Shanodin Dryads MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 16 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Nymph Dryad
Abilities Forestwalk
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Forestwalk allows Shanodin Dryads to attack unblocked, creating consistent pressure on opponents with forests.
  2. Low mana cost synergizes with instant-speed play, keeping mana open for other spells while deploying Dryads.
  3. Despite niche uses, other one-mana creatures often provide more impact and versatility in most MTG decks.

Text of card

Forestwalk

Moving without sound, swift figures pass through branches and undergrowth completely unhindered. One with the trees around them, the Dryads of Shanodin Forest are seen only when they wish to be.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Shanodin Dryads may not draw you extra cards directly, but being a low-cost creature, it can be an efficient way to populate the battlefield. Versatility comes into play as the card can be used both offensively and defensively, improving your board presence, which is a subtle form of card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: One of the key features of Shanodin Dryads is that it enables forestwalk. If your opponent controls a Forest, this means your Dryads can potentially swing for damage each turn unchecked. While not direct resource acceleration, this ability can apply consistent pressure without the need for further mana investment, allowing you to allocate resources elsewhere.

Instant Speed: While Shanodin Dryads itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, its low mana cost synergizes well with decks that focus on instant-speed interaction. You can deploy your Dryads using minimal mana and keep the rest available for instant-speed spells, thus maintaining the ability to react to your opponent’s moves effectively.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Shanodin Dryads doesn’t require discarding as a cost, its presence often doesn’t justify the card slot in a deck, potentially leading to it being discarded for more impactful plays.

Specific Mana Cost: Shanodin Dryads demands a green mana, which confines it to green-centric or multicolor decks, potentially restricting deck-building options.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although casting for a single green mana seems efficient, in a fast-paced game, other one-drop creatures offer more utility or power, pushing the Dryads aside for more competitive options.


Reasons to Include Shanodin Dryads in Your Collection

Versatility: Shanodin Dryads come with the benefit of being truly adaptable across various green decks, from legacy to casual formats. Their forestwalk ability can be a tactical advantage in matches where forest-heavy decks are prevalent.

Combo Potential: The card naturally pairs well with effects that turn your opponent’s lands into forests, enabling unblocked attacks. This sets the stage for numerous combo possibilities, leveraging its unique landwalk capability.

Meta-Relevance: Given that green decks often focus on powerhouse creatures and land manipulation, Shanodin Dryads can be a stealthy addition that capitalizes on the widespread use of forests in many popular decks, enhancing its relevance in certain meta environments.


How to Beat

Shanodin Dryads is a classic creature card from Magic: The Gathering that might remind veteran players of simpler times. This nature-themed card boasts the landwalk ability, specifically forestwalk, allowing it to be unblockable as long as the opponent controls a Forest. This subtle feature requires a strategic approach to outmaneuver.

To effectively counter Shanodin Dryads, consider adjusting your land base if you’re not committed to Forests or using removal spells that can target any creature, regardless of its abilities. Cards that change land types can also be handy in this scenario, rendering the Dryads blockable. Additionally, employ board control spells that don’t discriminate based on creature abilities, such as “Wrath of God” or “Damnation,” which can clear the field of pesky creatures. Artifacts and enchantments that prevent all combat damage can be pivotal in games against creatures like Shanodin Dryads that bypass traditional defenses.

Ultimately, while the Dryads may hark back to the game’s early days, they can be managed with careful planning and a diverse suite of countermeasures, ensuring that their forestwalk ability doesn’t tip the scales in your opponent’s favor.


Cards like Shanodin Dryads

Shanodin Dryads, a classic creature from the early days of Magic: The Gathering, joins the ranks of one-mana green creatures with a straightforward purpose – quick board presence. When stacking up Shanodin Dryads against Narnam Renegade, a slightly newer card with a comparable mana cost, we see that the Renegade offers additional value with deathtouch and the potential upside of entering with a +1/+1 counter if a permanent was put into your graveyard that turn.

Another similar card is Pelt Collector, which also begins as a one-mana, one-power creature. However, Pelt Collector holds the promise of growth, getting stronger each time a creature with greater power enters your battlefield. While Shanodin Dryads boasts the forestwalk ability, enabling it to be unblockable as long as the opponent controls a Forest, Pelt Collector provides a scaling threat which can be more impactful as the game progresses.

Considering the range of one-mana green creatures, Shanodin Dryads serves a niche role in decks that can exploit the forestwalk ability for consistent damage. Despite this, other alternatives like Narnam Renegade and Pelt Collector may offer greater flexibility and potential for power growth, adapting more dynamically to the evolving battlefield.

Narnam Renegade - MTG Card versions
Pelt Collector - MTG Card versions
Narnam Renegade - Aether Revolt (AER)
Pelt Collector - Guilds of Ravnica (GRN)

Cards similar to Shanodin Dryads by color, type and mana cost

Scryb Sprites - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogre - MTG Card versions
Wall of Wood - MTG Card versions
Rime Dryad - MTG Card versions
Village Elder - MTG Card versions
Willow Dryad - MTG Card versions
Spike Drone - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Elite - MTG Card versions
Elvish Berserker - MTG Card versions
Tree Monkey - MTG Card versions
Norwood Ranger - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogress - MTG Card versions
Wild Dogs - MTG Card versions
Elvish Herder - MTG Card versions
Pouncing Jaguar - MTG Card versions
Taunting Elf - MTG Card versions
Sacred Prey - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elite - MTG Card versions
Scavenger Folk - MTG Card versions
Scryb Sprites - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Llanowar Elves - 30th Anniversary History Promos (P30H)
Ghazbán Ogre - Masters Edition (ME1)
Wall of Wood - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Rime Dryad - Ice Age (ICE)
Village Elder - Mirage (MIR)
Willow Dryad - Portal (POR)
Spike Drone - Tempest (TMP)
Skyshroud Elite - Exodus (EXO)
Elvish Berserker - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Tree Monkey - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Norwood Ranger - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Ghazbán Ogress - Unglued (UGL)
Wild Dogs - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Elvish Herder - Urza's Saga (USG)
Pouncing Jaguar - Urza's Saga (USG)
Taunting Elf - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Sacred Prey - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Llanowar Elite - Invasion (INV)
Scavenger Folk - Seventh Edition (7ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shanodin Dryads MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Shanodin Dryads and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Shanodin Dryads Magic the Gathering card was released in 14 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 2161993normalblackAnson Maddocks
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 2171993normalblackAnson Maddocks
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 2171993normalwhiteAnson Maddocks
41993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 2171993normalblackAnson Maddocks
51993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 2171993normalblackAnson Maddocks
61994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 2161993normalblackAnson Maddocks
71994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 2161993normalwhiteAnson Maddocks
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 2161993normalwhiteAnson Maddocks
91995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 2711993normalwhiteAnson Maddocks
101995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 2711993normalblackAnson Maddocks
111997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 3251997normalwhiteGary Leach
121999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 2521997normalwhiteGary Leach
132001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 269★1997normalblackEric Peterson
142001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 2691997normalwhiteEric Peterson
152022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 2122015normalblackAnson Maddocks
162022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 5091997normalblackAnson Maddocks

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Shanodin Dryads has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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