Golgari Germination MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Instantly creates Saprolings to maintain board control, even when your creatures are destroyed.
  2. Aids resource acceleration, turning Saprolings into mana or utilizing them in other synergies.
  3. Constricted by mana requirements and potential high cost compared to similar effect cards.

Text of card

Whenever a nontoken creature you control is put into a graveyard from play, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play.

The Golgari don't bury their dead. They plant them.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Golgari Germination really shines within the realm of card advantage. This enchantment card allows you to deploy a 1/1 green Saproling creature token onto the battlefield whenever a nontoken creature you control is put into a graveyard. This axis of advantage ensures you constantly have creatures at your command, maintaining pressure and board presence even in the face of removal effects.

Resource Acceleration: With its token-creating ability, Golgari Germination can also be seen as a source of resource acceleration. Each Saproling made is a potential resource pump, available to use as mana through various cards that convert creatures into mana, as sacrifice fodder, or simply as units to swarm the opponent.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant card itself, the triggered ability of Golgari Germination is effectively at instant speed. Regardless of when or how a creature hits the graveyard, it immediately and instantaneously spawns a Saproling, fitting seamlessly into various timing windows in the game and keeping your opponent on their toes.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Golgari Germination card requires you to discard a card as an additional cost. If you are low on cards or if the discard is not strategically beneficial, this can put you at a disadvantage in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a specific mana type to be activated, specifically, black and green mana. While this works perfectly in the Golgari deck, it poses a limitation that may prevent its use in other types of decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of three (one generic, one black, and one green), there may be situations where you encounter other cards in your deck or in the MTG universe that offer superior abilities or advantages at a lower or equal mana cost.


Reasons to Include Golgari Germination in Your Collection

Versatility: This card can play multiple roles in different types of decks. Golgari Germination is especially useful in decks that have a strong focus on creature creation and sacrifice. It can provide additional creature tokens each time a non-token creature is sent to the graveyard, adding to the numbers of your battlefield.

Combo Potential: Golgari Germination holds many synergies with other cards that benefit from creature presence or sacrifice. Its ability to convert the loss of non-token creatures into new creature tokens can be a key strategy in many decks that build upon such mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In the current meta-game where control decks employ creature removal strategies, Golgari Germination can mitigate such losses by providing a constant stream of tokens. This makes it a potentially valuable addition for strategies that can consistently create non-token creatures.


How to beat

Golgari Germination isn’t just your typical enchantment in Magic: The Gathering. It stands out for its special attribute which creates a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play whenever a nontoken creature you control is put into a graveyard. However, cards like Rest in Peace can be very effective to suppress such card mechanics. When Rest in Peace is in play, Golgari Germination’s feature is essentially null, since cards go directly to exile, bypassing the graveyard altogether.

There is also Leyline of the Void, a card strikingly similar to Rest in Peace. Although Leyline of the Void affects only your opponent’s graveyard, it could still make Golgari Germination virtually useless if it’s part of your opponent’s deck. Of course, there’s also the option to leverage enchantment removal spells. While there are plenty, cards like Disenchant, Naturalize, and Mortify are particularly useful due to their low casting cost along with instant speed removal.

In conclusion, to beat Golgari Germination requires strategic planning, along with the right setup of your deck. With the right cards in place, it’s possible to turn the tide and effectively control the strength of Golgari Germination in the realm of Magic: The Gathering.


BurnMana Recommendations

Unearthing the best strategies in MTG can be as rewarding as it is complex. Golgari Germination offers a dynamic edge in creature-based gameplay, ensuring your green-black decks remain resilient against removal and attrition. It’s essential to understand not just the strength but also the nuances of such cards to optimize your gameplay. If you’re keen on deepening your deck building skills and exploring the vast synergies within the MTG universe, we’re here to guide you through. Elevate your game and enrich your collection with cards that promise more than raw power — they offer strategic finesse. Join us to uncover the full potential of Golgari Germination and other game-changing cards.


Cards like Golgari Germination

Golgari Germination stands as a unique enchantment in the world of Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to create tokens from dying creatures can be likened to similar cards such as Mycoloth. Although Mycoloth demands a heavy upfront cost with its devour mechanic, it bounces back with a proliferation of saproling tokens each upkeep, much like the incremental gain from Golgari Germination.

Perilous Forays shares similar mechanics too. It does not produce saprolings straightforwardly, but indirectly bolsters the board by swapping creatures for basic lands from the deck which can fuel more substantial plays. This dynamic gives a different angle to deck management as compared to the more linear approach of the Golgari Germination.

Aboroth, on the other hand, is a creature card that, while not producing saproling tokens directly, contributes to the overall swarm strategy. The sheer size of Aboroth could pressure opponents while continuously churning out an army of tokens. Its downside is controllable unlike Golgari Germination’s dependency on creature deaths.

In summary, the Golgari Germination’s power translates directly into an army of tokens, distinguishing it in comparison to other token-generating cards in Magic: The Gathering, and ensuring it maintains its individual significance.

Mycoloth - MTG Card versions
Perilous Forays - MTG Card versions
Aboroth - MTG Card versions
Mycoloth - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Perilous Forays - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Aboroth - Weatherlight (WTH)

Cards similar to Golgari Germination by color, type and mana cost

Grim Feast - MTG Card versions
Pernicious Deed - MTG Card versions
Nyx Weaver - MTG Card versions
Pharika, God of Affliction - MTG Card versions
Autumnal Gloom // Ancient of the Equinox - MTG Card versions
Journey to Eternity // Atzal, Cave of Eternity - MTG Card versions
Gloomshrieker - MTG Card versions
Grim Feast - Mirage (MIR)
Pernicious Deed - Masters 25 (A25)
Nyx Weaver - Commander Masters (CMM)
Pharika, God of Affliction - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Autumnal Gloom // Ancient of the Equinox - Shadows over Innistrad (SOI)
Journey to Eternity // Atzal, Cave of Eternity - From Cute to Brute (PCTB)
Gloomshrieker - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Golgari Germination MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds and Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari, 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 Golgari Germination and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Golgari Germination Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2017-03-17. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12005-10-07Ravnica: City of GuildsRAV 2092003normalblackThomas M. Baxa
22012-09-07Duel Decks: Izzet vs. GolgariDDJ 702003normalblackThomas M. Baxa
32017-03-17Modern Masters 2017MM3 1672015normalblackSvetlin Velinov

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Golgari Germination has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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