Gaea's Will MTG Card


Enables playing various spells in a turn, enhancing spell-slinging strategies by maximizing card advantage. Demands green mana and a discard, restricting use in non-green or resource-tight deck builds. Integrates well in decks focusing on graveyard synergy, with potential for game-changing combos.
Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
RarityRare
TypeSorcery
Abilities Suspend

Text of card

Suspend 4— Until end of turn, you may play lands and cast spells from your graveyard. If a card would be put into your graveyard from anywhere this turn, exile that card instead.

With every end, a new beginning.


Cards like Gaea's Will

Gaea’s Will stands out in the realm of Magic: The Gathering as a potent sorcery spell, with a unique twist on the concept of playing cards from one’s graveyard. When assessing its parallels, Yawgmoth’s Will springs to mind, with a similar ability to allow casting of cards from the graveyard. However, the key divergence lies in their mana cost and conditions for casting. Yawgmoth’s Will, dubbed the original ‘Yawgwin’, has an upfront cost, while Gaea’s Will can be cast without paying its mana cost if conditions are met, specifically if four or more creatures died this turn.

Another comparable card is Past in Flames, which grants your instants and sorceries in the graveyard flashback until the end of the turn. Unlike Gaea’s Will, Past in Flames affects only a subset of your graveyard and requires mana to cast both the spell itself and the subsequent flashback costs. This contrasts with Gaea’s Will’s ability to enable casting of all types of cards.

Gaea’s Will certainly presents a unique strategic advantage within the MTG landscape, especially in decks that manipulate and benefit from graveyard synergy, offering a significant potential for a game-winning turn if played under the right conditions.

Yawgmoth's Will - MTG Card versions
Past in Flames - MTG Card versions
Yawgmoth's Will - MTG Card versions
Past in Flames - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Gaea's Will by color, type and mana cost

Hypergenesis - MTG Card versions
Crashing Footfalls - MTG Card versions
Hypergenesis - MTG Card versions
Crashing Footfalls - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Gaea's Will. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Ad Nauseam TendrilsAd Nauseam Tendrils LegacyAd Nauseam TendrilsLegacy League 2024-05-12
Beseech StormBeseech Storm LegacyBeseech StormLegacy Challenge 32 2024-04-27 (1)
The EPIC StormThe EPIC Storm LegacyThe EPIC StormLegacy League 2024-04-27

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gaea’s Will grants you access to all cards in your graveyard for a full turn, which can create significant card advantage as you get the opportunity to play numerous spells without the need to draw or hold them in your hand.

Resource Acceleration: By allowing you to play additional lands and spells from your graveyard, this card offers a unique form of resource acceleration that bypasses traditional mana costs and potentially leads to more explosive turns.

Instant Speed: Although Gaea’s Will is cast at sorcery speed, it can set the stage for instant speed interactions within the same turn. This flexibility ensures that you can fully utilize your graveyard as a toolbox, deploying spells efficiently in response to your opponent’s actions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When playing Gaea’s Will, you’re faced with the challenge of having to discard a card, which can be particularly burdensome if your hand is already dwindling or if each card holds significant strategic value for upcoming plays.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation is bound by a requirement for green mana, which can be restrictive. Players using multi-color or non-green decks might find it difficult to allocate resources appropriately to cast Gaea’s Will, thereby limiting its versatility across different deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost that can be steep relative to its effect, some players may deem Gaea’s Will less advantageous compared to other options. In a game where efficiency is key, the necessity to invest considerable mana into a single card could impede momentum and overall strategy.


Reasons to Include Gaea’s Will in Your Collection

Versatility: Gaea’s Will is a unique card that can seamlessly integrate into numerous deck archetypes. Its ability to allow you to play cards from your graveyard as though they were in your hand provides flexibility and resilience, enhancing decks that thrive on utilizing resources from all zones.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, Gaea’s Will can serve as a powerful enabler for combos, allowing you to execute a sequence of potentially game-winning plays in a single turn. Combining this card with effects that untap your lands or provide cost reductions can lead to explosive turns.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where games are longer or the graveyard is a heavily utilized resource, Gaea’s Will’s capacity to extend your options and make the most of every card plays an essential role. It can turn the tide by giving you access to a wider array of strategies later in the game.


How to Overcome Gaea’s Will

Gaea’s Will is a potent card that allows players to play cards from their graveyard as though they were in their hand for a turn, circumventing the typical flow of Magic: The Gathering games. However, savvy players can outsmart its advantages. Start by employing graveyard disruption tactics. Employ cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void to prevent opponents from exploiting their graveyard, creating a significant obstacle for Gaea’s Will’s effectiveness.

Another strategy involves countering spells to ensure Gaea’s Will never resolves. Using cards with the counterspell ability can neutralize it before its effects even take place. Additionally, quick removal spells can clear the board before the player has a chance to utilize their graveyard, diminishing the card’s impact.

