Magus of the Vineyard MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Wizard
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Extra green mana from Magus of the Vineyard fosters advanced tactics and deck versatility in MTG.
  2. Strategic play is required to avoid giving opponents an edge with this card’s symmetrical effect.
  3. Instant speed interactions are crucial to leverage the mana generated by Magus of the Vineyard effectively.

Text of card

At the beginning of each player's precombat main phase, add to that player's mana pool.

Battered and beaten by years of salt and claw, he never ceased to walk, and to seed. Only now, in this time of rebirth, do his seeds take root.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Magus of the Vineyard encourages strategic hand management, granting each player additional green mana during their pre-combat main phase. This extra resource can lead to drawing additional cards by enabling spells and abilities that would otherwise be too costly.

Resource Acceleration: The provided bonus mana can serve as a significant boost, allowing for quicker deployment of heavy hitters or pivotal spells. By effectively lowering the cost of your green spells, it streamlines your play, giving you the upper hand, especially when you’re able to utilize the extra mana more effectively than your opponent.

Instant Speed: Although Magus of the Vineyard operates at sorcery speed itself, the mana it generates during your upkeep can be utilized for instant-speed interactions on your opponent’s turn. This allows you to remain flexible, responding to threats or seizing opportunities as they arise with your freshly acquired green mana.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Magus of the Vineyard provides additional mana, it doesn’t come into play until your next upkeep, meaning you could be discarding a potentially crucial card for a delayed benefit.

Specific Mana Cost: Magus of the Vineyard requires green mana, which means it suits only those decks that are partial or wholly committed to green. This might limit its inclusion in multi-color decks that can’t reliably produce green mana early in the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The two-mana investment may be steep considering it benefits all players equally. It doesn’t necessarily put you ahead, and in some cases, could be more beneficial to your opponents if they have a better board state to utilize the extra mana.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Magus of the Vineyard brings flexibility to green decks by providing a mana boost on each player’s pre-combat main phase. This ability can benefit various playstyles, from ramp-centric decks to those aiming to cast costlier spells earlier in the game.

Combo Potential: This card offers significant combo potential. By enabling additional mana, it can synergize with cards that have mana sinks or benefit from casting multiple spells in a single turn. It’s especially potent in decks that can utilize the mana immediately or in combos that include untapping creatures for extra value.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where fast mana can give you the edge, Magus of the Vineyard can be particularly effective. It provides an edge in green mirrors and against decks that aren’t configured to exploit the extra mana as efficiently, offering strategic advantages to the player who best harnesses this resource.


How to beat

Magus of the Vineyard is a unique card in the realm of MTG that can alter the tempo of a game significantly. This creature has the ability to grant both players extra green mana but requires strategic planning to not fall victim to the advantage it can provide your opponent. Tackling Magus of the Vineyard often involves countering its asymmetrical benefit by applying instant speed spells or abilities to make use of the mana it generates during your turn, so you capitalize on the resource before your opponent.

To diminish the advantage given by Magus of the Vineyard, it’s crucial to adjust your playstyle. Incorporate cards that can either remove creatures at instant speed or disrupt the opponent’s game plan during their upkeep phase before they can access the additional mana. Prioritizing low-cost removal spells, or utilizing effects to tap the Magus preventing its ability to trigger, can tilt the balance in your favor. Consequently, maintaining board control becomes the key when facing an opponent who utilizes Magus of the Vineyard in their deck strategy.

Given the right strategy, Magus of the Vineyard becomes less of a threat and more of a nuanced obstacle that savvy players can navigate around. By leveraging its potential in your favor, what initially appears as a setback can turn into an opportunity for those well-prepared for the encounter.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into the finer points of Magus of the Vineyard offers a wealth of strategic depth for any green deck. Analyzing the pros and cons reveals it’s not just a simple mana ramp but a nuanced tool that can shape the game’s flow in your favor. With abilities that spawn extra green mana, this card can catapult your play, allowing you to cast impactful spells earlier or pivot with instant-speed actions. Yet, it requires careful timing and deck synergy to avoid tipping the scales towards your opponent. Embrace this card’s combo potential and meta relevance as you refine your collection. For insightful strategies and further card interactions, join us and expand your MTG horizons.


Cards like Magus of the Vineyard

Magus of the Vineyard is a unique card that amplifies mana generation in Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with cards like Elvish Archdruid, which also offers a mana boost, albeit solely for elf-related decks. Magus of the Vineyard provides a more general advantage, giving both players additional mana during their precombat main phase, promoting a more accelerated style of play regardless of deck archetype.

Another card that echoes this theme is Zhur-Taa Ancient. While it provides a beefier body on the battlefield, it also generously doubles the mana that lands produce for each player. Magus of the Vineyard, in contrast, offers this boon right after your upkeep, creating a window for strategy that’s unique among mana ramp cards. Then we have Heartbeat of Spring, a direct enchantment parallel that doubles the mana from lands but, unlike the Magus, remains a constant effect on the field without the tactical upkeep trigger.

When comparing the utility of mana-boosting cards, the Magus of the Vineyard presents an interesting balance between risk and reward, potentially feeding into larger plays much earlier in the game. In this light, the Magus stands as a testament to cunning strategy in the resource aspect of Magic: The Gathering.

Elvish Archdruid - MTG Card versions
Zhur-Taa Ancient - MTG Card versions
Heartbeat of Spring - MTG Card versions
Elvish Archdruid - Magic 2010 (M10)
Zhur-Taa Ancient - Dragon's Maze (DGM)
Heartbeat of Spring - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)

Cards similar to Magus of the Vineyard by color, type and mana cost

Scryb Sprites - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogre - MTG Card versions
Shanodin Dryads - MTG Card versions
Wall of Wood - MTG Card versions
Village Elder - MTG Card versions
Spike Drone - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Elite - MTG Card versions
Elvish Berserker - MTG Card versions
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Elvish Herder - MTG Card versions
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Willow Geist - MTG Card versions
Nimble Mongoose - MTG Card versions
Elvish Lyrist - MTG Card versions
Elvish Pioneer - MTG Card versions
Hana Kami - MTG Card versions
Norwood Ranger - MTG Card versions
Scryb Sprites - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Llanowar Elves - Dominaria (DOM)
Ghazbán Ogre - Masters Edition (ME1)
Shanodin Dryads - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Wall of Wood - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Village Elder - Mirage (MIR)
Spike Drone - Tempest (TMP)
Skyshroud Elite - Exodus (EXO)
Elvish Berserker - Exodus (EXO)
Tree Monkey - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Wild Dogs - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Elvish Herder - Urza's Saga (USG)
Pouncing Jaguar - Urza's Saga (USG)
Scavenger Folk - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Willow Geist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Nimble Mongoose - The List (PLST)
Elvish Lyrist - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Elvish Pioneer - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Hana Kami - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Norwood Ranger - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Magus of the Vineyard MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight and Commander 2011, 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 Magus of the Vineyard and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Magus of the Vineyard Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2007-05-04 and 2011-06-17. Illustrated by Jim Murray.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-05-04Future SightFUT 1322003normalblackJim Murray
22011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 1662003normalblackJim Murray
32020-09-26The ListPLST FUT-1322003normalblackJim Murray

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Magus of the Vineyard has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2007-05-01 This ability is not optional.

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