card is played. Its triggered ability relies on a target creature, and the power and toughness of the target creature are copied when the ability resolves. The power and toughness Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner gains are the same as the chosen target creature’s. This makes Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner a contained creature, as its power and toughness can vary from game to game. Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner also benefits from effects that are based on power and toughness, such as counters, enchantments and auras.
Power and Toughness
Kiora has a base power and toughness of 4/4. This means it can do a decent amount of damage, while also providing ample block defense when necessary.
Thanks to Kiora’s ability however, its power and toughness can swell well beyond even that. When Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner enters the battlefield, you can put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the amount of devotion your devotion to blue is on it. This allows Kiora to double or even triple its base power and toughness if there are already enough mana sources on the board. Furthermore, the tokens can also be used to further buff up any other creatures that happen to be out in play as well, further boosting your overall board power.
Card Text
In Magic: The Gathering, the card text is the part of the card that defines what the card does. This information is found after the power/toughness and mana cost information. Card text normally consists of effects and abilities, and may also contain keyword abilities that link to another ability found elsewhere in the game’s rule sets.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner’s card text is composed of a triggered ability and a static ability. Her triggered ability allows you to create a 3/3 green and blue Beast token when Kiora enters the battlefield, or when she attacks. The static ability allows your creatures to have trample when attacking. This ability is only active when Kiora is on the battlefield, providing an advantageous tactical advantage for creatures that can be used to attack your opponent’s life total. As an additional bonus, all of your creatures become four power, which can be extremely useful if used with cards that pump your creatures’ power, such as Uttar’s Rampage, overruling more defensive cards your opponent may have held back in reserve. These effects combined makes her a fierce and effective contender in tournament play.
Card Artist
The art of the Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner card is provided by the talented Karla Ortiz. Ortiz is a concept artist and illustrator from Panama, and she has illustrated cards for various Magic the Gathering expansions since 2014. Her illustrations often carry an otherworldly, mystical vibe to them, and many of her pieces feature some kind of blue color scheme.
For Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner, Karla has done an excellent job of expressing both the vastness of the sea and its powerful inhabitants. Set against a black background, a giant beast rises from the depths carrying a trident while several of Kiora’s tentacles reach out to the sea surface and beckon even more creatures. The colors used in the illustration are vibrant, capturing the beauty of the sea and painting an image of a powerful scene.
Karla Ortiz has become one of the most sought after artists in Magic the Gathering with her illustrations for Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner being especially popular among fans. The artwork conveys a story in one image and offers viewers a chance to explore the realm of blue Magics players. Her work continues to be included in new Magic the Gathering sets, and each time her pieces bring something unique and captivating to the game. It is clear that Karla Ortiz will continue to be featured in the game for some time, and that her art will bring many great cards to the Magic the Gathering community.
Expansion Set
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner was first introduced to Magic: The Gathering in Theros Beyond Death. The set was released on January 24, 2020. It is a part of the Theros block of sets. It is a rare, mono-green creature card and a powerful new black-green deck commander. The game mechanics play to the sensibilities of its commander, encouraging players who use it to plunge into the depths of the unknown.
The set brings new, powerful creatures, enchantments, and artifacts that can be used with Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner to create different strategies. Kiora can be used in conjunction with creatures such as Deeproot Elite, Nylea, Keen-eyed and Vineshaper Mystic to create a swarm of tokens to overrun the opponent. Kiora can also be used to give an evasion bonus to the creatures in the deck, allowing them to slide past an opponent’s blockers and gain value in the process.
Powerful enchantments such as Demonic Vigor make the deck extremely dangerous by allowing bigger creature threats to stay on the battlefield after being blocked. Artifacts such as Skyclave Relic are also added to the deck to either give the deck more permanents or to give it card advantage. Overall, the set provides an excellent toolbox for any player looking to build an aggressive, yet resilient, black-green deck.
Drafts and Sealed Decks
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a powerful ally in Drafts and Sealed Decks. Its versatility and reliability makes it a great choice for decks that need extra push and provide support at the same time. With its six mana cost, it can be played late game and help maintain control over the board.
Kiora’s triggered ability allows her to return any nonland permanent from your graveyard to your battlefield. This includes creature spells, enchantment spells, planeswalkers, and even artifact cards. This can give you an edge in any given board state. Being able to decide what type of permanent your opponent will get out of his graveyard can be very advantageous. Additionally, being able to return Planeswalkers or creatures back from your graveyard can help maintain control over the battlefield. Kiora’s ability also works as a deterrent against your opponents creature graveyard recursion. While it won’t counter their effects, it will significantly delay their use, allowing your ally time to get back into the game.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner in Constructed Formats
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a powerful card for constructed-level formats, and it can potentially fuel aggressive aggro strategies. Kiora’s power ability triggers whenever you cast a creature spell, untapping each creature you control. This helps you produce a lot of creature tokens and refill your hand with creatures to attack your opponent. The untap also sparks off combos as it allows you to use abilities of your creatures multiple times in a turn. Kiora also has a +2 loyalty counter ability which can be used to take control of creatures your opponents control. This can be used to lock out your opponent in the late game.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner finds use in both control and aggro strategies. In control decks, it can be used to keep opponent’s creatures under control and draw cards to refuel your resources. In aggro decks, it can be used to quickly churn out a massive board presence and draw more creatures to fuel your attack. Additionally, Kiora’s ability works with cards that have powerful etb abilities such as Stoneforge Mystic and Siege Rhino, allowing you to gain incremental value from these cards. Kiora is especially powerful in decks with powerful token generators, allowing you to pump up your board even further.
Strategies for Kiora
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a powerful Magic: The Gathering card that has a potent effect. It offers players the opportunity to create large armies of creatures easily and quickly. Even just a single copy of this card can generate waves of creatures that can overwhelm your opponent.
There are several strategies for utilizing Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner in order to maximize its effect. Drawing additional lands every turn makes it possible to cast multiple creatures in a single turn, thereby building up an army quickly. This is further augmented by its ability to tap for a single mana of any color. This makes it possible to cast nearly any creature in the game with just one copy of this card in play. Additionally, its mana cost is low enough that it can be played early in the game, making it easy to get an advantage over your opponent.
Why Choose Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is an excellent card for ramp in any format. It allows you to quickly develop your mana base in the early turns of the game, allowing you to put a lot of pressure on your opponent. The flexibility of the card makes it a great card to include in almost any deck.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner also has the added benefit of being a creature. While your opponent might think they have a major advantage in the early game, you can turn the tables by playing the card and getting a creature into play. This will pressure your opponent to answer the threat or take damage. Additionally, when paired with cards like Exploration, Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner can help you accelerate into the midgame and get to your finisher sooner. Overall, Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a great card for any deck that needs consistent ramp and a solid creature-based advantage.
Countering Kiora
One of the most effective ways to counter Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is through disruption. Just like with any other planeswalker, countering the card itself is always the best route. The effect of Kiora’s +1 ability is to put additional counters on your creatures, so it’s important to be able to stop the card before those counters are able to be applied. Cards such as Spell Pierce, Negate, Vapor Snag, Counterspell and Dismiss are all excellent choices in modern and legacy formats.
Another effective way to counter Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is to attack her directly in combat. Kiora has no native protection from creatures, and can be easily taken down before the +1 and -2 abilities can be activated. Be aware of this when your opponent taps out for Kiora, as they can easily lose her before she is given the chance to take full effect. Additionally, cards like Leonin Arbiter and Thalia, Guardian of Thraben can make it difficult for your opponent to activate her loyalty abilities, as well as keep her from gaining the advantage of her second -2 ability.
Combos
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner offers a scalable and repeatable board presence, which makes it ripe for being comboed with other cards. One of the more common combos is with Ghalta, Primal Hunger. At the cost of four lands, the player can cast both creatures, giving them haste and smash in for an immediate twenty damage. Splinter Twin gives a different angle of attack, where you first cast Kiora, use her ability to untap any creature, then target the creature of your choice and grant it protection from blue to make it unblockable.