Ultimately, beating Gaea’s Will requires foresight and an understanding of its strengths within MTG’s strategic diversity. Incorporating graveyard hate and timely counterspells in your deck can help keep Gaea’s Will in check and maintain the upper hand against opponents attempting to leverage its powerful effect.


BurnMana Recommendations

Mastering MTG is an expedition of strategy, creativity, and foresight. Gaea’s Will embodies this quest, offering a gateway to uncharted plays by turning your graveyard into a formidable arsenal. For those aiming to harness the full potential of their graveyard, this card is a must-have, setting the stage for triumphs that resonate beyond the single play. Elevate your game and infuse your deck with the flexibility and raw power of Gaea’s Will. Are you ready to explore further and unlock the secrets to becoming a formidable player? Step up and delve deeper with us into the world of MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gaea's Will MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and The List, 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 Gaea's Will and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Gaea's Will Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2021-06-18 and 2021-06-19. Illustrated by Lucas Graciano.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 913132015NormalBlackLucas Graciano
22020-09-26The ListPLST MH2-4121997NormalBlackLucas Graciano
32021-06-18Modern Horizons 2 Art SeriesAMH2 38s2015Art seriesBorderlessLucas Graciano
42021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 4121997NormalBlackLucas Graciano
52021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 1622015NormalBlackLucas Graciano
62021-06-18Modern Horizons 2 Art SeriesAMH2 382015Art seriesBorderlessLucas Graciano
72021-06-18Modern Horizons 2MH2 4612015NormalBlackLucas Graciano
82021-06-19Modern Horizons 2 PromosPMH2 162s2015NormalBlackLucas Graciano

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gaea's Will has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-06-18 A card with no mana cost can't be cast normally; you'll need a way to cast it for an alternative cost or without paying its mana cost, such as by suspending it.
2021-06-18 After Gaea's Will resolves, nontoken creature you own that would die will be exiled instead. Abilities that would trigger when those creatures die won't trigger. Token creatures you own will still die as normal after Gaea's Will resolves.
2021-06-18 As the second triggered ability resolves, you must cast the card if able. You must do so even if it requires targets and the only legal targets are ones that you really don't want to target. Timing permissions based on the card's type are ignored.
2021-06-18 Assuming it's not a copy, Gaea's Will will be exiled after it finishes resolving. (If it is a copy, the copy will go to the graveyard briefly before ceasing to exist.)
2021-06-18 Cards exiled with suspend are exiled face up.
2021-06-18 Exiling a card with suspend isn't casting that card. This action doesn't use the stack and can't be responded to.
2021-06-18 If a card with no mana cost is given an alternative cost equal to its mana cost (by Snapcaster Mage, for example), that cost cannot be paid and the card cannot be cast this way.
2021-06-18 If an effect refers to a “suspended card,” that means a card that (1) has suspend, (2) is in exile, and (3) has one or more time counters on it.
2021-06-18 If the card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.
2021-06-18 If the first triggered ability of suspend (the one that removes time counters) is countered, no time counter is removed. The ability will trigger again at the beginning of the card's owner's next upkeep.
2021-06-18 If the second triggered ability is countered, the card can't be cast. It remains exiled with no time counters on it, and it's no longer suspended.
2021-06-18 If the spell requires any targets, those targets are chosen when the spell is finally cast, not when it's exiled.
2021-06-18 If you can't cast the card, perhaps because there are no legal targets available, it remains exiled with no time counters on it, and it's no longer suspended.
2021-06-18 If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” such as with suspend, you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those if you want to cast the card.
2021-06-18 Suspend is a keyword that represents three abilities. The first is a static ability that allows you to exile the card from your hand with the specified number of time counters (the number before the dash) on it by paying its suspend cost (listed after the dash). The second is a triggered ability that removes a time counter from the suspended card at the beginning of each of your upkeeps. The third is a triggered ability that causes you to cast the card when the last time counter is removed. If you cast a creature spell this way, it gains haste until you lose control of that creature (or, in rare cases, you lose control of the creature spell while it's on the stack).
2021-06-18 The lands you play and spells you cast from your graveyard must follow the usual timing restrictions, and you must pay any costs for spells you cast.
2021-06-18 The mana value of a spell cast without paying its mana cost is determined by its mana cost, even though that cost wasn't paid.
2021-06-18 When the last time counter is removed, the second triggered ability of suspend (the one that lets you cast the card) triggers. It doesn't matter why the last time counter was removed or what effect removed it.
2021-06-18 You are never forced to activate mana abilities to pay costs, so if there is a mandatory additional mana cost (such as from Thalia, Guardian of Thraben), you can decline to activate mana abilities to pay for it and hence fail to cast the suspended card, leaving it in exile.
2021-06-18 You can exile a card in your hand using suspend any time you could cast that card. Consider its card type, any effects that modify when you could cast it (such as flash) and any other effects that stop you from casting it (such as from Meddling Mage's ability) to determine if and when you can do this. Whether you could actually complete all steps in casting the card is irrelevant. For example, you can exile a card with suspend that has no mana cost or that requires a target even if no legal targets are available at that time.