Deathcap Cultivator MTG Card


Deathcap Cultivator accelerates resource generation while enabling key instant-speed plays. Its flexibility in mana production and potential deathtouch ability offer dual utility. Tactical removal and careful management can neutralize the Cultivator’s board impact.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Druid
Abilities Delirium
Power 2
Toughness 1

Text of card

: Add or to your mana pool. Delirium — Deathcap Cultivator has deathtouch as long as there are four or more card types among cards in your graveyard.

The old hermit would never say what he fed his mushrooms, and people learned not to ask.


Cards like Deathcap Cultivator

Deathcap Cultivator holds a unique position among mana dorks in Magic: The Gathering. It bears a close resemblance to Elves of Deep Shadow in the way it taps for black mana—a trait somewhat rare among creatures that typically generate green. What gives Deathcap Cultivator an edge is its additional capability to produce green mana without any life loss, unlike its Elvish counterpart, which deals damage to you when it produces black mana.

On the other hand, Llanowar Elves comes to mind, a classic mana dork that only taps for green mana, but does so without offering any versatile color option. Deathcap Cultivator steps it up a notch with the potential to tap for either of the two colors, granting flexibility in multicolored decks. Also noteworthy is Birds of Paradise, offering an even wider range of mana options and flying, although missing the bonus of the cultivator’s deathtouch ability when delirium is satisfied.

While each of these mana creatures has its advantages, Deathcap Cultivator offers a harmonious blend of color flexibility and potential combat relevance, setting it apart as a valuable asset in many decks across the MTG landscape.

Elves of Deep Shadow - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Birds of Paradise - MTG Card versions
Elves of Deep Shadow - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Birds of Paradise - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Deathcap Cultivator by color, type and mana cost

Llanowar Dead - MTG Card versions
Chevill, Bane of Monsters - MTG Card versions
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Darkheart Sliver - MTG Card versions
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Lotleth Troll - MTG Card versions
Rakshasa Deathdealer - MTG Card versions
Archers' Parapet - MTG Card versions
Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons - MTG Card versions
Swarm Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Glowspore Shaman - MTG Card versions
Winding Constrictor - MTG Card versions
Fiend Artisan - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Dead - MTG Card versions
Chevill, Bane of Monsters - MTG Card versions
Belbe, Corrupted Observer - MTG Card versions
Grim Flayer - MTG Card versions
Golgari Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Thelon of Havenwood - MTG Card versions
Darkheart Sliver - MTG Card versions
Blightsoil Druid - MTG Card versions
Woodlurker Mimic - MTG Card versions
Putrid Leech - MTG Card versions
Skullbriar, the Walking Grave - MTG Card versions
Korozda Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Lotleth Troll - MTG Card versions
Rakshasa Deathdealer - MTG Card versions
Archers' Parapet - MTG Card versions
Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons - MTG Card versions
Swarm Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Glowspore Shaman - MTG Card versions
Winding Constrictor - MTG Card versions
Fiend Artisan - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Deathcap Cultivator offers a significant tactical edge by potentially providing card advantage. Once delirium is active, this creature supplies not only mana but also a deathtouch ability, making it a more valuable card, as it can become a threatening blocker or a strategic attacker against larger creatures.

Resource Acceleration: As a two-drop creature that taps for mana, Deathcap Cultivator is a key piece for ramp strategies, contributing to resource acceleration in your game. This quickened development allows you to play high-cost cards earlier than usual, giving you a lead in the race for board dominance.