Another combo available to Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is with Quantify. With Quantify out, as soon as Kiora gets to your side of the battlefield it will generate +2/+2 counters each time you cast a spell. This can quickly lead to having more creatures on the board than your opponent, allowing you to dominate the game so long as you are able to keep producing spells. Beyond this, Kiora can quickly fill out your mana base by tapping your opponent’s mana sources, enabling you to cast what you need to push the combo through.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner Synergies
One great synergy that Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner has in both built and sealed formats is with cards like Unsummon, Into the Roil, and Expedition Map. These cards allow you to fuel Kiora’s ability to generate extra mana. This allows Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner to cast more powerful spells than usual, and use her ability to its fullest potential.
Another great synergy with Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is the ability to quickly set up a board advantage. Her tap ability is fantastic for quickly generating extra creatures. This can be combined with cards like Elspeth, Sun’s Champion to create a 4/4 indestructible army,or with Xenagos, God of Revels to create a massive token swarm that can overrun an opponent. Finally, the ability to cast powerful creatures each turn with just one mana can easily generate card advantage, allowing you to out-position your opponent in a hurry.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner in Commander
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a strong commander choice for a ramp-based deck. As a planeswalker, she provides card draw, mana ramp, and a powerful ultimate ability which can give you a board full of impressive threats. Additionally, Kiora’s cost and loyalty make it difficult for opponents to remove.
As the commander, she fits perfectly into G/U/x shells as well as mono-colored decks. With an army of beasts at her side, Kiora is capable of taking over a board state quickly through her +1 and ultimate. Thanks to Kiora’s 0 cost activation, it is easy to generate mana with her in order to cast the huge threats her +1 brings in. Kiora also has access to countermagic to protect herself and her board from opponents. This allows you to efficiently control the board while ramping with her +1.
Kiora’s ultimate is a powerful threat that can quickly snowball into a win. Her army of beasts gives her access to a wide variety of threats, from large behemoths to aggressive hydras. All of these creatures can be searched up with her +1 ability. Kiora also can get access to powerful Teferi and Nissa planeswalkers to further protect herself and her board from harm. In addition, Kiora’s +1 and ultimate can be used to generate a large number of mana in order to cast some of the most powerful spells the game has to offer.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner in Standard
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is an excellent addition in Standard, as its ability to continuously add to the board provides players with unprecedented deckbuilding options. The 3 mana cost also ensures that it never falls too far behind in mana efficiency. It has an ability called “Gift of Tusks” which means whenever a creature spell you control with X or more power enters the battlefield under your control, draw a card and a creature with converted mana cost X or less. This ability creates a snowball effect that can generate a ton of value as the game progresses.
Further-more, Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner can also help support more aggressive strategies due to its other ability “Aurelia’s Call” which allows creatures with converted mana cost 3 or less to enter the battlefield as an additional cost. This ability can be used to build quick, devastatingly strong boards in the early-game. With this combination of abilities Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner has an amazing amount of versatility and is a great addition to any Standard deck.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner in Modern
Kiora’s Behemoth Beckoner offers powerful, versatile play options in the modern format. As a four-drop creature, Kiora is especially great in creature-heavy decks and fills an important slot in the mana curve. Her power level makes her perfect for midrange strategies as a threat and defense.
Kiora’s ability to untap Green creatures upon being summoned provides an efficient defensive capability. This is especially useful in creature-heavy matchups, allowing her controller to produce a quick army and turn the board to their favor. She also allows for the instant creation and enhancement of Green threats, enabling players to get ahead quickly and create overwhelming boards. Her mana cost also ensures that she can be played in the early game to mitigate the opponent’s early forces while allowing the user to establish their own presence. Additionally, her Construct creature type allows her to synergize with Construct decks. All of these features make her an excellent choice in the Modern format.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner in Legacy
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a card from the War of the Sparks expansion set. It is an 8 mana blue and green legendary creature with a powerful set of abilities. The card has four abilities: it can draw cards, create mana, play extra lands, and create creatures. This makes it versatile and powerful in the Legacy format, allowing it to be playable in many decks.
Kiora’s first ability allows the caster to draw three cards and then discard two of them. This ability gives the caster card advantage against their opponent, as they have more options than them. The second ability allows the caster to create mana, which is sometimes necessary to be able to play certain spells and abilities. It also helps the caster play creatures and other cards quicker. The third ability is excellent in Legacy where fetchlands are limited, as it gives the caster the ability to play four extra land cards each turn. Lastly, Kiora’s fourth ability is a gamechanger, as it gives the caster the ability to create a creature token every turn for only four mana. This allows the caster to flood the battlefield with creatures quickly and easily, putting them in a good position to win the game.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner in Limited
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a five-mana green creature card from Magic: The Gathering’s Theros Beyond Death set. It features a powerful ability that allows you to populate the battlefield with powerful beasts. Kiora essentially acts as a mini-ramp spell depending on the combinations of creatures you can successfully summoned, making it an extremely powerful card in Limited.
Kiora’s ability can potentially be used to summon multiple big creatures and make favourable trades due to its powerful board advantage. In Limited games, Kiora also generally provides ample options for players to play during their early turns which can lead to a strong gameplan. Additionally, Kiora has the potential to be a game-ending card if players can take control of the board state quickly enough. In most cases, Kiora allows for players to slow down aggression and strengthen their defences, while still developing a board presence. All in all, Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is an extremely powerful card in Limited and provides an important tool for Green players in Limited.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner in Vintage
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner has made her presence known in the Vintage format. While this format is not as widely played as other formats such as Standard and Modern, Kiora offers plenty of versatility and value in this format. Her ability to put an extra creature or nearly any permanent onto the battlefield is a huge boon, as it keeps mana open for disruption and makes sure that threats remain on board.
Kiora’s -2 ability is also useful in this format as it gives you a way to draw cards. This helps to smooth out draw steps and helps you find the pieces you need to win the game. Additionally, Kiora’s ultimate -7 ability is great if you can get your graveyard full of creatures, as it will give you some extra flexibility on the battlefield by putting them onto the battlefield. This helps push out an extra attack or pressure an opponent’s Planeswalkers. Overall, Kiora is a formidable option in the Vintage format, and makes sure you have answers to whatever you may run up against.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner Price Analysis
The price of Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner can vary based on a multitude of factors, such as its scarcity, availability, and the current metagame. As of September 2020, Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is fetching a relatively average price of around $2-$4, depending on the edition you are looking for. Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is widely available in both physical and digital formats, with some editions reaching higher market values depending on their rarity.
However, due to Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner’s popularity, its market price is constantly fluctuating. For example, when the card was first released the price was significantly higher than the current price. Furthermore, Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner maintains a relatively higher price for premium editions of the card compared to its Standard counterpart. This is due to the fact that the card’s premium artwork is more highly sought-after than the regular artwork, and can be worth substantially more money. For this reason, players looking for a price benefit should focus on acquiring Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner’s Standard versions when possible.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner Alternatives
If you are looking for an alternative to Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner, there are a number of other powerful creatures you can consider in the same mana cost range as the Beckoner. One such example is Bident of Thassa. This enchantment creature offers you the ability to draw two cards whenever you target a creature you control or your opponent’s creature on your turn. This could be a great way to draw cards and fuel your deck to do more powerful things in the late game.
Another great example is Fathom Mage. This creature allows you to draw cards equal to the power of any creature you control. This allows you to draw cards based on the power of your creatures and can be powerful in decks with creatures such as the Behemoth Beckoner. This also allows you to draw a lot of cards in the late game and can be a great way to fuel some powerful strategies.
Conclusion
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is not just another card in the MTG realm. Its versatility, power, and synergy with other cards make it a formidable choice for many deck types. Whether you’re playing in Standard, Modern, Legacy, or even Vintage, understanding the nuances of Kiora can give you a significant edge over your opponents.
