Dryad Greenseeker MTG Card
2018-07-13 - Number 178
2020-07-17 - Number 178
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Dryad |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Text of card
: Look at the top card of your library. If it's a land card, you may reveal it and put it into your hand.
"The land already knows its destiny. I simply ask it to share the tale with me."
Cards like Dryad Greenseeker
Dryad Greenseeker stands out in the vast landscape of Magic: The Gathering’s card selection tools. As a creature that lets you peek at the top card of your library, it echoes the functionality of cards like Courser of Kruphix. While the Courser offers the added benefit of playing lands from the top of your library, Dryad Greenseeker takes advantage of being a lower cost option that fits into the early game.
Tireless Tracker is another notable comparison, providing a clue-centric approach to card advantage. Although the Tracker scales better in the long game by generating Clue tokens that can be cashed in for cards, it doesn’t have the immediate effect of Dryad Greenseeker, which can start manipulating your top deck right away. Lastly, we have Sylvan Ranger, which ensures a land drop by fetching a basic land card to your hand, however, the repeatable potential of the Greenseeker to sift through your library often grants it a more favorable position for deck filtering strategies.
Each card has its niche, but Dryad Greenseeker’s ability to consistently interact with the top of your library makes it a solid selection in any MTG deck that aims for top-deck synergy and sustained value over the course of a game.
Cards similar to Dryad Greenseeker by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Dryad Greenseeker taps to peek at the top card of your library, potentially drawing a land card and ensuring that your hand is fuelled with resources each turn.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly generating mana, the ability to consistently hit land drops through the Greenseeker’s ability is a form of indirect resource acceleration, smoothing out your plays and keeping your landfall triggers consistent.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of Dryad Greenseeker’s tap ability being utilized at instant speed means you can wait until the most strategic moment of your turn or even during your opponent’s turn before committing to the action, keeping your options open while potentially drawing a card.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Despite the potential to sift through the top of the library, Dryad Greenseeker doesn’t inherently require discard for its ability; hence this drawback isn’t applicable to this card. Players must instead be aware of how the card synergizes with other elements in the deck that may indeed pose discard conditions.
Specific Mana Cost: Dryad Greenseeker’s cost is constrained to a single green mana. This necessitates the presence of green mana sources in your deck, which can restrict deck-building options, particularly for those opting to run multi-color decks where the green mana base might not be as robust.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The initial investment of two mana for this one power creature can be steep considering that there are other mana dorks or utility creatures at one mana that could potentially provide more immediate value or ramping capability.
Reasons to Include Dryad Greenseeker in Your Collection
Versatility: Dryad Greenseeker stands out in decks that capitalize on top-deck synergy. Its ability to repeatedly scope the top card of your library for lands ensures consistent land drops, keeping your game fluid regardless of the deck archetype you’re running.
Combo Potential: With this card, you unlock various combos, particularly in decks revolving around landfall triggers or graveyard strategies. Imagine effortlessly setting up your draws or filling your graveyard for a powerful reanimation play.
Meta-Relevance: In a game that values information and resource consistency, Dryad Greenseeker finds its place. Whether the meta favors long, grindy games or quick, tempo-based matches, having access to more lands means executing your strategy that much faster and with greater stability.
How to beat
Dryad Greenseeker is a card that highlights a player’s ability to manipulate their deck and optimize card draw in Magic: The Gathering. It’s a small creature that allows you to look at the top card of your library and then draw that card if it’s a land. While this can lead to a significant card advantage, there are effective strategies to counteract its influence.
One effective approach is through targeted removal. Spells such as Fatal Push or Shatter are a direct answer to remove the Greenseeker from play before your opponent can benefit from the card advantage. Another tactic is to employ counterspells like Negate or Essence Scatter when Dryad Greenseeker is cast, ensuring it never hits the field to begin with.
Lastly, pressuring your opponent with aggressive creatures can divert their focus from seeking value with Dryad Greenseeker to defending their life total. If they’re busy dealing with threats, they’re less likely to take advantage of the consistent land drops. Thus, while Dryad Greenseeker has the potential to bolster an opponent’s gameplay, a mindful and proactive strategy can effectively neutralize its impact.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Dryad Greenseeker MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2019 and Jumpstart Arena Exclusives, 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 Dryad Greenseeker 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Dryad Greenseeker Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-07-13 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Greg Opalinski.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018-07-13 | Core Set 2019 | M19 | 178 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Greg Opalinski | |
| 2 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart Arena Exclusives | AJMP | 178 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Greg Opalinski |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Dryad Greenseeker has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dryad Greenseeker card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-07-13 | If the top card of your library isn’t a land card, or if you choose not to reveal it, it remains on top of your library. |