Roots of Wisdom MTG Card
2021-02-05 - Number 190
2022-12-02 - Number 721
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Mill |
Key Takeaways
- Roots of Wisdom offers card advantage and graveyard recovery, enhancing in-game strategy and resource management.
- Instant speed casting allows for mana efficiency and keeps player options flexible during the opponent’s turn.
- Despite its utility, the specific mana requirement and potential hand size reduction are notable drawbacks.
Text of card
Mill three cards, then return a land card or Elf card from your graveyard to your hand. If you can't, draw a card. (To mill a card, put the top card of your library into your graveyard.)
Though imprisoned in Jaspera trees, the elvish gods known as the Einir still whisper through the ages.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Roots of Wisdom offers the immediate benefit of drawing a card and potentially recovering a permanent card from your graveyard to your hand, subtly providing card advantage during gameplay.
Resource Acceleration: By milling three cards, this card can potentially put land cards into your graveyard, which indirectly might help engage land-related abilities, or simply ensure a steady flow of mana if the milled cards include land cards you could retrieve.
Instant Speed: The option to cast Roots of Wisdom at instant speed means players can utilize it during the end phase of their opponent’s turn, thereby maximizing mana efficiency and keeping options open during their own turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: “Roots of Wisdom” necessitates the discard of a card to fully utilize its benefit. This can be a tangible setback, especially when your hand is already running low, forcing you to part with key strategies or resources prematurely.
Specific Mana Cost: This card commands a selective green mana as part of its casting cost. This specificity may hinder its integration into decks that aren’t centered around green mana or those that operate on a tight mana curve.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana, “Roots of Wisdom” might be on the steeper side when considering other options in the same vein. Alternatives exist that offer a similar—or even greater—impact for a lesser investment, making this a challenging inclusion in tightly optimized decks.
Reasons to Include Roots of Wisdom in Your Collection
Versatility: Roots of Wisdom, a card from Kaldheim, offers a unique blend of graveyard utility and deck manipulation. It can slide seamlessly into a variety of green decks that focus on using the graveyard as a resource or are looking for ways to filter through their library.
Combo Potential: With the ability to return a creature card from your graveyard to your hand, Roots of Wisdom pairs well with decks that capitalize on recurring creatures or creature-based combos. It can also help you dig for key pieces of your engine.
Meta-Relevance: In a game state rich with graveyard interaction and card synergies, Roots of Wisdom stands out as a card that can effectively recur valuable creatures while also molding your upcoming draws, making it relevant in various decks that remain competitive.
How to beat
Understanding your opponent’s strategies in Magic: The Gathering often involves grappling with impactful cards such as Roots of Wisdom. This card has its strengths, mainly in its ability to fill the graveyard while also potentially drawing a card. It is a vital piece in decks that capitalize on the volume of card types in the graveyard, like those with Delirium or Threshold abilities.
To effectively counter Roots of Wisdom, consider employing graveyard hate strategies. Cards like Rest in Peace and Scavenging Ooze can disrupt the synergy by removing cards from the graveyard, thus nullifying the benefits that Roots of Wisdom provides. Likewise, proactive counterplay using counterspells such as Dispel or Mana Leak can neutralize Roots of Wisdom before it takes effect, stymieing your opponent’s game plan early on.
Overall, having a clear strategy to mitigate powerful utility cards like Roots of Wisdom can be the difference between victory and defeat. Being mindful of the integral role such cards play in your opponent’s strategy will prepare you to decide the best course to disrupt their moves and tip the scales in your favor.
Cards like Roots of Wisdom
Roots of Wisdom is an intriguing MTG card that offers deck manipulation and card draw elements to players. It shares similarities with cards like Commune with Nature and Grapple with the Past, which also allow players to look at the top cards of their library and retrieve creatures or lands. However, Roots of Wisdom stands out by letting you mill three cards and then return a land card or Elf card from your graveyard to your hand; if you can’t, you draw a card. This not only provides the chance to set up your next moves but also assures card advantage.
Exploring further connections, Omen of the Dead can be likened to Roots of Wisdom for its graveyard retrieval aspect. Although Omen of the Dead is limited to returning a creature to hand, it can be more reliable for decks focusing on creature recursion. Considering Roots of Wisdom’s versatility, it addresses not only the retrieval of key pieces from the graveyard but also supports deck-thinning and fills the hand with necessary resources.
Assessing Roots of Wisdom’s position in deck-building, it is evident that its multifaceted nature allows a strategically layered approach to gameplay, making it a valuable card for players who enjoy nuanced interaction with their library and graveyard.
Cards similar to Roots of Wisdom by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Roots of Wisdom MTG card by a specific set like Kaldheim and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Roots of Wisdom 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 MTG Products
Printings
The Roots of Wisdom Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-02-05 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Sidharth Chaturvedi.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-02-05 | Kaldheim | KHM | 190 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sidharth Chaturvedi | |
| 2 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 721 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sidharth Chaturvedi |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Roots of Wisdom has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Roots of Wisdom card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-02-05 | If there’s a land card or Elf card in your graveyard, you must return one. You can’t choose not to in order to draw a card. |
| 2021-02-05 | Roots of Wisdom doesn’t target any cards in graveyards. You may return a land card or an Elf card that was just milled or one that was already there. |