Related Reading: Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner – Gatherer – Magic: The Gathering
The official Gatherer page for Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner. Here, you can find the card’s official details, rulings, and community ratings.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner – MTG Wiki
A detailed page from MTG Wiki discussing Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner’s lore, card details, and its appearances in various Magic: The Gathering sets.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner – Card Kingdom
Card Kingdom’s listing for Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner, where you can view the card’s price, details, and purchase options.
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner – EDHREC
EDHREC’s page for Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner, showcasing the card’s popularity in the Commander format and suggesting various decklists and strategies.
FAQs:
What is the mana cost and card type of Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a four-mana (2 Blue, 2 Green) creature with the card type of Legendary Planeswalker.
What is the power and toughness of Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner has a power and toughness of 0/4.
What does the card text of Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner say?
The card text of Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner reads, “+1: Untap up to one target creature and up to one target land. −2: Reveal the top four cards of your library. You may put a creature card and/or a land card from among them into your hand. Put the rest into your graveyard. −7: Search your library for up to two creature and/or land cards, put them onto the battlefield, then shuffle your library.”
Who is the card artist of Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner?
The card artist of Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is Cynthia Sheppard.
In which expansion set is Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is from the War of the Spark expansion set.
How is Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner used in Drafts and Sealed Decks?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a great card to pick in Drafts and Sealed Decks as it can provide card advantage and tempo advantage in the late game. It’s also great as it can act as both a creature and a spell.
How is Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner used in Constructed Formats?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a great card to have in Constructed Formats as it can provide card advantage and tempo advantage in the late game. It can also be used to generate additional value when playing cards such as fetchlands or planeswalker cards.
What strategies should be used when playing Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner?
When playing Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner, the best strategy is to try to utilize its +1 ability to untap creatures and lands in order to gain tempo advantage. Its -2 ability can also provide card advantage when used to reveal the top four cards of your library. Its -7 ability should be used when there is a need for more creatures or lands on the battlefield.
Why should I choose Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a great card to play in any format as it provides card advantage and tempo advantage. Additionally, it is very versatile and can be used both as a creature and a spell.
How do I counter Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner can be countered by using cards such as creature removal, creature pump spells, planeswalker removal, and counterspells.
Are there any combos with Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner?
Yes, there are several combos that can be used with Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner. Some of these combos include using the +1 ability to untap creatures or lands in order to generate more mana and use cards such as Doubling Season to double the effect of Kiora’s abilities.
What are some Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner synergies?
Some of the synergies with Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner include using it with fetchlands to draw cards, using it with planeswalkers to generate card advantage, and using it with creature pump spells to create an overwhelming board presence.
How is Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner used in Commander?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a great card to use in Commander as it can provide card advantage and tempo advantage. Additionally, it can be used to generate additional value when playing cards such as fetchlands or planeswalkers.
How is Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner used in Standard?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a great card for Standard as it can provide card advantage and tempo advantage in the late game. Additionally, it can be used to generate additional value when playing cards such as fetchlands or planeswalkers.
How is Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner used in Modern?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a great card for Modern as it can provide card advantage and tempo advantage in the late game. Additionally, it can be used to generate additional value when playing cards such as fetchlands or planeswalkers.
How is Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner used in Legacy?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a great card for Legacy as it can provide card advantage and tempo advantage in the late game. Additionally, it can be used to generate additional value when playing cards such as fetchlands or planeswalkers.
How is Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner used in Limited?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is an excellent card for Limited as it can provide card advantage and tempo advantage in the late game. Additionally, it can be used to generate additional value when playing cards such as fetchlands or planeswalkers.
How is Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner used in Vintage?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner is a great card for Vintage as it can provide card advantage and tempo advantage in the late game. Additionally, it can be used to generate additional value when playing cards such as fetchlands or planeswalkers.
What is the current price analysis of Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner?
Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner currently has a price of around $7.00.
What are some alternatives to Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner?
Some alternatives to Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner include Nissa, Who Shakes the World, Ugin, the Ineffable, Garruk, Cursed Huntsman, Vivien, Arkbow Ranger, and Karn, the Great Creator.