Instant Speed: While Deathcap Cultivator itself is not an instant, it facilitates the casting of spells at instant speed. By ramping up your mana pool, Deathcap Cultivator gives you the ability to hold up mana for instant-speed interactions on your opponent’s turn, thus increasing your capacity to react and control the flow of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Deathcap Cultivator does not require discarding as an additional cost, but its tap effect demands careful resource management, which can be a drawback during a game where every card in hand counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring one green mana, this card can be restrictive for multicolor decks, ensuring its primary use in green-centric or two-color decks that can easily accommodate the mana requirement.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana might seem reasonable, in a format where efficiency is key, the additional requirement for delirium to gain the deathtouch ability may be a steep investment, especially when quicker alternatives are available.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Deathcap Cultivator offers dual functions as both mana acceleration and a mana source for different colors, fitting seamlessly into various deck builds, particularly those utilizing green and black mana.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to tap for black mana can be pivotal in setting up powerful combos, while its Delirium skill provides a defensive creature with deathtouch to deter attackers once you achieve four or more card types in your graveyard.

Meta-Relevance: Given its role in enabling early deployment of high-impact cards and late-game relevance through Deathtouch, Deathcap Cultivator remains a formidable option in many meta scenarios, meshing well with multiple strategies.


How to Beat Deathcap Cultivator

Deathcap Cultivator holds its own in the realm of mana dorks within Magic: The Gathering, offering ramp in the early game and potential deathtouch as the game progresses. It shines best when slipping into a third turn four-drop or shoring up mana curves. Yet, every card has its Achilles heel, and for those encountering this fungi ally, there are strategies to prevent it from cultivating victory.

One tactical approach to suppress Deathcap Cultivator’s influence is to employ removal spells that can deal with it before deathtouch becomes relevant. Cheap spells like Fatal Push or Lightning Bolt can efficiently dispatch this creature at a low cost, ensuring you won’t fall behind on tempo. Moreover, keeping an eye on the types of mana available to your opponent is key. With its ability to tap for either black or green mana, disrupting your opponent’s mana base by targeting their other sources with land destruction or taxing effects can limit the Cultivator’s usefulness.

Tactically speaking, Deathcap Cultivator is best handled promptly and with precision. Addressing this mana-fixing creature before it enables more threatening plays ensures that you maintain the upper hand and keep your opponent’s board development at bay.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re looking to advance your MTG expertise and refine your deck, Deathcap Cultivator is a card worthy of consideration. Its flexibility as a mana source and potential as a combat deterrent with deathtouch makes it a valuable addition to many green-centric strategies. From ramping up your mana pool for swift plays to holding down the fort against larger creatures, this card’s dual functionality can be the linchpin in controlling the pace of the game. Eager to harness the full potential of Deathcap Cultivator and master its strategic applications? Dive deeper with us into its uses and discover how it can transform your deck into a formidable force on the battlefield.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Deathcap Cultivator MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Shadows over Innistrad Promos, 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 Deathcap Cultivator and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Deathcap Cultivator Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by Karla Ortiz.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-04-08Shadows over InnistradSOI 2022015NormalBlackKarla Ortiz
22016-04-08Shadows over Innistrad PromosPSOI 202s2015NormalBlackKarla Ortiz
32023-03-21Shadows over Innistrad RemasteredSIR 1932015NormalBlackKarla Ortiz

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Deathcap Cultivator has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2016-04-08 Because you consider only the characteristics of a double-faced card’s front face while it’s not on the battlefield, the types of its back face won’t be counted for delirium.
2016-04-08 If you have three noncreature card types among cards in your graveyard at the time damage is dealt by Deathcap Cultivator, and lethal damage is dealt to another creature you control at the same time, the damage from Deathcap Cultivator won’t be from a source with deathtouch.
2016-04-08 In some rare cases, you can have a token or a copy of a spell in your graveyard at the moment that an object’s delirium ability counts the card types among cards in your graveyard, before that token or copy ceases to exist. Because tokens and copies of spells are not cards, even if they are copies of cards, their types will never be counted.
2016-04-08 The card types in Magic are artifact, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, sorcery, and tribal (a card type that appears on some older cards). Supertypes (such as legendary and basic) and subtypes (such as Human and Equipment) are not counted.
2016-04-08 The number of card types matters, not the number of cards. For example, Wicker Witch (an artifact creature) along with Catalog (an instant) and Chaplain’s Blessing (a sorcery) will enable delirium.