Centaur Nurturer MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Centaur Druid |
| Released | 2019-05-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | War of the Spark |
| Set code | WAR |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 156 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Even Amundsen |
Key Takeaways
- Centaur Nurturer ramps mana while providing a 2/4 body, aiding in early game stability.
- This card can be pivotal for multicolor decks needing diverse mana sources.
- Despite its benefits, its four-mana casting cost may limit immediate board impact.
Text of card
When Centaur Nurturer enters the battlefield, you gain 3 life. : Add one mana of any color.
"I call upon the vigor of the grasses, the hopes of the flowers, and the dreams of the trees."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While the Centaur Nurturer itself doesn’t allow you to draw cards directly, it supports your card advantage by helping you deploy your higher-cost cards much earlier. Having a stable board presence with these big threats can indirectly lead to a card advantage as your opponent will likely need to use more resources to deal with them.
Resource Acceleration: This creature card is notable for its ability to ramp up your mana. When it enters the battlefield, it immediately grants you one life and can tap for one mana of any color, providing essential resource acceleration that opens up a broader range of plays and can be crucial in casting game-changing spells ahead of schedule.
Instant Speed: Although the Centaur Nurturer isn’t an instant itself, the mana it provides can be crucial for enabling instant-speed responses. Access to an extra mana of any color can make all the difference, allowing you to react to your opponent’s moves more flexibly and keep surprises up your sleeve until the moment they’re needed most.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Centaur Nurturer may not require a card to be discarded, but conversely, its lack of card advantage mechanisms could be a drawback, especially in longer games where each card in hand is vital.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes green mana, Centaur Nurturer might not seamlessly fit into every deck. Its requirement for green can potentially constrain deck-building, especially in formats where mana flexibility is paramount.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Though it provides a mana boost and life gain, Centaur Nurturer’s cost of four mana can be steep. For the same investment, some decks might prefer spells that have a more immediate impact on the board state or offer larger advantages over the course of a game.
Reasons to Include Centaur Nurturer in Your Collection
Versatility: Centaur Nurturer is a multi-functional card that provides both life gain and mana fixing. Its inclusion can support a variety of decks, from aggressive strategies seeking stabilization to control decks requiring specific mana colors for their spells.
Combo Potential: Able to add one mana of any color, Centaur Nurturer can play a pivotal role in setting up combo pieces or accelerating your game plan. It synergizes particularly well with cards that thrive on mana diversity or creature-based strategies.
Meta-Relevance: Amidst a meta brimming with aggressive decks, the Centaur Nurturer’s lifegain ability can offer a crucial lifeline, and in slower, grindier matchups, it provides the ramp needed to outpace opponents. Its adaptability makes it a solid contender across various metagame landscapes.
How to Beat Centaur Nurturer
Centaur Nurturer is a valuable lifegain and mana source creature in Magic the Gathering, offering both sustainability and ramp to a player’s strategy. This Kev Walker illustrated card finds itself comfortably at home in multicolor decks, especially in the green-centric builds that favor creature synergies and mana acceleration. Its ability to tap for mana of any color is reminiscent of creatures like Birds of Paradise, although with the added benefit of a 2/4 body and an initial life gain.
Overcoming Centaur Nurturer requires a strategy to disrupt its utility. Removal spells stand out as the most efficient solution. By employing cards such as Cast Down or Murder, you can directly deal with the Nurturer and prevent any further advantage it provides to your opponent. Alternatively, countering it upon casting with spells like Negate showcases a preemptive approach, sidelining its benefits completely. Beyond targeted elimination, board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation can clear Centaur Nurturer along with any other threats on the table.
Addressing Centaur Nurturer in your game plan is essential, as leaving it unchecked could empower your opponent’s position dramatically. By integrating instant-speed interaction or efficient sorcery-speed options, you can negate the advantages brought by this nurturing Centaur.
Cards like Centaur Nurturer
Centaur Nurturer stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a creature that serves a dual role of life gain and mana acceleration. It bears a resemblance to cards like Llanowar Visionary, which also provide mana ramp and additional effects. The Nurturer edges out its comparison by offering the player a life buffer, making it a strong candidate in decks that aim to stabilize the board state early on.
Akin to the Nurturer, we encounter Paradise Druid, another versatile mana dork. While the Druid ensures mana of any color, it lacks the inherent ability to pad a player’s life total— a non-negligible advantage in longer, more grueling matches. Wood Elves is another card that fetches a Forest onto the battlefield, offering a one-time mana boost that is not repetitive, unlike the Nurturer’s capacity for ongoing mana generation.
Understanding the nuanced differences between these similar cards can be vital for deck building strategies in MTG. Centaur Nurturer’s unique blend of abilities makes it a noteworthy choice for decks seeking resilience and flexibility in the mid-game.
Cards similar to Centaur Nurturer by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Centaur Nurturer MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark, 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 Centaur Nurturer 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 Centaur Nurturer 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 |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
