Naga Vitalist MTG Card
2017-04-28 - Number 176
2020-08-13 - Number 203
2022-12-02 - Number 693
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Naga Druid |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
: Add to your mana pool one mana of any type that a land you control could produce.
"The lands of the God-Pharaoh are suffused with his breath."
Cards like Naga Vitalist
Naga Vitalist shines in its role as a mana accelerator within Magic: The Gathering. This creature card can be likened to Llanowar Elves, one of the game’s oldest and most efficient mana dorks. However, the Naga Vitalist offers flexibility, tapping for any color of mana in your lands, whereas Llanowar Elves is limited to providing only green mana.
Another analogous card is Birds of Paradise, offering not just a mana boost but also the ability to fly. Both the Naga Vitalist and Birds of Paradise tap for a mana of any color, but the latter does so unconditionally, whereas Naga Vitalist requires the presence of colored lands. The distinction in terms of versatility and maneuverability is key for deck synergy and strategy.
Assessing the utility and adaptability of these mana ramps in Magic: The Gathering, Naga Vitalist holds its own. With its broad mana accessibility, it fits seamlessly into multicolored decks looking for an efficient boost in their mana curve.
Cards similar to Naga Vitalist by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Naga Vitalist doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, its ability to tap for mana of any color that a land you control could produce helps you cast spells more efficiently, effectively giving you access to more of your deck’s resources.
Resource Acceleration: Naga Vitalist excels in decks that are heavy on lands with multiple colors. This one-drop creature can give you a significant speed boost in playing higher-cost cards earlier by ramping up your available mana pool from the get-go.
Instant Speed: Though Naga Vitalist operates at sorcery speed, its value comes from the flexibility it offers during your mana phase, allowing you to adapt to the dynamic needs of the game by providing a range of mana options that can be essential for instant speed responses on your opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Naga Vitalist’s lack of a discard requirement might initially seem advantageous, but it means this creature doesn’t offer synergy in decks that benefit from discarding as a strategic element or that trigger abilities when discarding happens.
Specific Mana Cost: While Naga Vitalist’s ability to tap for mana is versatile, it’s important to note that it can only produce mana that a land you control could already produce. This means in a mono-colored deck, its utility is significantly less impactful compared to a multicolored deck where mana fixing is more critical.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a one-mana dork that provides such a conditional type of mana acceleration, Naga Vitalist can be seen as having a higher cost for its effect. There are numerous one-mana creatures that could potentially offer more immediate or universal benefits for the same investment.
Reasons to Include Naga Vitalist in Your Collection
Versatility: Naga Vitalist is a staple for decks that demand a broad range of mana options. Acting as a mana conduit, it can tap for any color that your lands can produce, fitting seamlessly into multicolored deck variants.
Combo Potential: This card possesses a congenial synergy with strategies that exploit mana dorks. Whether you’re amplifying your mana pool for a critical spell or accelerating a formidable creature onto the battlefield, Naga Vitalist stands as a versatile puzzle piece in numerous combo setups.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where speed is paramount, Naga Vitalist ensures your deck remains competitive. It facilitates faster plays and can be the difference-maker by granting you access to vital mana sources early in the game, giving you an edge in the current meta.
How to beat
Naga Vitalist, a card familiar to many devoted Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts, acts as a flexible mana dork that has the unique ability to tap for mana of any type that a land you control could produce. This makes it an adaptable addition in decks that rely on a varied mana base. Despite its versatility, overcoming Naga Vitalist is about disrupting the mana acceleration it provides.
One strategy is to target the Vitalist directly with removal spells. Since it only has one toughness, it’s susceptible to a myriad of low-cost spells like Shock or Fatal Push, ensuring it’s a brief encounter on the battlefield. Another angle is to target the lands that are crucial for its effectiveness. Land destruction or cards like Blood Moon can transform a versatile Naga Vitalist into a lackluster mana dork.
Moreover, enacting a strategy that limits the opponent’s ability to utilize creatures can handicap Naga Vitalist significantly. Employing cards with abilities that keep creatures tapped, like Blinding Beam, can prevent the Vitalist from being tapped for mana, rendering it ineffective. Each of these tactics can make Naga Vitalist more of a hindrance than a help in your opponent’s gameplay.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Naga Vitalist MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Amonkhet Remastered, 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 Naga Vitalist and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Naga Vitalist Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by James Ryman.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 176 | 2015 | Normal | Black | James Ryman | |
| 2 | 2020-08-13 | Amonkhet Remastered | AKR | 203 | 2015 | Normal | Black | James Ryman | |
| 3 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 693 | 2015 | Normal | Black | James Ryman |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Naga Vitalist has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Naga Vitalist card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-04-18 | Any change to a land’s type or abilities gained by a land can affect the types of mana a land can produce. |
| 2017-04-18 | Naga Vitalist checks the effects of all mana-producing abilities of lands you control, but it doesn’t check their costs or legality. For example, Spire of Industry says “, Pay 1 life: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool. Activate this ability only if you control an artifact.” If you control Spire of Industry and Naga Vitalist, you can tap Naga Vitalist for any color of mana. It doesn’t matter whether you control an artifact, whether you can pay 1 life, or whether Spire of Industry is untapped. |
| 2017-04-18 | Naga Vitalist doesn’t care about any restrictions or riders your lands put on the mana they produce, such as the one Cavern of Souls has. It just cares about types of mana. |
| 2017-04-18 | The types of mana are white, blue, black, red, green, and colorless. |