Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree MTG Card
2005-10-07 - Number 285
2010-06-18 - Number 136
2011-09-02 - Number 37
2012-06-01 - Number 130
2013-11-01 - Number 332
2016-11-25 - Number 130
2021-07-23 - Number 272
2023-09-08 - Number 173
| Card sets | Released in 8 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Land |
Key Takeaways
- Vitu-Ghazi turns idle mana into an ever-growing army of Saproling tokens, effective for card advantage.
- Token creation at instant speed with this land offers strategic plays and unexpected battlefield shifts.
- While potent, Vitu-Ghazi requires specific mana colors and a high investment for its abilities.
Text of card
: Add to your mana pool. , : Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play.
In the autumn, she casts her seeds across the streets below, and come spring, her children rise in service to the Conclave.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree doesn’t directly draw you cards, but it steadily populates the board with creature tokens. This can lead to substantial card advantage as you essentially generate an army without depleting the cards in your hand.
Resource Acceleration: While not a mana ramp in the traditional sense, Vitu-Ghazi offers a unique form of resource acceleration by turning unused mana into tangible assets—1/1 Saproling creature tokens. This can be critical in the later stages of a game where every resource counts.
Instant Speed: The ability to create tokens at instant speed with Vitu-Ghazi is a strategic asset, enabling players to wait until the end of an opponent’s turn to create blockers or, alternatively, to surprise an opponent with additional attackers during the next turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Although Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree doesn’t directly require you to discard cards, it does necessitate maintaining a hand that allows for consistent land drops to make use of its ability, potentially leaving fewer cards for other essential plays.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation cost of Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree demands a combination of green and white mana. This could restrict the card’s inclusion only to decks that can produce both colors reliably, possibly excluding it from more color-flexible strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The ability to turn Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree into a creature-producing land comes at the steep investment of six mana, which is significant. In situations where tempo and board presence are crucial, players might find that other cards can provide more immediate and cost-effective benefits.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree offers a unique dynamic to any deck as it serves dual roles. It not only provides mana but also becomes a creature factory in the late game, churning out Saproling tokens that can fortify your defenses or bolster your offensive line.
Combo Potential: This card excels in token-centric decks, easily slotting into combos that benefit from producing numerous tokens. When paired with cards that benefit from or use tokens, Vitu-Ghazi’s value exponentially increases, providing a steady stream of resources for various synergies.
Meta-Relevance: As the game environment leans towards longer games with intricate board states, Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree holds its ground by offering consistent token production. This card enables you to maintain pressure against control opponents and build a formidable presence against other mid-range competitors, ensuring its relevance in a diverse meta.
How to beat
Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree is not just a land card in Magic: The Gathering but an engine to churn out resilient creature tokens. Standing tall in many Selesnya (green-white) token decks, this card can be a persistent threat if left unchecked. To effectively counter this formidable card, disrupting the opponent’s mana base can be crucial. Land destruction spells or effects that restrict land activations can throw a wrench into their token-producing plan.
Additionally, board wipes are highly effective, as they clear out the tokens generated, resetting the opponent’s board. Cards that prevent creature token creation can also be a thorn in the side of Vitu-Ghazi’s strategy. Since the tokens are the heart of this card’s benefit, without them, it simply becomes an unimposing land. Lastly, staying ahead on board presence forces the opposing player to use Vitu-Ghazi defensively, hindering their ability to take full advantage of its token-generating power.
In essence, early aggression combined with targeted disruption can neutralize the advantage Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree offers to token-centric strategies, maintaining control and steering the game in your favor.
Cards like Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree
Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree stands out in the vast landscape of land cards in Magic: The Gathering. It shares its ability to produce tokens with cards like Khalni Garden, which also generates a plant token upon entering the battlefield. However, Vitu-Ghazi does not produce any tokens on entry, but offers a substantial late-game advantage by creating a 1/1 white and green Saproling creature token at the expense of a small mana fee and tapping.
Another comparable land is Kjeldoran Outpost. While the Outpost provides a similar recurring token generation, it requires sacrificing a plains upon entry, imposing an immediate cost as opposed to Vitu-Ghazi’s more flexible activation. Furthermore, the Outpost’s tokens are purely white. This makes Vitu-Ghazi, with its multicolored token creation, a versatile addition that can proliferate under the right conditions and deck strategy.
Overall, Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree benefits MTG players with a strategic edge in games that stretch to numerous turns, permitting the seamless cultivation of a creature army. Its adaptability and synergy with other cards that thrive on creature count make it a subtler, yet potent, choice for token-focused strategies.
Cards similar to Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds and Archenemy, 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 Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Magic products
Printings
The Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2023-09-08. Illustrated by Martina Pilcerova.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005-10-07 | Ravnica: City of Guilds | RAV | 285 | 2003 | normal | black | Martina Pilcerova | |
| 2 | 2010-06-18 | Archenemy | ARC | 136 | 2003 | normal | black | Martina Pilcerova | |
| 3 | 2011-09-02 | Duel Decks: Ajani vs. Nicol Bolas | DDH | 37 | 2003 | normal | black | Martina Pilcerova | |
| 4 | 2012-06-01 | Planechase 2012 | PC2 | 130 | 2003 | normal | black | Martina Pilcerova | |
| 5 | 2013-11-01 | Commander 2013 | C13 | 332 | 2003 | normal | black | Martina Pilcerova | |
| 6 | 2016-11-25 | Planechase Anthology | PCA | 130 | 2015 | normal | black | Martina Pilcerova | |
| 7 | 2021-07-23 | Forgotten Realms Commander | AFC | 272 | 2015 | normal | black | Martina Pilcerova | |
| 8 | 2023-09-08 | Wilds of Eldraine Commander | WOC | 173 | 2015 | normal | black | Martina Pilcerova |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
