Sylvan Brushstrider MTG Card
2019-01-25 - Number 144
2020-07-17 - Number 434
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Beast |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
When Sylvan Brushstrider enters the battlefield, you gain 2 life.
The mournful lowing of brushstriders warns of changing weather and ill winds.
Cards like Sylvan Brushstrider
Sylvan Brushstrider steps onto the battlefield as a noteworthy creature in the diverse world of Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to other creatures with enter-the-battlefield life gain effects such as Kitchen Finks and Centaur Healer. Kitchen Finks offers a persistent presence with its undying ability, restoring not just life but also potentially returning for another round. Centaur Healer, akin to Sylvan Brushstrider, provides a decent body and an immediate health boost upon arrival.
Comparatively, we also have creatures like Saruli Gatekeepers, which, while conditioned on controlling a gate upon entry, grant a more substantial health gain. Though Sylvan Brushstrider does not need such a board presence to trigger its life gain, the amount is more modest. Thragtusk stands out as well, with a similar but more potent effect, granting 5 life upon entry and leaving behind a 3/3 creature token when it leaves the battlefield.
Navigating through MTG’s substantial variety of creatures, Sylvan Brushstrider offers a balance of lifegain and board presence. While it may not produce the largest life swing, its simple requirements and immediate effect make it a reliable choice for players looking to integrate life gain strategies into their gameplay.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Even though Sylvan Brushstrider doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it impacts the board immediately and helps maintain card presence, which can indirectly contribute to card advantage. By securing your position on the board, you effectively preserve the cards in your hand for later turns.
Resource Acceleration: Sylvan Brushstrider isn’t typically known for resource acceleration, but in the right deck, such as with effects that capitalize on creature enters-the-battlefield (‘ETB’) triggers, it can indirectly boost your resources by repeatedly gaining life, which saves resources and grants you more turns to draw into your accelerants.
Instant Speed: While this creature doesn’t operate at instant speed, its ETB effect can influence the timing of your plays. Since it gains you life upon entering, it can provide a buffer that allows you a bit more flexibility with your life total, giving you the confidence to make plays that are more aggressive at crucial moments of the match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Sylvan Brushstrider may not have a discard requirement, hence this point doesn’t apply to this card. Look into other aspects that could be perceived as cons for a more comprehensive analysis.
Specific Mana Cost: This creature’s casting cost necessitates both green mana and generic mana, which could restrict its synergy in decks not geared towards green mana sources or multicolor that don’t heavily favor green.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Sylvan Brushstrider’s mana cost isn’t exorbitant, there are more mana-efficient creatures that can provide similar or greater value on the battlefield for the same or less investment, making it a less than ideal choice for competitive play.
Reasons to Include Sylvan Brushstrider in Your Collection
Versatility: Sylvan Brushstrider is a flexible addition to various decks, offering a valuable life gain upon entering the battlefield. Its moderate stats for cost also make it playable in green-focused decks that emphasize creature presence.
Combo Potential: With its life gain ability, Sylvan Brushstrider synergizes well with cards that capitalize on life total changes. This creates opportunities for combos in decks built around gaining life or exploiting life total triggers for game advantage.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggressive strategies are prevalent, the incremental life gain from Sylvan Brushstrider can be instrumental in stabilizing board states. Additionally, its creature type may be relevant in decks that benefit from tribal synergies.
How to beat
Sylvan Brushstrider may not be the most intimidating creature in the vast pantheon of MTG, but it does offer a modest challenge with its life-gaining ability upon entering the battlefield. To effectively neutralize the Brushstrider’s impact, consider using spot removal spells that can dispatch it before the life gain triggers, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile.
Alternatively, strategies that don’t rely on direct damage or creature combat can circumvent the Brushstrider’s advantage. Enchantment-based control decks or those that leverage mill mechanics can render the creature’s benefits moot. Cards like Rest in Peace can prevent any graveyard interactions, mitigating the utility of creatures like Sylvan Brushstrider in more synergistic decks.
Moreover, employing a faster pace in your playstyle may also overtake the temporary setback of life gained by the opponent. Aggro decks can overwhelm a board before the life gain becomes relevant, and thus the Brushstrider’s influence on the game’s outcome is minimized. Focusing on these strategies can help keep the Brushstrider from being a thorn in your side.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sylvan Brushstrider MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance and Jumpstart, 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 Sylvan Brushstrider and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Sylvan Brushstrider Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-01-25 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Dan Scott.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2019-01-25 | Ravnica Allegiance | RNA | 144 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dan Scott | |
| 2 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart | JMP | 434 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dan Scott |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sylvan Brushstrider has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |