Woodland Druid MTG Card


Woodland Druid - Odyssey
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Druid
Released2001-10-01
Set symbol
Set nameOdyssey
Set codeODY
Power 1
Toughness 2
Number284
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byRick Farrell

Key Takeaways

  1. Woodland Druid’s land-fetching ability increases card advantage, smoothing out your mana curve.
  2. Its instant speed feature adds surprise elements, optimizing mana use and game strategy.
  3. The need to discard and specific mana cost can be limiting, but its benefits often outweigh these drawbacks.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Woodland Druid effectively helps you reach crucial land drops consistently. By enabling you to peruse the top cards of your library, this card can ensure you keep a steady flow of lands coming, bolstering your card advantage and smoothing out your draws.

Resource Acceleration: With its ability to fetch an additional land onto the battlefield, the Woodland Druid excels in propelling your resource acceleration. This crucial feature can be the stepping stone to casting high impact spells earlier than usual, thereby outpacing your opponent in the resource game.

Instant Speed: The Druid’s capability to operate at instant speed provides you with the flexibility to react during your opponent’s turn. This can be a game changer as it allows you to maximize your mana efficiency and maintain the element of surprise, keeping your adversaries guessing about your next move.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To activate the Woodland Druid’s abilities, players often have to discard a card, which can deplete crucial hand options when they’re most needed. This can be a hindrance when trying to maintain card advantage against your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: The Woodland Druid requires a precise mix of mana to cast, including at least one green mana. This specificity means it cannot be seamlessly incorporated into just any deck, especially those that are not focused on green mana, therefore limiting its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the druid offers potent board presence or utility, its high mana cost compared to other cards with similar effects can delay your game plan. In a game where efficiency is key, the cost of putting the Woodland Druid into play might not always align with strategic deck building, particularly in fast-paced matches where lower cost creatures might provide faster impact.


Reasons to Include Woodland Druid in Your Collection

Versatility: Woodland Druid is a flexible card that can seamlessly integrate into various green-based decks. Its low mana cost and ability to generate mana provides a quick ramp up for casting more substantial spells early in the game.

Combo Potential: This druid shines when combined with cards that capitalize on mana acceleration. Whether enabling powerful creatures to hit the board ahead of schedule or activating key abilities, Woodland Druid can be the linchpin in an impactful combo strategy.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that often demands quick development and mana efficiency, Woodland Druid holds its own. It’s particularly relevant in formats where summoning bigger threats faster can mean the difference between victory and defeat.


How to beat

Woodland Druid is a card that embodies the harmony of nature, granting buffs to other creatures and cementing its role as a supportive staple in green decks. As with any card that influences the board through boosts and synergies, understanding its mechanics is the key to overcoming its advantages.

To counteract Woodland Druid, priority should be given to removal spells that can directly address this creature before its abilities affect the game state. Lower-cost creature removal like Shock or Fatal Push can efficiently deal with the Druid before it can become a significant threat. Additionally, since it thrives in an environment with multiple creatures, board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the playing field, negating the buffs provided by the Druid.

Consideration should also be given to the timing of removal. Acting quickly, in response to the Druid’s casting before buffs take effect, can prevent your opponent from gaining the upper edge. Cards with flash, allowing you to play at instant speed, become invaluable in this situation, keeping your options open and your opponent guessing. In essence, to beat Woodland Druid effectively, one needs sharp timing, precise removal, and the foresight to stop its influence before it spirals.


Cards like Woodland Druid

Woodland Druid steps into the Magic: The Gathering arena as an interesting addition to the suite of mana dorks—creatures that convert themselves into mana. Its likeness can be spotted within classics like Llanowar Elves, a staple in green decks for its straightforward one mana cost and immediate tapping for green mana. The woodland inhabitant shares this trait but often comes with an additional benefit tied to the forest, whether it’s gaining life or boosting other creatures.

Another comparable card is Elvish Mystic, which mirrors both the mana cost and ability of Llanowar Elves. Despite the similarities, each elf has its nuanced role in different deck themes, aligning with the tribe or specific synergy being leveraged. Birds of Paradise also belongs in this conversation as a versatile mana producer with the added advantage of flying, though it settles at a slightly higher mana value for its rainbow range of mana offerings.

Overall, Woodland Druid and its counterparts each play a vital role in accelerating the pace of the game by providing an early advantage in resource generation. While they vary in flexibility and secondary abilities, these creatures are the backbone of many winning MTG strategies and deck builds.

Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Elvish Mystic - MTG Card versions
Birds of Paradise - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Elvish Mystic - Magic 2014 (M14)
Birds of Paradise - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Woodland Druid by color, type and mana cost

Scryb Sprites - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogre - MTG Card versions
Shanodin Dryads - MTG Card versions
Wall of Wood - MTG Card versions
Village Elder - MTG Card versions
Spike Drone - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Elite - MTG Card versions
Elvish Berserker - MTG Card versions
Tree Monkey - MTG Card versions
Wild Dogs - MTG Card versions
Elvish Herder - MTG Card versions
Pouncing Jaguar - MTG Card versions
Scavenger Folk - MTG Card versions
Willow Geist - MTG Card versions
Nimble Mongoose - MTG Card versions
Elvish Lyrist - MTG Card versions
Elvish Pioneer - MTG Card versions
Hana Kami - MTG Card versions
Norwood Ranger - MTG Card versions
Scryb Sprites - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Llanowar Elves - Dominaria (DOM)
Ghazbán Ogre - Masters Edition (ME1)
Shanodin Dryads - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Wall of Wood - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Village Elder - Mirage (MIR)
Spike Drone - Tempest (TMP)
Skyshroud Elite - Exodus (EXO)
Elvish Berserker - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Tree Monkey - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Wild Dogs - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Elvish Herder - Urza's Saga (USG)
Pouncing Jaguar - Urza's Saga (USG)
Scavenger Folk - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Willow Geist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Nimble Mongoose - The List (PLST)
Elvish Lyrist - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Elvish Pioneer - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Hana Kami - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Norwood Ranger - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Woodland Druid MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey, 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 Woodland Druid and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Woodland Druid has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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