Nature Shields Its Own MTG Card
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Ongoing Scheme |
| Released | 2010-06-18 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Archenemy Schemes |
| Set code | OARC |
| Number | 32★ |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Scheme |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | John Stanko |
Text of card
(An ongoing scheme remains face up until it's abandoned.) Whenever a creature attacks and isn't blocked, if you're the defending player, put a 0/1 green Plant creature token onto the battlefield blocking that creature. When four or more creatures attack you, abandon this scheme at end of combat.
Cards like Nature Shields Its Own
Nature Shields Its Own adds a unique twist to protection spells within Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to generate a creature token each time your creatures are targeted closely parallels cards like Seed Guardian, which also produces a token upon the card’s death. Yet, Nature Shields Its Own brings a proactive element, offering a way to deter opponents from using spot removal against your creatures.
Looking at another analogue, we find Sporeweb Weaver, which combines token generation with life gain when it becomes the target of spells or abilities. Although this card doesn’t match Nature Shields Its Own’s frequency of token creation, it provides an additional buffer for your life total. Comparatively, Tendershoot Dryad stands out with its Saproling production at every upkeep, irrespective of targeting. However, Nature Shields Its Own’s reactionary nature allows it to create tokens on your opponents’ turns, offering more unpredictability and potential for deterrence.
Ultimately, Nature Shields Its Own is a noteworthy contender in the realm of protection spells in MTG. It encourages strategic play by providing both defense and offense, creating an advantageous dynamic for players who want to keep their creatures safe while building their army on the battlefield.
Cards similar to Nature Shields Its Own by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Nature Shields Its Own allows for a significant boost in card economy by potentially drawing you multiple cards should several of your creatures be targeted or destroyed in a turn. This kind of effect can quickly refill a player’s hand, ensuring they don’t fall behind in longer matches.
Resource Acceleration: Not only does this card offer protection, but it also has the potential to ramp up your mana resources. By saving your creatures, you maintain your presence on the board and your ability to play high-cost cards earlier in the game.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Nature Shields Its Own at instant speed adds a layer of strategy and surprise to your game. It allows you to react effectively to your opponent’s moves during their turn, protecting your creatures from unexpected threats and keeping your offensive line intact.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the downsides of Nature Shields Its Own is the need to discard a card for its abilities to trigger. This can be particularly stifling when your hand is already dwindling and every card counts. Such a requirement forces players to make tough decisions about resource management which might not always tilt in their favor.
Specific Mana Cost: Nature Shields Its Own comes with a particular mana requirement that might not seamlessly fit into all deck archetypes. Dedicated green mana can constrain deck building, requiring a solid base of forests or mana sources that can tap for green. This limitation can deter players from incorporating the card into more diverse and multicolored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluated against other cards with protective or recovery abilities, Nature Shields Its Own presents a higher mana investment for its effect. In fast-paced games where efficiency is paramount, the card’s cost-effective value is diminished, and players may opt for alternatives that offer similar benefits without the weighty mana demand.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Nature Shields Its Own is a remarkably flexible card that can be integrated into a variety of green-based decks. Its ability to bolster your creature defenses can turn the tide in games focused on board presence.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with effects that depend on creature count or abilities that protect and empower your creatures. The lifegain component can also be exploited in decks that thrive on life differential.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggro decks are prevalent, Nature Shields Its Own provides a crucial defensive mechanism. It helps maintain board stability and can give you the upper hand against aggressive opponents.
How to beat
Nature Shields Its Own is a unique card that can alter the rhythm of a Magic: The Gathering match by offering protection to your creatures. To efficiently counter this enchantment, it is essential to have removal spells that can bypass its defensive boon. Cards like Wrath of God, which can clear the board without targeting individual creatures, negate Nature Shields Its Own’s ability to save them. In addition, because Nature Shields Its Own relies on the number of creatures you control, reducing your opponent’s creature count can weaken its effectiveness.
Strategic plays like the utilization of cards with hexproof properties or spells that can exile enchantments directly from the battlefield are also ideal. Consider using Disenchant immediately as it’s both cost-effective and a deterrent against the resurgence of Nature Shields Its Own. Additionally, if you have counter spells at your disposal, they can intercept and prevent this enchantment from ever taking hold, allowing you maintain the upper hand in creature control. Timing is also crucial—leveraging these strategies before your opponent’s creatures can garner the benefits of Nature Shields Its Own will ensure your victory remains within reach.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Nature Shields Its Own MTG card by a specific set like Archenemy Schemes, 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 Nature Shields Its Own and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
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- MTG Mint Card
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Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Nature Shields Its Own card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2010-06-15 | For each unblocked creature attacking you, you must put a Plant token onto the battlefield blocking it, even if you don’t want to. |
| 2010-06-15 | Putting a blocking creature onto the battlefield doesn’t trigger “Whenever a creature blocks” abilities. It also won’t check blocking restrictions, costs, or requirements. |
| 2010-06-15 | Putting a blocking creature onto the battlefield will trigger “When this creature becomes blocked by a creature” abilities. It will also trigger “When this creature becomes blocked” abilities in this case, because the attacking creature had not yet been blocked that combat. |
| 2010-06-15 | The Plant token blocks the attacking creature even if the block couldn’t legally be declared (for example, if the attacking creature has flying). |
| 2010-06-15 | The last ability triggers only if four or more creatures were declared as attackers during your opponents’ declare attackers step. Only creatures attacking you are counted; creatures attacking your planeswalkers are not. The creatures may be controlled by different players. |
| 2010-06-15 | You’re the defending player if a creature is attacking you or a planeswalker you control. |