Harvester Troll MTG Card


Harvester Troll - Oath of the Gatewatch
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Troll
Released2016-01-22
Set symbol
Set nameOath of the Gatewatch
Set codeOGW
Power 2
Toughness 3
Number133
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byGreg Staples

Key Takeaways

  1. Harvester Troll leverages board presence, turning resources into immediate power or graveyard advantages.
  2. Its specific mana cost and requirement can be restrictive, but it offers potent synergy in the right deck.
  3. While mana costly, its flexible power and strategic sacrifice mechanic make it a potential game-changer.

Text of card

When Harvester Troll enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a creature or land. If you do, put two +1/+1 counters on Harvester Troll.

Having no interest in the greater conflict, the trolls continue to prey upon whatever wanders into their domain.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Harvester Troll provides a player with the option to sacrifice another creature or land to place additional +1/+1 counters on it, effectively converting existing resources into immediate board presence and potential for increased damage output.

Resource Acceleration: While Harvester Troll itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its interaction with other cards that benefit from creatures entering the graveyard can indirectly lead to resource acceleration, such as ramping up mana or enabling delirium and other graveyard synergies faster.

Instant Speed: Although Harvester Troll operates at sorcery speed, the card interacts favorably with instant-speed spells and effects that can be played in response to the sacrifice trigger, giving a player flexibility to optimize their plays and manage resources during the course of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Harvester Troll necessitates you to sacrifice another creature or discard a land as part of its casting cost. This can be a significant drawback, especially if you’re struggling to maintain presence on the board or hoping to keep land drops consistent throughout the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature comes with a green-heavy mana cost, demanding two green mana as part of its four total mana cost. The specific requirement can make it difficult to cast in multi-colored decks and might restrict its inclusion to green-centric or dual-color strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a four-mana investment, Harvester Troll’s stats and abilities might not hold up when compared to other cards at a similar mana cost. In a format where mana efficiency is key, spending such a cost for a potentially conditional 4/5 may not always be the most optimal play, limiting its appeal across various MTG formats.


Reasons to Include Harvester Troll in Your Collection

Versatility: Harvester Troll offers flexibility in deck construction by being a solid creature card that works well with strategies centered around counter play or creature sacrifice. Its ability to be a 5/5 for four mana makes it a notable inclusion in decks that aim for high power-to-cost ratios.

Combo Potential: This card has the potential to fuel graveyard strategies or enhance play that benefits from self-sacrifice mechanics. Pairing with cards that profit when a creature dies or that retrieve creatures from the graveyard can create powerful synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where board presence and creature size matter, Harvester Troll can quickly become a significant threat. Its relevance can shift with the ebb and flow of the meta, making it an interesting card to optimize in creature-centric decks or within a meta that favors sacrifice-for-value plays.


How to beat Harvester Troll

Harvester Troll presents a unique challenge in MTG games due to its built-in synergy of power bolstering through sacrificing another creature. Unlike other creatures that may require certain conditions to grow stronger, this troll brings immediate value upon entering the battlefield, provided you have disposable creatures to leverage. To effectively counter this, removal spells that can target the creature before the sacrifice trigger optimally disrupts its game plan. Cards like Path to Exile or Fatal Push are excellent for dealing with it before it becomes a larger threat. It is also vital to manage your resources efficiently and keep removal spells in reserve for key creatures like the Harvester Troll that can quickly tilt the board in your opponent’s favor.

Additionally, considering the troll’s dependence on other creatures for its strength, strategies that limit your opponent’s creature count can also hinder its effectiveness. Board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the playing field, ensuring that the Harvester Troll doesn’t gain the advantage it seeks. As a result, maintaining control and prioritizing threats are crucial components to outmaneuver opponents who deploy the Harvester Troll in their strategy.


Cards like Harvester Troll

The Harvester Troll offers a distinct blend of power and resource management to the world of creature spells in Magic: The Gathering. When considering similar cards, Loxodon Smiter immediately comes to mind. This creature provides a solid body without the need to sacrifice other resources upon casting. Unlike the Harvester Troll, Loxodon Smiter cannot be countered, making it a reliable play against control strategies.

Another comparable card is Baloth Null. With a different twist on resource advantage, it returns two creature cards from the graveyard to your hand upon entry, at a higher mana cost and without the need for self-sacrifice like the Harvester Troll. This mechanic provides a more direct way to reclaim value. Thragtusk is yet another alternative; though it doesn’t demand a sacrifice and has life gain ability, it comes with a higher mana cost compared to our Harvester Troll.

Analysing these options, the Harvester Troll positions itself uniquely for players who enjoy tactical sacrifices for immediate on-field advantage. Its ability to grow larger if you sacrifice another permanent can be a considerable upside in the right deck, creating significant impact moments in the game.

Loxodon Smiter - MTG Card versions
Baloth Null - MTG Card versions
Thragtusk - MTG Card versions
Loxodon Smiter - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Baloth Null - Oath of the Gatewatch (OGW)
Thragtusk - Magic 2013 (M13)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Harvester Troll MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch, 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 Harvester Troll and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Harvester Troll has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2016-01-22 Players can respond to the enters-the-battlefield ability (notably, while Harvester Troll is still 2/3), but once that ability starts resolving, it’s too late for any player to respond. You don’t choose which creature or land you’re sacrificing, if any, until the ability resolves.

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