Woodland Wanderer MTG Card
Text of card
Vigilance, trample Converge — Woodland Wanderer enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana spent to cast it.
"The elements understand better than anyone that actions speak louder than words." —Gideon Jura
Cards like Woodland Wanderer
Woodland Wanderer is an intriguing creature card that finds its niche within the broad spectrum of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. It bears a resemblance to cards such as Mantis Rider for its tricolor mana requirement and added value with abilities such as haste and flying. However, Woodland Wanderer leverages the use of Converge – a mechanic that grants it bonuses for each color of mana spent to cast it, potentially beefing up its power and toughness significantly.
Analogous to Woodland Wanderer, we see the likes of Sphinx of the Guildpact. The Sphinx also benefits from multicolored mana expenditure to unlock its full potential, coming with hexproof from monocolored as an added layer of protection. On the other hand, what sets Woodland Wanderer apart is its Vigilance and ability to grow beyond a set size, offering a dynamic option for beefing up your forces. Looking over to Siege Rhino, we see similar multicolor synergy but with an immediate effect on the board state thanks to its enter-the-battlefield ability, albeit without the scaling power and toughness.
Stacking up these comparable cards shows that Woodland Wanderer holds a sturdy position in MTG’s multicolor-built creature assortment, particularly for its scalability and the vigilant presence it commands on the battlefield.
Cards similar to Woodland Wanderer by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Woodland Wanderer comes as a multicolored creature that can potentially tip the balance in any midrange deck. Its ability to bring substantial presence to the board means you often end up ahead in the exchange, as it forces opponents to deal with it, sometimes at the cost of two-for-one scenarios. This creates card advantage as the opponent has to use more resources to handle this single threat.
Resource Acceleration: With its Converge ability, Woodland Wanderer thrives in a mana-diverse environment, rewarding you for tapping into a variety of colors. This quality accelerates your resources as it grows in power and toughness for each color of mana spent to cast it, potentially leaving you with a formidable creature for a modest investment, thereby stretching your mana pool further.
Instant Speed: While Woodland Wanderer itself isn’t an instant, it plays well in a deck with instant-speed interactions. By curating a board that’s threatening enough, your opponents must always consider the possibility of an even bigger threat dropping at any moment. This perception allows you to manage your resources more efficiently and hold up your instants until the most opportune time, ensuring your Woodland Wanderer hits the battlefield with optimal impact.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Woodland Wanderer requires a diverse mana base to harness its potential. Without access to multiple colors of mana, you may not maximize its power and toughness, leading to a suboptimal board presence.
Specific Mana Cost: The creature necessitates a green mana plus three additional mana of any type. This specific investment can be restrictive for decks that rely heavily on a single color or cannot generate multiple colors easily.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a base casting cost of four mana, some decks might find the investment in Woodland Wanderer steep compared to other options within the four-mana slot. Decks that aim for high tempo plays or value efficiency might opt for lower-cost creatures or spells that provide immediate impact.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Woodland Wanderer slots seamlessly into multiple deck archetypes, particularly those which capitalize on its Converge ability. This card can quickly become a formidable force on any board, benefiting from a variety of mana colors.
Combo Potential: Given its Converge mechanic, Woodland Wanderer can synergize with other cards that modify or produce multiple colors of mana. This trait allows it to become unexpectedly powerful within a series of well-planned plays.
Meta-Relevance: With an ever-shifting MTG meta, a creature that can adapt its strength based on the mana base is incredibly useful. Whether the environment is aggro, control, or combo-heavy, Woodland Wanderer’s scalability ensures it remains a relevant choice for many deck builds.
How to beat
The Woodland Wanderer is a formidable presence on the battlefield with its formidable power, toughness, and potential for massive growth owing to its Converge ability. This ability allows the Wanderer to gain a +1/+1 counter for each color of mana spent to cast it, which can quickly turn it into a towering threat that demands a swift response.
To tip the scales in your favor against this multicolored behemoth, it’s critical to disrupt its mana base or use removal spells strategically. Cards with unconditional removal like Path to Exile or Terminate can efficiently handle the creature before it snowballs out of control. Spot removal is key because once it gets boosted by its Converge ability, conventional damage-based removal won’t be as effective unless you can stack enough damage to surpass its enhanced toughness.
Minding your timing with removal spells is also essential; consider acting before your opponent enters their main phase to prevent them from benefiting from any attack-triggered abilities or combat enhancements. In the grander scheme, winning against a deck that includes the Woodland Wanderer involves anticipating the multicolor strategy and maintaining control over the board.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Woodland Wanderer MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar Promos and Battle for Zendikar, 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 Woodland Wanderer 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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Printings
The Woodland Wanderer Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2015-10-02 and 2015-10-02. Illustrated by Vincent Proce.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015-10-02 | Battle for Zendikar Promos | PBFZ | 198s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Vincent Proce | |
| 2 | 2015-10-02 | Battle for Zendikar | BFZ | 198 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Vincent Proce |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Woodland Wanderer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Woodland Wanderer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-08-25 | If a spell with a converge ability is copied, no mana was spent to cast the copy, so the number of colors of mana spent to cast the spell will be zero. The number of colors spent to cast the original spell is not copied. |
| 2015-08-25 | If there are any alternative or additional costs to cast a spell with a converge ability, the mana spent to pay those costs will count. For example, if an effect makes sorcery spells cost more to cast, you could pay to cast Radiant Flames and deal 4 damage to each creature. |
| 2015-08-25 | If you cast a spell with converge without spending any mana to cast it (perhaps because an effect allowed you to cast it without paying its mana cost), then the number of colors spent to cast it will be zero. |
| 2015-08-25 | The maximum number of colors of mana you can spend to cast a spell is five. Colorless is not a color. Note that the cost of a spell with converge may limit how many colors of mana you can spend. |
| 2015-08-25 | Unless a spell or ability allows you to, you can’t choose to pay more mana for a spell with a converge ability just to spend more colors of mana. Likewise, if a spell or ability reduces the amount of mana it costs you to cast a spell with converge, you can’t ignore that cost reduction in order to spend more colors of mana. |
Guide to Vigilance card ability
In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.