Kami of the Tended Garden MTG Card


Kami of the Tended Garden - Saviors of Kamigawa
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Spirit
Abilities Soulshift
Released2005-06-03
Set symbol
Set nameSaviors of Kamigawa
Set codeSOK
Power 4
Toughness 4
Number134
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byThomas M. Baxa

Key Takeaways

  1. Card advantage with upkeep draws keeps players ahead, providing a steady influx of resources to outmaneuver opponents.
  2. Resource acceleration and instant speed interactions, enabling larger plays and immediate responses to threats.
  3. Combo potential with graveyard synergy and meta relevance, adaptable to evolving gameplay strategies for competitive edge.

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice Kami of the Tended Garden unless you pay . Soulshift 3 (When this is put into a graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to your hand.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Kami of the Tended Garden card can provide ongoing card draw each upkeep, ensuring that players have a steady stream of options flowing into their hand. This consistent advantage enables players to outpace opponents in terms of resource availability.

Resource Acceleration: If you are looking to turbo-charge your mana base, this card offers an appealing strategy. By granting the ability to sacrifice itself for additional mana, it can effectively smooth out mana development or enable larger plays earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: Though not an instant itself, this card interacts well with instant speed spells. The advantage gained from drawing extra cards or accelerating resources can be utilized immediately, keeping up the pace during crucial moments of play and allowing for reactionary measures to opponents’ threats.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Kami of the Tended Garden necessitates that you discard another card as part of its upkeep cost. This can be restrictive and potentially deplete your hand, especially in prolonged games where card advantage is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost requires green mana, making it less versatile in decks that aren’t heavily invested in green or lack sufficient mana-fixing abilities to reliably cast it on curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a requirement of four mana, including three green, the cost to bring Kami of the Tended Garden onto the battlefield is significant. When considering the competitive nature of the game and the plethora of alternative creatures and spells available, this cost may deter players from including it in their decks.


Reasons to Include Kami of the Tended Garden in Your Collection

Versatility: Kami of the Tended Garden offers a unique opportunity for graveyard synergy. Since it can be channeled from your hand, it seamlessly integrates into strategies that utilize the graveyard as a resource. This card is a great fit for decks aiming to capitalize on recurring effects or those that wish to manipulate their own graveyard for value.

Combo Potential: This card’s channel ability ensures that it has substantial combo potential. Partner it with cards that benefit from creatures entering the graveyard or from life-gain triggers to unlock powerful interactions. Pairing it with cards that capitalize on spirit or arcane spells can lead to unexpected and potent combos, bolstering your board presence or undermining your opponent’s strategy.

Meta-Relevance: As the MTG metagame evolves, the presence of flexible cards like Kami of the Tended Garden can be crucial. Its low casting cost and its channel ability make it relevant in a variety of situations, responding deftly to the ever-changing demands of competitive play. In metas that see frequent graveyard utilization or those that involve longer games, this card can be a critical piece to achieve victory.


How to Beat Kami of the Tended Garden

Kami of the Tended Garden embodies the regenerative cycle in Magic: The Gathering. This spirit card shines with its ability to sustain your board presence by granting life and cards in exchange for graveyard sacrifices. To outplay an opponent who uses this resourceful card, one effective strategy is to disrupt their graveyard. Employing cards that exile graveyard contents can prevent the continuous benefit Kami of the Tended Garden provides. Another tactic is to apply pressure with faster, aggressive strategies that overpower your opponent before they can establish their life-gain and draw engine.

Control decks that can consistently remove threats or counterspell key plays are also well-suited to handle the Kami. If you can keep the card from hitting the board or deal with it swiftly after it does, you’ll negate the value it’s designed to accrue over time. In essence, denying graveyard interactions and prioritizing removal or counters are your best bet to nullify Kami of the Tended Garden’s potential and secure your path to victory.


Cards like Kami of the Tended Garden

Kami of the Tended Garden is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering with an enduring presence in decks that capitalize on graveyard synergies. Reflecting on cards like Sakura-Tribe Elder, Kami of the Tended Garden offers an ongoing benefit through its soulshift ability, allowing you to return another spirit card from your graveyard to your hand upon its death. The Sakura-Tribe Elder may provide an immediate land advantage, but it lacks the sustaining recursive potential that Kami of the Tended Garden presents.

Kodama’s Reach and Cultivate are other noteworthy comparisons. While both cards directly fetch lands to the battlefield or into your hand, they don’t recur like Kami of the Tended Garden does. Though they are one-time spells guaranteeing land drops, they miss the long-term strategic advantage offered by the soulshift ability.

Analyzing the nuances of such cards, it’s apparent that Kami of the Tended Garden stands out for its unique ability to weave a pattern of rebirth and resourcefulness, providing both a creature on the board and the promise of future utility through its soulshift mechanic.

Sakura-Tribe Elder - MTG Card versions
Kodama's Reach - MTG Card versions
Cultivate - MTG Card versions
Sakura-Tribe Elder - Junior Super Series (PSUS)
Kodama's Reach - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Cultivate - Magic 2011 (M11)

Cards similar to Kami of the Tended Garden by color, type and mana cost

Giant Spider - MTG Card versions
Marsh Viper - MTG Card versions
Scarwood Bandits - MTG Card versions
Carnivorous Plant - MTG Card versions
Erhnam Djinn - MTG Card versions
War Mammoth - MTG Card versions
Aurochs - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Jackalope Herd - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Alligator - MTG Card versions
Golden Bear - MTG Card versions
Argothian Swine - MTG Card versions
Elvish Piper - MTG Card versions
Erithizon - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Cutter - MTG Card versions
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Fungusaur - MTG Card versions
Viridian Lorebearers - MTG Card versions
Monkey Monkey Monkey - MTG Card versions
Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker - MTG Card versions
Giant Spider - Tenth Edition (10E)
Marsh Viper - The Dark (DRK)
Scarwood Bandits - The Dark (DRK)
Carnivorous Plant - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Erhnam Djinn - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
War Mammoth - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Aurochs - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Lhurgoyf - World Championship Decks 1997 (WC97)
Jackalope Herd - Exodus (EXO)
Rootwater Alligator - Exodus (EXO)
Golden Bear - Portal Second Age (P02)
Argothian Swine - Urza's Saga (USG)
Elvish Piper - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Erithizon - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Skyshroud Cutter - Nemesis (NEM)
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Fungusaur - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Viridian Lorebearers - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Monkey Monkey Monkey - Unhinged (UNH)
Matsu-Tribe Birdstalker - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kami of the Tended Garden MTG card by a specific set like Saviors of Kamigawa, 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 Kami of the Tended Garden and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kami of the Tended Garden has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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