Raised by Wolves: Midgame Tempo Shifts in MTG

In TCG ·

Raised by Wolves enchantment art: a green aura and two wolf tokens emerge as a creature gets pumped

Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Midgame Tempo Shifts with Raised by Wolves

Green has always known how to flood the board with creatures, but Raised by Wolves brings a delicious twist to midgame tempo. This Born of the Gods enchantment — Aura, for a cost of {3}{G}{G} — arrives with a thunderous footprint: two 2/2 Wolf tokens materialize the moment it enters, and the enchanted creature scales in power with every Wolf you control. It’s not just value; it’s a tempo swing that can push you from even to ahead in a single activation 🧙‍♂️🔥. For green decks that lean into teeth-and-claws aggression or ramped token strategies, this aura acts as a force multiplier, turning a modest threat into a cathedral of offense looming over your opponent’s board.

How it actually shifts tempo on the battlefield

On the surface, Raised by Wolves is a straightforward Aura: “Enchant creature.” But its true impact lives in the on-entry two 2/2 Wolf tokens and the buff that follows. When the aura hits the battlefield, you immediately spawn two 2/2 green Wolf tokens. The number of Wolves you control then acts as the scale for the enchanted creature’s power and toughness: enchanted creature gets +1/+1 for each Wolf you control. Those two new wolves don’t just sit there; they contribute to the buff immediately, creating a clean path to a bigger threat with a single card. In a deck that already values token generation or has ways to protect and push a big beater, Raised by Wolves becomes a tempo engine—one moment you’re trading bodies; the next, your enchanted creature is a serrated edge cutting through blockers in a single brutal stride ⚔️.

Consider a typical line: you cast Raised by Wolves on a 3/3 creature. The aura’s ETB effect nets you two 2/2 Wolves, so you now have a creature that’s arguably 3/3 + buff from Wolves. With two Wolves under your control, the enchanted creature sits at 3/3 + 2/+2, effectively becoming a 5/5. If you’ve got additional Wolves or ways to add more, that buff scales even further, turning a single enchantment into a midgame crescendo. The tempo comes not just from the three power/toughness on the board, but from forcing your opponent to answer a growing threat while you maintain momentum with creature-led pressure 🧙‍♂️🎲.

Practical play patterns and deck ideas

  • Wolf tribal and token synergies: Pair Raised by Wolves with other green cards that create Wolf tokens or buff wolves. The two tokens on entry create a natural floor for your aggressive plan, and the buff can push your enchanted creature into "impossible to race" territory if you’ve stacked resources.
  • Tempo versus attrition: In a midrange or pump-focused green crush deck, you’re aiming to out-tempo control decks with more bodies and bigger threats. The aura buys time by converting a single creature into a growing threat while you deploy additional support spells or more Wolves.
  • Protection and recursive value: Because the aura is an enchantment, it can be vulnerable to removal. Back it up with anthem effects, hexproof threats, or clone-friendly situations where losing the aura doesn’t crater your board—your two 2/2 Wolves, plus the buffed creature, keep your aggression intact.
  • Resource-efficient attacks: The tempo payoff compounds when you’ve already laid ramps or had creatures like mana dorks or bodies that can be sacrificed in a pinch to push damage across. The more Wolves you control, the bigger the payoff when your attack comes in hot 🔥.

Design notes and flavor

Raised by Wolves carries the Born of the Gods flavor of primal green resilience: the pack is stronger together, and even the humble creature you enchant becomes a leader in a hostile wilderness. The art by Raymond Swanland captures the primal energy of a wild circle of wolves, and the token-inflation moment when the aura enters mirrors the surge you feel as a player—momentum, momentum, momentum 🎨💎.

From a design perspective, this card showcases green’s strength in affordable, on-curve value with a scalable payoff. It rewards decisions that lean into tempo—casting on curve, activating token generation, and leveraging buff triggers as a cohesive unit. In formats where you can reliably deploy multiple Wolves or re-use the aura across different targets, Raised by Wolves grows into a genuine midgame powerhouse, a reminder that tempo is often a story of how efficiently you coerce the battlefield to tilt in your favor 🧭.

Collector notes and practical value

As an uncommon from Born of the Gods, Raised by Wolves sits at a comfortable price point for players chasing evocative green enchantments with tangible board impact. In foil, it’s a striking centerpiece for a Wolf- or aura-themed deck—the kind of card that looks as good as it plays. If you’re into collecting, the card’s rarity and the collectible Wolf token artwork provide both tactile and aesthetic appeal, matching the joy many players get from a well-timed tempo swing.

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