Dark Heart of the Wood MTG Card
1994-08-01 - Number 95
2005-10-07 - Number 200
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment |
Text of card
You may sacrifice a forest to gain 3 life. Counts as both a black card and a green card.
Even the Goblins shun this haunted place, where the tree limbs twist in agony and the ground seems to scuttle under your feet.
Cards like Dark Heart of the Wood
Dark Heart of the Wood is a distinctive card within Magic: The Gathering’s realm of resource management spells. It bears resemblance to other cards that sacrifice land for an effect, such as Zuran Orb, which also allows for land sacrifice to gain life. Where Dark Heart of the Wood requires a Forest and offers a gain of 3 life, Zuran Orb has no such restriction on the land type but provides only 2 life in return.
Exploring further, Edge of Autumn stands out as well. This card also interacts with land sacrifice but rather than life, it provides the advantage of card draw or mana ramping, depending on the game’s stage. While Dark Heart of the Wood delivers a consistent life gain, the utility of Edge of Autumn is versatile but situational.
Additionally, there’s a strategic kinship with Squandered Resources. This card extends the ability to sacrifice any land for one mana of any color the land could produce. Unlike Dark Heart of the Wood, it doesn’t restrict the land type but doesn’t offer life gain. This illustrates how Dark Heart of the Wood holds a unique position focused on life gain in exchange for Forests, a niche yet valuable capability within certain deck strategies.
Cards similar to Dark Heart of the Wood by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Dark Heart of the Wood offers a unique form of card advantage, particularly in decks that utilize the graveyard. By sacrificing unused lands, players can convert them into life points and potentially fuel other graveyard strategies.
Resource Acceleration: Although not direct mana acceleration, by boosting life totals, this card can effectively provide a cushion that allows players to take a more aggressive approach in utilizing their mana base without the immediate threat of losing the game.
Instant Speed: This enchantment can be activated at instant speed, giving players the flexibility to respond to threats or actions taken by opponents during their turns, or simply to gain life right before they would be dealt lethal damage.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In order to tap into the power of Dark Heart of the Wood, you’ll need to part with a forest card, which may cause a setback by reducing the mana available to you, particularly if your deck relies on a stable mana base to function efficiently.
Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a blend of both black and green mana, which may not seamlessly fit into every deck’s mana curve. This attribute confines its use to decks tailored toward a Golgari strategy or those flexible enough to accommodate such specific mana requirements.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite providing some life gain, the cost of trading a forest card may seem steep when other cards in the same mana range could deliver a broader impact on the game without the necessity of such a trade-off.
Reasons to Include Dark Heart of the Wood in Your Collection
Versatility: Dark Heart of the Wood offers a unique advantage for deck builders. As a land-centric card, it slots effortlessly into strategies that revolve around lands, such as landfall or graveyard-based decks. Its ability to convert lands into life provides a utility that is beneficial in various game situations.
Combo Potential: With a penchant for synergizing with cards that benefit from lands hitting the graveyard, such as The Gitrog Monster or Titania, Protector of Argoth, Dark Heart of the Wood can be a linchpin in potent combos. It helps maintain life totals while fueling the engine of these powerful interactions.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where aggressive strategies are prevalent, having a consistent source of life gain can be crucial. Dark Heart of the Wood can be a key card in stabilizing against such onslaughts, helping to steer the game towards the later stages where a land-based strategy may flourish.
How to beat Dark Heart of the Wood
Dark Heart of the Wood presents an interesting dynamic in MTG gameplay, offering a resource in exchange for a tangible cost. It’s a subtle but powerful enchantment that revolves around sacrificing forests for life gain. When facing this card, it’s important to recognize that the advantage it provides is directly tied to the number of forests a player controls.
Counterplay to Dark Heart of the Wood involves land disruption or graveyard interactions that can inhibit the enchantment’s efficacy. Considering cards that limit land retrieval from the graveyard or cards that can exile enchantments will tilt the odds in your favor. Similarly, leveraging land destruction or creature control can significantly reduce the effectiveness of Dark Heart of the Wood, as the opponent will be less inclined to sacrifice forests if it undermines their mana base or board presence.
To sum up, beating Dark Heart of the Wood comes down to disrupting the synergy it has with forests, either through denying graveyard benefits or by directly targeting the enchantment or the lands it relies on. Understanding the balance between life gain and board control is key to outmaneuvering this classic MTG card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dark Heart of the Wood MTG card by a specific set like The Dark and Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Dark Heart of the Wood and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Dark Heart of the Wood Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1994-08-01 and 2005-10-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-08-01 | The Dark | DRK | 95 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Christopher Rush | |
| 2 | 2005-10-07 | Ravnica: City of Guilds | RAV | 200 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Mark Tedin |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dark Heart of the Wood has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |