Viridian Harvest MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
| Released | 2011-05-13 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | New Phyrexia |
| Set code | NPH |
| Number | 125 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Johann Bodin |
Text of card
Enchant artifact When enchanted artifact is put into a graveyard, you gain 6 life.
"In the midst of horror beyond imagining, I still see things that lift my heart." —Ezuri
Cards like Viridian Harvest
Viridian Harvest follows a unique theme of resource manipulation found in certain MTG green enchantments. Its closest relatives include Conclave’s Blessing and Market Festival, both of which interact with lands, albeit in different ways. Viridian Harvest stands out with its focus on artifact control – when the enchanted artifact is put into a graveyard, you gain life equal to its converted mana cost. Conclave’s Blessing, for contrast, increases your life total in direct correlation with the number of creatures you control, while Market Festival’s ability lies in ramping your mana production by enchanting a land to provide an extra boost of resources.
One could also draw parallels with Naturalize or even Creeping Corrosion when considering the artifact-destruction theme embedded into Viridian Harvest. Although these aren’t enchantments, they serve a similar purpose in disrupting opponent artifacts. Unlike the immediate impact of Naturalize, Viridian Harvest sets up for a potential life gain, making it a tactically delayed yet potentially more rewarding card. It’s a strategic pick in matches where artifact-heavy opponents are prevalent, providing a defensive buffer through your opponent’s need to handle their own artifacts.
Examining these cards together highlights Viridian Harvest’s distinctive angle on green’s philosophy of influencing the battleground by weaving life gain into the traditionally aggressive artifact removal tactics seen in MTG.
Cards similar to Viridian Harvest by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Viridian Harvest can offer indirect card advantage by disrupting an opponent’s equipment or artifact-based strategies, forcing them to deal with the enchantment or suffer recurring life loss.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana acceleration, the life loss inflicted on the opponent can hasten their demise, indirectly speeding up your victory.
Instant Speed: Although Viridian Harvest is not an instant, it still holds the potential for impact at crucial moments. Played on an essential artifact, it can turn the tide against artifact-reliant decks, maintaining strategic pressure.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One notable downside of Viridian Harvest is that it doesn’t impose a discard requirement on your opponent when triggered. While this may not seem significant at first glance, in games where card advantage is crucial, not impacting the opponent’s hand can be a missed opportunity for disruption.
Specific Mana Cost: Viridian Harvest demands a specific mana investment to be cast — one green mana. This requirement restricts its flexibility, making it hard to include in decks that don’t heavily feature green mana or struggle with color fixing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though it may offer a chance to gain life when artifacts controlled by an opponent hit the graveyard, the initial investment of two mana for the enchantment can be steep. In a game where tempo is paramount, allocating two mana to an effect that doesn’t immediately impact the board state may lag behind other options that either advance your own board or hinder your opponent’s more directly.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Viridian Harvest brings a flexible approach to any deck that aims to capitalize on artifact removal and life gain. Its ability to dismantle your opponent’s key artifacts can adapt to various situations, disrupting their tempo or strategy.
Combo Potential: This enchantment has synergy with cards that benefit from destroying artifacts or those that trigger when life is gained. It supports combinations that turn defensive moves into offensive opportunities, giving you an edge in both endurance and combat.
Meta-Relevance: In metas heavy with artifact-centric decks, Viridian Harvest’s targeted removal becomes essential. It can serve as a tool to manage opponents’ strongholds such as mana rocks or powerful equipment, while simultaneously providing you a life cushion, making it a tactical choice against specific deck types.
How to beat
Viridian Harvest is a unique enchantment that turns a land into your own mana-generating resource in the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering. It’s akin to other auras that alter the essence of lands, such as Utopia Sprawl, which amplifies a land’s mana production. However, Viridian Harvest sets itself apart by spotlighting an often-overlooked maneuver – benefiting from your opponent’s artifacts.
Counterintuitively, one might compare it to Naturalize, a spell that outright destroys target artifacts or enchantments, which could be a more direct method to deal with troublesome artifacts. It’s essential to notice that while Naturalize offers a swift solution, Viridian Harvest asks for a longer-term strategy. To effectively counter the card’s advantage, players should prioritize the removal of enchantments, possibly through cards like Disenchant, which allows them to bypass the conditional life gain provided by Viridian Harvest.
Ultimately, assessing your deck’s answers to enchantments and being prepared to respond to the potentially game-altering effects of Viridian Harvest is key to maintaining control. Its ability to disrupt might be subtle, but with strategic planning and a toolbox of removal spells, players can ensure that its impact is minimal and their path to victory stays clear.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Viridian Harvest MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia, 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 Viridian Harvest and other MTG cards:
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- 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
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Viridian Harvest has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Viridian Harvest card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-06-01 | If the enchanted artifact and Viridian Harvest are put into the graveyard at the same time, you’ll still gain 6 life. |