Survival of the Fittest MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment

Key Takeaways

  1. Survival of the Fittest grants powerful card advantage through targeted creature searches tailored to game conditions.
  2. Fulfills roles beyond a basic tutor, acting as a resource accelerator and offering significant instant-speed adaptability.
  3. While beneficial, its discard requirement and specific mana needs pose strategic challenges in diversified MTG play.

Text of card

o G, Choose and discard a creature card: Search your library for a creature card, reveal that card to all players, and put it into your hand. Shuffle your library afterwards.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The ability of Survival of the Fittest to endlessly search for creatures in your deck transforms it into a formidable tool for obtaining card advantage. With this card, players can strategically select the creatures that best suit the current board state or anticipate an opponent’s moves.

Resource Acceleration: This card functions as a form of resource acceleration by allowing you to access specific creatures much faster than you normally would. It effectively bypasses the limitations of drawing and playing only one land per turn, giving you the option to consistently deploy threats or answers.

Instant Speed: Survival of the Fittest operates at instant speed, providing the flexibility to respond during your opponent’s turn. This adaptability is crucial in maintaining the upper hand, as you can wait to see how your opponent plays before making decisive moves, ensuring you have the right creature for each situation.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When activating Survival of the Fittest’s ability, a player needs to discard a creature card. This can be a strategic setback, particularly in the late game when each card in hand is valuable and resources are scarce.

Specific Mana Cost: Survival of the Fittest requires green mana to cast. While its color-specific nature makes it a perfect fit for green-based creature decks, it might not integrate as seamlessly into multicolored decks that have a tight mana base or those that do not prioritize creatures.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the mana cost to activate Survival of the Fittest’s search ability is just one green, the initial investment of two green mana can be considered high for a card that does not impact the board immediately. In fast-paced games, players might prefer to deploy creatures or other impactful spells rather than setting up future plays.


Reasons to Include Survival of the Fittest in Your Collection

Versatility: Survival of the Fittest serves as a key tool for any green commander deck, giving players the ability to sift through their library for the perfect creature to face any board situation.

Combo Potential: This card’s seamless creature tutoring sets the stage for powerful combo plays, enabling savvy players to fetch impactful creatures to execute game-winning strategies.

Meta-Relevance: In environments heavily influenced by creature-based tactics, Survival of the Fittest’s ability to consistently access essential creatures makes it a formidable addition to keep pace with or dominate the competitive scene.


How to beat

Survival of the Fittest is a renowned card in Magic: The Gathering, celebrated for its ability to sift through a player’s deck to find the perfect creature for any situation. This can be a daunting task for opponents, as it significantly increases the consistency and threat of creature-based strategies. The key to overcoming this card lies in preemptive and reactive measures.

Disruptive strategies are most effective, and players can employ cards that target Survival of the Fittest directly, like Artifact Mutation or Nature’s Claim, to remove it from the field. Alternatively, countering the card upon casting with spells like Counterspell ensures it never hits the board. Hand disruption, such as Thoughtseize, can also be a powerful way to remove Survival of the Fittest from your opponent’s hand before it can impact the game.

In essence, keeping Survival of the Fittest off the battlefield or limiting its usage through removal, counters, and hand disruption are vital to neutralize its powerful search ability. Addressing it early is often critical, as it allows opponents less time to capitalize on the immense utility that Survival of the Fittest provides in MTG decks centered around creatures.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving deeper into MTG strategy is crucial for any player eyeing dominance in the game. Exploring cards like Survival of the Fittest is a testament to that, a card which reshapes your ability to command creatures with precision. In understanding the power it can introduce to your deck alongside its limitations, you establish better deck synergy and strategic foresight. As you embark on honing your deck, consider the depth we’ve unpacked here—it’s this level of detail that can refine your game plan. For more insights into building a resilient collection and enhancing your gameplay, join us at BurnMana, where your MTG prowess can reach new heights.


Cards like Survival of the Fittest

Survival of the Fittest is a standout card in MTG, offering unparalleled creature search capabilities. When compared to Fauna Shaman, which basically repackages the Survival of the Fittest effect into a creature, we notice some trade-offs. The shaman requires a tap action which can limit the speed of usability, whereas Survival of the Fittest can be used multiple times as long as you have creatures to discard and mana to spend. This can be a significant advantage in decks designed to exploit creature card synergies.

Birthing Pod presents another alternative, allowing players to sacrifice a creature to search for another with a higher converted mana cost. While this adheres to a specific evolutionary theme, it lacks the broader searching freedom that Survival of the Fittest provides, as it doesn’t let you choose the creature directly from your deck. Essentially, Birthing Pod dictates a more incremental approach to creature searching while Survival of the Fittest offers immediate and flexible tutor options.

By evaluating the comparison, Survival of the Fittest emerges as a highly valuable card in MTG for its tactical versatility in creature-based strategies, showcasing an ability to fetch exactly what you need, just when you need it.

Fauna Shaman - MTG Card versions
Birthing Pod - MTG Card versions
Fauna Shaman - Magic 2011 (M11)
Birthing Pod - New Phyrexia (NPH)

Cards similar to Survival of the Fittest by color, type and mana cost

Aspect of Wolf - MTG Card versions
Regeneration - MTG Card versions
Lifeforce - MTG Card versions
Gaea's Touch - MTG Card versions
Night Soil - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Library - MTG Card versions
Primal Rage - MTG Card versions
Crosswinds - MTG Card versions
Fortitude - MTG Card versions
Tranquil Grove - MTG Card versions
Fertile Ground - MTG Card versions
Treetop Bracers - MTG Card versions
Root Cage - MTG Card versions
Elfhame Sanctuary - MTG Card versions
Compost - MTG Card versions
Thoughtleech - MTG Card versions
Weaver of Harmony - MTG Card versions
Shigeki, Jukai Visionary - MTG Card versions
Mark of Sakiko - MTG Card versions
Fists of Ironwood - MTG Card versions
Aspect of Wolf - Treasure Chest (PZ2)
Regeneration - Tenth Edition (10E)
Lifeforce - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Gaea's Touch - The Dark (DRK)
Night Soil - Commander 2013 (C13)
Sylvan Library - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Primal Rage - Stronghold (STH)
Crosswinds - Urza's Saga (USG)
Fortitude - Urza's Saga (USG)
Tranquil Grove - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Fertile Ground - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Treetop Bracers - Tenth Edition (10E)
Root Cage - Prophecy (PCY)
Elfhame Sanctuary - Invasion (INV)
Compost - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Thoughtleech - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Weaver of Harmony - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Promos (PNEO)
Shigeki, Jukai Visionary - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Mark of Sakiko - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Fists of Ironwood - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Survival of the Fittest MTG card by a specific set like Exodus and World Championship Decks 1998, 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 Survival of the Fittest and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Survival of the Fittest Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 1998-06-15 and 2015-05-06. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-06-15ExodusEXO 1291997normalblackPete Venters
21998-08-12World Championship Decks 1998WC98 bs1291997normalgoldPete Venters
32002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 435442003normalblackShelly Wan
42009-01-01Judge Gift Cards 2009G09 42003normalblackShelly Wan
52014-06-16Vintage MastersVMA 2342015normalblackShelly Wan
62015-05-06Tempest RemasteredTPR 1992015normalblackPete Venters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Survival of the Fittest has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyBanned
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Survival of the Fittest card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2004-10-04 Because the “search” requires you to find a card with certain characteristics, you don’t have to find the card if you don’t want to.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks