Vine Kami MTG Card


Vine Kami - Champions of Kamigawa
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Spirit
Abilities Menace,Soulshift
Released2004-10-01
Set symbol
Set nameChampions of Kamigawa
Set codeCHK
Power 4
Toughness 4
Number249
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byTsutomu Kawade

Key Takeaways

  1. Vine Kami provides card advantage by searching and refining your hand for optimal game strategy.
  2. Resource acceleration and instant-speed play allow for unexpected plays and swift adaptations.
  3. Despite benefits, it has restrictions like a high mana cost and the need for green mana.

Text of card

Vine Kami can't be blocked except by two or more creatures. Soulshift 6 (When this is put into a graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost 6 or less from your graveyard to your hand.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Vine Kami card brings a unique twist to the concept of card advantage on the battlefield. This formidable presence grants you the ability to delve into your library, digging for the tools you need to outmaneuver your opponent. Each interaction with Vine Kami can set you on a path to dominance by refining the contents of your hand and shaping the course of the game.

Resource Acceleration: Beyond its mystical allure, Vine Kami provides a valuable ramp in resources. By harnessing the natural energies, it facilitates resource acceleration that can prove vital in the early to mid-game transitions. This allows you to unleash larger threats or pivotal spells sooner than expected, tipping the scales of power in your favor.

Instant Speed: The true potency of Vine Kami lies in its capacity to act at instant speed. This flexibility offers the dual benefit of reactive play and strategic depth. With the ability to swiftly respond to your opponent’s actions or optimize your own maneuvers, Vine Kami ensures that you’re always one step ahead, ready to exploit opportunities or avert impending threats at a moment’s notice.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Vine Kami demands a card to be discarded to trigger its ability. This can be taxing when your hand is already dwindling, forcing you into tough decisions about resource management during critical points of the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Vine Kami comes with a strict green mana cost, which can restrict its playability. Decks not heavily invested in green may struggle to cast it on curve, potentially stifling its effectiveness and reducing its overall versatility in multicolored deck strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Priced at five mana, it competes with other heavy hitters in the five-slot range. In environments where tempo plays a dominant role, juggling a card with a mana cost like Vine Kami’s might prove cumbersome against more cost-effective creatures or spells that offer similar or greater impact.


Reasons to Include Vine Kami in Your Collection

Versatility: Vine Kami offers a unique flexibility for green-focused decks. Its ability to manipulate +1/+1 counters makes it a match for various strategies from aggro to midrange that capitalize on creature growth and resilience.

Combo Potential: With the right synergies, the modular nature of +1/+1 counters can turn Vine Kami into a powerhouse. Interactions with proliferate mechanics or evolving creatures can create a devastating board presence.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where board states can change rapidly, having a creature that can scale and adapt to different situations is crucial. Vine Kami’s potential for growth ensures it remains relevant, especially in environments where creatures are king.


How to beat

Vine Kami is a unique creature enveloped in the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering, known for its potential to reconfigure the landscape of a match with its Vine counters. Players find themselves in a tangle as they strategize against the growing might of this mystical being. Triumphing over Vine Kami requires a blend of precision and adaptability.

An effective strategy is deploying removal spells that can target creatures regardless of their size, such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push. Timing is key; striking before the Kami grows too powerful and out of control is critical. In addition, counterspells are invaluable, as preventing Vine Kami from hitting the battlefield in the first place negates the need to contend with its proliferating nature. Lastly, crafting a deck that maintains robust board control, with sweepers like Wrath of God, will clear any accumulated Vine counters, leaving your opponent’s strategies to wither.

While Vine Kami offers a formidable presence, understanding its weaknesses and preemptively including answers in your deck can ensure that you’ll stand firm against the creeping vines, maintaining dominance in your matches.


Cards like Vine Kami

Vine Kami carves its niche within the spreading world of Magic: The Gathering creature spells. It shares common ground with cards like Wall of Blossoms and Wall of Omens, as both are creatures that allow you to draw a card upon entering the battlefield. However, Vine Kami’s larger body grants it a more formidable presence on the board than the aforementioned walls.

Another card akin to Vine Kami is Guardian Project, a notable enchantment offering a somewhat replicable effect by drawing a card each time a nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control. Despite the broader application, Guardian Project comes without the additional benefit of a physical creature to defend with. Vine Kami, being a creature itself, immediately influences the game as both a defensive asset and a card advantage engine.

Ultimately, Vine Kami holds its place in the category of green creatures tailored for card advantage. It balances card draw with a stout creature that can affect the board state, a contrast to pure card draw spells and enchantments that don’t provide immediate defending capabilities.

Wall of Blossoms - MTG Card versions
Wall of Omens - MTG Card versions
Guardian Project - MTG Card versions
Wall of Blossoms - Stronghold (STH)
Wall of Omens - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Guardian Project - Ravnica Allegiance Promos (PRNA)

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Thorn Elemental - MTG Card versions
Penumbra Wurm - MTG Card versions
Stone-Tongue Basilisk - MTG Card versions
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Beanstalk Giant // Fertile Footsteps - MTG Card versions
Somberwald Beastmaster - MTG Card versions
Cultivator Colossus - MTG Card versions
Garruk's Horde - MTG Card versions
Krosan Tusker - MTG Card versions
Avenger of Zendikar - MTG Card versions
Hundroog - MTG Card versions
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Cytospawn Shambler - MTG Card versions
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Molimo, Maro-Sorcerer - MTG Card versions
Duskdale Wurm - MTG Card versions
Pelakka Wurm - MTG Card versions
Engulfing Slagwurm - MTG Card versions
Kalonian Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Thorn Elemental - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Penumbra Wurm - Ultimate Masters (UMA)
Stone-Tongue Basilisk - Odyssey Promos (PODY)
Thriss, Nantuko Primus - Judgment (JUD)
Beanstalk Giant // Fertile Footsteps - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Somberwald Beastmaster - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Cultivator Colossus - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Garruk's Horde - Welcome Deck 2017 (W17)
Krosan Tusker - The List (PLST)
Avenger of Zendikar - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Hundroog - Legions (LGN)
Enormous Baloth - Tenth Edition (10E)
Ancient Ooze - Scourge (SCG)
Cytospawn Shambler - Dissension (DIS)
Panglacial Wurm - The List (PLST)
Molimo, Maro-Sorcerer - Tenth Edition (10E)
Duskdale Wurm - Iconic Masters (IMA)
Pelakka Wurm - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Engulfing Slagwurm - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Kalonian Behemoth - Salvat 2011 (PS11)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Vine Kami MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa, 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 Vine Kami and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Vine Kami has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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