Forest Dryad MTG Card


Forest Dryad ensures card advantage and deck fluidity with its card drawing capabilities. It accelerates mana, allowing for swift strategy execution and board presence. Playable at instant speed, the Dryad grants the flexibility to counterplay effectively.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
TypeToken Land Creature — Forest Dryad
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

(This creature is affected by summoning sickness, and it has ": Add .")


Cards like Forest Dryad

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, the Forest Dryad card offers a unique blend of characteristics that can be compared to other creatures in the game. Like the beloved Llanowar Elves, Forest Dryad contributes to mana acceleration, allowing players to summon creatures and cast spells ahead of the curve. Yet, Forest Dryad often provides additional utility by interacting with forest lands or having synergy with other Dryads or forest-themed cards.

Looking to Elvish Mystic, another one-mana cost creature, we find a parallel in baseline functionality: both aim to ramp up a player’s mana resources efficiently. The trade-off, however, lies in the specifics of the abilities and their potential impact on the board state. Whereas Elvish Mystic’s role is straightforward mana generation, Forest Dryad’s elf subtype or other secondary abilities might give it an edge in elf-focused or tribal decks.

In summation, Forest Dryad holds its ground in the vast ecosystem of MTG creatures by offering flexibility and synergy with certain deck archetypes. It embodies the principle that sometimes, added versatility or thematic cohesion can tip the scales in its favor when compared to more generic but similar cards.

Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Elvish Mystic - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Elvish Mystic - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Forest Dryad provides consistent card advantage with its ability to draw cards when it connects with an opponent or fulfills its specific triggering condition. For players, this means more options and a higher chance to find answers or key pieces in their deck.

Resource Acceleration: As a nod to its inherent connection with nature, the Forest Dryad may offer a ramping ability, allowing you to increase your mana resources faster than usual. This acceleration is critical in outpacing opponents and executing your strategy efficiently.

Instant Speed: If the Forest Dryad can be cast at instant speed or has abilities that can be activated at instant speed, this gives you significant flexibility. You can react to your opponent’s actions, optimize your turns, and create surprise interactions that can potentially sway the game in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Forest Dryad card mandates players to discard another card, making it a critical decision point, especially when hand size is diminishing.

Specific Mana Cost: This card taps into green mana resources exclusively, constraining deck versatility and demanding a forest-rich manabase.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring a substantial amount of mana to cast, the Forest Dryad might deplete resources that could be allocated to more impactful spells on the board.


Reasons to Include Forest Dryad in Your Collection

Versatility: Forest Dryad brings flexibility to green-centered decks, providing a solid early-game creature that can benefit both aggressive and defensive strategies with its potential to enhance land development and creature growth over time.

Combo Potential: Its ability to potentially tap for mana or bolster other creatures adds layers of synergy, particularly with cards that thrive on creature counts or abilities that are triggered by mana generation or creature casting.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors quick board development and creature-based tactics, Forest Dryad assists in building presence and momentum, helping to outpace opponents and establish early control.


How to beat

The Forest Dryad card is an intriguing option for MTG players looking to enhance their deck with a nature-themed ally. Its abilities provide a symbiotic relationship with forest lands, which can be a double-edged sword. To best a Forest Dryad, the key lies in land control. By disrupting an opponent’s mana base through targeted land destruction or land conversion, the Forest Dryad’s power can be effectively neutered.

Card options such as Acidic Slime or Ghost Quarter can dismantle the forest synergy, rendering the Dryad a mere spectator on the battlefield. Moreover, keeping the board clear of creature buffs and enchantments that tend to accompany such thematic cards is paramount. Cards like Electrickery or Pyroclasm can efficiently clear out Dryads and similar low-toughness threats. In essence, stripping the Dryad of its forest friends and preventing the buildup of advantageous board states can turn the tide in favor of a well-prepared player.

Ultimately, while the Forest Dryad may appear daunting with its inherent bonuses in a heavy forest environment, adept control and disruption strategies are capable of taming nature’s ally. Attacking the foundational elements that bolster the Dryad ensures that it is just another creature card, rather than the centerpiece of an opponent’s strategy.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Forest Dryad MTG card by a specific set like The Brothers' War and Modern Horizons 3 Commander, 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 Forest Dryad and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Forest Dryad Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2022-11-18 and 2024-06-14. Illustrated by Donato Giancola.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-11-18The Brothers' WarBRO 32015TokenBlackDonato Giancola
22024-06-14Modern Horizons 3 CommanderM3C 192015TokenBlackDonato Giancola