Harrow MTG Card


Harrow excels in shifting the tide with deck thinning and instant speed land ramping for swift plays. The card’s demanding green mana cost and land sacrifice can pose strategic risks if not timed well. Despite its cost, Harrow’s ability to untap fetched lands instantly boasts great versatility and combo potential.
Card setsReleased in 19 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeInstant

Text of card

Sacrifice a land: Search your library for up to two basic land cards and put them into play. Shuffle your library afterwards.

Changing Rath's landscape is like tearing the scab from a wound.


Cards like Harrow

Harrow is an intriguing option within the land fetching spells in Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with cards like Cultivate, which also provides a ramp by allowing you to search for lands. Harrow takes a unique angle with its instant speed and considerable upside – the lands you fetch come into play untapped. Cultivate, while consistent, puts only one of the two lands onto the battlefield untapped and the other into your hand at sorcery speed.

Continuing the comparison, we encounter Kodama’s Reach, which mirrors Cultivate’s effects exactly, differing only in the set it’s featured in. Comparing Harrow to these, the instant flexibility and immediate impact on the board can often be a game-changer. Then there’s Explosive Vegetation, a spell that gets you two lands at a higher cost and without the sacrifice requirement, but again at sorcery speed, leaving Harrow as a more flexible option for reactive plays or end-of-opponent’s-turn setups.

In short, evaluating the dynamics of each card, Harrow stands out among ramp spells for its rapid and untapped land deployment, providing a significant advantage for those aiming to maximize their mana efficiency and gameplay options.

Cultivate - MTG Card versions
Kodama's Reach - MTG Card versions
Explosive Vegetation - MTG Card versions
Cultivate - MTG Card versions
Kodama's Reach - MTG Card versions
Explosive Vegetation - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Harrow by color, type and mana cost

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Natural End - MTG Card versions
Verdigris - MTG Card versions
Team Spirit - MTG Card versions
Refresh - MTG Card versions
Vivify - MTG Card versions
Primal Boost - MTG Card versions
Sprouting Vines - MTG Card versions
Natural Affinity - MTG Card versions
Ferocious Charge - MTG Card versions
Graphic Violence - MTG Card versions
Remodel - MTG Card versions
Roar of Jukai - MTG Card versions
Rending Vines - MTG Card versions
Early Harvest - MTG Card versions
Hail Storm - MTG Card versions
Wildsize - MTG Card versions
Invigorate - MTG Card versions
Pistus Strike - MTG Card versions
Gnaw to the Bone - MTG Card versions
Eaten by Spiders - MTG Card versions
Natural End - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Harrow. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Five-color LandsFive-color Lands GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 09 2024
Sultai ComboSultai Combo GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 06 2024
Five-color RampFive-color Ramp GladiatorGladiator Games: We're Back
Sultai ControlSultai Control Premodern$1K - Pre-Modern - SCG CON Hartford - Sunday - 9:30 am
DecklistDecklist Free form80#CS
Abzan LandsAbzan Lands GladiatorGladiator Team Unified League

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Harrow enables a seamless transition by trading one land in play for two fresh lands from your deck directly onto the battlefield. This exchange thins your deck, increasing the likelihood of drawing into non-land cards that can be crucial in the later stages of the game.

Resource Acceleration: Harrow helps you ramp up efficiently. By allowing you to put two lands into play, it effectively increases your mana resources, giving you a potential lead in the race to play high-impact cards.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of Harrow is underscored by its instant speed, permitting tactical plays. Respond during opponents’ turns, or after they have committed to a line of play, ensuring you keep up the pace while staying adaptable.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Harrow demands a specific mana cost that includes two green mana, which can sometimes pose a deck construction challenge and restrict its inclusion to green-centric decks.

Discard Requirement: While not a discard in the traditional sense, Harrow’s casting cost includes sacrificing a land. This can be a high stakes play, especially if the spell gets countered or if you’re setting yourself back on land development.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite being a powerful ramp tool, Harrow’s cost, when factoring in the land sacrifice, can be seen as steep compared to other ramp cards that don’t set you back a land or ask for less immediate resource investment.


