Old-Growth Dryads MTG Card

Old-Growth Dryads is a strong turn-one play, applying early pressure but granting opponents a land. The Dryads’ early presence can influence opponents’ removal strategies and pace of the game. They carry deck restrictions, thrive in aggressive strategies, and demand careful mana base construction.

Old-Growth Dryads - Ixalan Promos (PXLN)

Ixalan Promos (PXLN)
2017-09-29 - Number 199s

Ixalan (XLN)
2017-09-29 - Number 199

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Dryad
Power	3
Toughness	3

Text of card

When Old-Growth Dryads enters the battlefield, each opponent may search their library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

"The jungle was here before any city. It will be here after the last city falls."

Cards like Old-Growth Dryads

Old-Growth Dryads is an interesting entry in the creature lineup of Magic the Gathering. It stands out for its cost-effectiveness, offering a solid 3/3 body for just one mana. This is reminiscent of other powerful one-drops like Llanowar Elves, which contributes to mana acceleration. However, Old-Growth Dryads grants your opponent a significant advantage by allowing them to search their library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield, an ability not seen on Llanowar Elves.

Monastery Swiftspear is another one-mana creature that has made its mark. While it starts as a smaller 1/2, it has prowess, allowing it to grow with each noncreature spell you cast, potentially surpassing Old-Growth Dryads in power without the drawback. Then there’s the venerable Wild Nacatl, which depends on land types for its strength but can match or exceed the Dryads’ power and toughness without the downside of ramping the opponent.

Looking at these cards, while Old-Growth Dryads offers immediate beefiness, its drawback is a hefty price that savvy players must strategize around. The trade-off of tempo for power puts it in a niche spot compared to its peer group.

Monastery Swiftspear - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Old-Growth Dryads by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While at first glance Old-Growth Dryads may not seem like a traditional source of card advantage, this card puts you ahead by placing a powerful creature on the battlefield from the get-go. Its presence forces your opponent to deal with it, potentially leading to a two-for-one scenario where they have to use a removal spell on it, effectively netting you card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Old-Growth Dryads can create an unusual form of resource acceleration for aggressive decks, allowing you to deploy a substantial threat on the first turn. Although providing your opponent with a basic land can accelerate their resources, astute players can leverage the Dryads’ early pressure to outpace the opponent before they can make use of the extra land.

Instant Speed: While the Dryads themselves are not an instant-speed spell, their mere presence on the board from turn one can influence how your opponent plays their instant-speed removal. If their resources are tied up dealing with your Dryads, they might not be able to optimize their other instant-speed interactions, thereby indirectly benefiting you.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Old-Growth Dryads don’t have a discard requirement per se, but summoning them does give your opponent a distinct advantage by allowing them to search their deck for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. This could essentially be seen as discarding your strategic advantage, especially early in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: One of the limitations of the Old-Growth Dryads is its specific mana cost. Costing a single green mana means it slots primarily into green or multi-colored mana bases, potentially making it a less flexible choice for decks that cannot afford such a dedicated color requirement.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Old-Growth Dryads aren’t expensive in terms of mana, costing only one green mana, the real cost comes in the form of the significant ramp they provide to your opponent. In a game where tempo and resource advantage are key, essentially providing your opponent with a free land can have a cost far greater than the mana spent to summon the Dryads, particularly if it comes down on turn one and accelerates your opponent’s game plan.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Old-Growth Dryads offers a ramp advantage right off the bat, making it a solid inclusion in decks that prioritize speed and efficiency. Its ability to slot into aggressive green strategies makes it an asset for those looking to put pressure on the opponent early in the game.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with landfall mechanics or strategies that benefit from opponents controlling more lands, such as benefiting from cards that punish land abundance or utilizing land counts to activate certain conditions and effects.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame where fast starts are critical, Old-Growth Dryads can give you an edge by establishing board presence quickly. Its relevance hinges on the ability to capitalize on the tempo it can provide, making it a potentially smart pick for those adapting to a swift and aggressive meta.

How to beat

Old-Growth Dryads is a card that often catches players off guard in MTG. As a rare creature from the Ixalan set, it packs a punch with its 3/3 body for just one green mana. The immediate downside, which can be exploited, is granting your opponent a basic land card onto the battlefield tapped. This seeming setback for the caster can quickly turn into a strategy to undermine an opponent’s plan when used cleverly.

To effectively counter Old-Growth Dryads, land control becomes essential. Leverage spells and abilities that restrict or punish your opponent for land searching or put them at a disadvantage for having more lands in play. Cards like Mindcensor, which prevent searching libraries, or Zo-Zu the Punisher, which deals damage to opponents whenever a land enters under their control, can provide a strategic edge. Additionally, since Old-Growth Dryads has no inherent protection, removal spells are highly effective. Cards with low-cost removal such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile offer excellent solutions to quickly dispose of this particular threat.

Ultimately, facing Old-Growth Dryads requires a blend of disrupting your opponent’s land advantage and efficiently handling creatures on the battlefield to secure your position in the game. By doing so, you’ll nullify the drawback the Dryads bring to you and may even turn their arrival to your benefit.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Old-Growth Dryads MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan Promos and Ixalan, 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 Old-Growth Dryads and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Old-Growth Dryads Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-09-29 and 2017-09-29. Illustrated by Yongjae Choi.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2017-09-29	Ixalan Promos	PXLN		199s	2015	Normal	Black	Yongjae Choi
2	2017-09-29	Ixalan	XLN		199	2015	Normal	Black	Yongjae Choi

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Old-Growth Dryads has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal