Greener Pastures MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Enchantment |
| Released | 1998-10-12 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Urza's Saga |
| Set code | USG |
| Number | 258 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Heather Hudson |
Key Takeaways
- Increases card advantage by drawing creatures from both players’ decks during each upkeep.
- Accelerates resources, allowing creatures to enter play without spending mana.
- Encourages strategic instant-speed plays while building battlefield presence.
Text of card
During each player's upkeep, if that player controls more lands than any other, the player puts a Saproling token into play under his or her control. Treat this token as a 1/1 green creature.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Greener Pastures presents a unique take on card advantage by offering a continuous stream of creature cards from both players’ decks. In multiplayer games, the card’s potential increases, potentially drawing you into more advantageous board positions each turn.
Resource Acceleration: This enchantment lets players put a creature card from the top of their library into play at each upkeep. As such, it can result in a considerable acceleration of your resource accumulation, tipping the scales in your favor by amassing a formidable creature presence without spending mana.
Instant Speed: While Greener Pastures itself may not function at instant speed, the incremental creature advantage it provides works perfectly with those kinds of cards. It allows you to devote your resources to reactive instant-speed interactions, knowing you’re consistently building presence on the battlefield.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Greener Pastures forces the player to give up a valuable card from their hand, potentially draining resources and decelerating their strategic progression.
Specific Mana Cost: Demanding a precise combination of green mana, Greener Pastures might strain the mana base in multicolored decks, limiting its integration into diverse strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its somewhat elevated mana requirement, Greener Pastures competes with numerous other green enchantments and creatures, which could provide more direct board impact or stronger mana efficiency.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Greener Pastures adds a strategic edge to a variety of decks by providing continuous creature support. Its ability to generate a creature at each upkeep makes it a consistent and reliable source of field presence, which is crucial for decks that thrive on creature synergy.
Combo Potential: With Greener Pastures, players can unearth exciting combinations, particularly in decks that leverage creature-based abilities. This card shines in scenarios where creatures entering the battlefield can trigger powerful effects or enable synergistic plays that swing the game in your favor.
Meta-Relevance: Greener Pastures can adapt to the evolving meta by offering additional creatures to either defend against aggressive decks or apply pressure in a slower, more control-oriented game. Its ability to subtly tip the scales each turn can make it a game-changer in prolonged matches.
How to beat
Greener Pastures is a unique enchantment in the world of Magic: The Gathering, providing a steady stream of card advantage based on the number of creatures in play. Players often overlook the fact that this card can become a double-edged sword. Each player benefits from their opponent’s creatures as well, which means balancing creature count becomes critical when facing this card.
To neutralize Greener Pastures’ impact, consider utilizing creature control strategies. Board wipes like Wrath of God clear the playing field, denying both you and your opponent the card advantage Greener Pastures offers. Spot removals such as Path to Exile can help manage opposing creature numbers, ensuring that the benefits lean in your favor. If enchantment removal is in your deck, cards like Disenchant or Naturalize can directly address Greener Pastures, stripping away its influence altogether.
Mindful deck-building and strategic play are essential when countering Greener Pastures. Adjust your creature deployment, hold back removals for key moments, and take advantage of the card’s symmetric draw mechanic. By doing so, you keep your pastures from becoming too green on the opposing side, maintaining control over the flow of the game.
Cards like Greener Pastures
Greener Pastures presents a unique approach to card advantage within the realm of Magic: The Gathering. It echoes the underlying mechanics of cards like Sylvan Library, as both facilitate access to more cards each turn. Greener Pastures grants you that advantage by allowing for a potential card draw during your upkeep if an opponent controls more lands than you, indirectly encouraging a strategic balance of land play. Unlike Sylvan Library, though, it doesn’t give the option to manipulate the top of your library or draw multiple cards, but offers an unconditional draw that can prove advantageous, especially in multiplayer games.
Exploring further, we find cards such as Elfhame Sanctuary that also provide an advantage if you skip your draw step, allowing you to search for a basic land instead, ensuring land drops. While Elfhame Sanctuary maintains your land progression, Greener Pastures can help you catch up in a different manner. Then there’s the card Exploration, which allows you to play an additional land each turn. Although Exploration doesn’t offer direct card draw, it accelerates your land presence, rarely letting you benefit from Greener Pastures’ passive effect.
In numeration of distinct features and benefits amongst these cards, Greener Pastures offers a steady, albeit conditional, source of card advantage especially tailored for formats where opponents may outpace you in land development.
Cards similar to Greener Pastures by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Greener Pastures MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Greener Pastures and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Greener Pastures has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Greener Pastures card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | The ability does not trigger unless the player has more lands at the beginning of upkeep. This is checked again on resolution, and if the player does not still have more lands, no token is generated. |