Reasons to Include Harrow in Your Collection

Versatility: Harrow works seamlessly across various deck types, as it facilitates both land ramp and mana fixing. This instant-speed card can be a game-changer regardless of the strategy you’re employing, whether it’s triggering landfall abilities or just accelerating your play.

Combo Potential: Harrow’s ability to put lands onto the battlefield untapped can enable a multitude of combo opportunities. It’s remarkably potent in decks that capitalize on landfall triggers or need a sudden burst of mana to execute a winning combo.

Meta-Relevance: As the metagame often includes decks that rely on a solid mana base, Harrow can give you that edge by ensuring you have the right land types at the right time. The instant speed allows you to keep up with the pace, making it a smart addition for anyone looking to stay competitive.


How to beat Harrow

Harrow is a potent card in Magic: The Gathering, offering a unique ramping capability that allows players to sacrifice a land for the advantage of fetching two lands onto the battlefield untapped. What sets Harrow apart from other ramp spells is its instant speed, enabling tactful plays during an opponent’s turn or before your main phase for a surprise element.

To effectively counter Harrow, consider the timing of your land removal effects. Since Harrow requires sacrificing a land as an additional cost, activating land destruction in response to Harrow being cast can leave your opponent at a significant disadvantage; they will still lose their land with no benefits gained. Furthermore, countermagic such as Cancel can effectively negate Harrow before its effect resolves, providing a straightforward solution to prevent your opponent from acquiring the upper hand in terms of mana resources.

Overall, staying one step ahead and using precise timing with disruption are your main strategies when looking to outmaneuver Harrow’s land-ramping capability. Efficient planning can ensure you maintain control over the pace and resources of the game, hindering your opponent’s potential to outpace you with their mana acceleration.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic depth of MTG is epitomized by cards like Harrow, offering both potent ramping ability and deck thinning prowess. Its instant speed affords clever tactical maneuvers, setting it apart from other ramp spells. Whether you’re looking to trigger landfall abilities or just accelerate your mana base, Harrow can be an excellent addition to your deck. Yet, knowing how to leverage its strengths and counter its weaknesses is crucial in competitive play. Dive deep into strategic deck-building, exploring the nuances of mana acceleration, and ensuring your collection can face any challenge the game throws at you. Expand your MTG horizons with us for a richer gaming experience.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Harrow MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Invasion, 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 Harrow and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Harrow Magic the Gathering card was released in 18 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by 5 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-10-14TempestTMP 2301997NormalBlackEric David Anderson
22000-10-02InvasionINV 1891997NormalBlackRob Alexander
32002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 376122003NormalBlackLars Grant-West
42009-10-02ZendikarZEN 1652003NormalBlackIzzy
52010-01-01Magic Player Rewards 2010P10 92003NormalBlackLars Grant-West
62010-03-19Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. the CoalitionDDE 572003NormalBlackRob Alexander
72014-11-07Commander 2014C14 1992015NormalBlackRob Alexander
82015-05-06Tempest RemasteredTPR 1722015NormalBlackEric David Anderson
92015-08-28Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. EldraziDDP 162015NormalBlackIzzy
102017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 1152015NormalBlackRob Alexander
112018-08-09Commander 2018C18 1502015NormalBlackRob Alexander
122019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 12352015NormalBlackRob Alexander
132020-04-17Commander 2020C20 1742015NormalBlackRob Alexander
142020-09-25Zendikar Rising CommanderZNC 692015NormalBlackIzzy
152020-09-26The ListPLST C18-1502015NormalBlackRob Alexander
162021-08-26Jumpstart: Historic HorizonsJ21 5832015NormalBlackIzzy
172022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 2162015NormalBlackFilipe Pagliuso
182022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 216★2015NormalBlackFilipe Pagliuso
192024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder Junction CommanderOTC 1942015NormalBlackIzzy

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Harrow has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Harrow card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2004-10-04 Because the “search” requires you to find a card with certain characteristics, you don't have to find the card if you don't want to.
2004-10-04 The sacrifice of a land is part of the cost of casting Harrow. You can't pay this cost more than once to get a multiple effect.
2004-10-04 The two lands do not count toward your normal one land you can play each turn.