Gift of the Woods MTG Card

Alliances (ALL)
1996-06-10 - Number 92a

Alliances (ALL)
1996-06-10 - Number 92b

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant

Key Takeaways

Gift of the Woods offers card draw and synergy, accelerating resource management for strategic advantage.
Instant speed capability allows for strategic flexibility, enabling responsive gameplay and optimal impact.
Despite its benefits, the card’s discard requirement and specific mana costs can limit deck compatibility.

Text of card

If enchanted creature blocks or is blocked by any creatures, enchanted creature gets +0/+3 until end of turn and you gain 1 life.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gift of the Woods stands out in deck builds that thrive on card synergy. Playing it creates opportunities to draw into the combo pieces or answers you need, improving the chances of executing your strategy successfully.

Resource Acceleration: This card can act as a resource booster by helping you ramp up your mana potential. It supports casting more costly spells earlier than usual, providing a significant edge in building your board presence and pressuring your opponent.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Gift of the Woods at instant speed adds a flexible layer of strategy to your game. Deploy it in response to threats, during your opponent’s end phase, or when it’s most advantageous, thereby maximizing its impact without disrupting your other plays.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the more notable downsides of Gift of the Woods is its discard condition, necessitating the removal of another card from your hand. This can present a serious drawback, especially in situations where hand size is critical or when the discarded card could have been more impactful if played.

Specific Mana Cost: Gift of the Woods requires a precise mana composition to cast, which is composed of specific color allocation. This can hinder the card’s compatibility with a variety of decks and restricts its inclusion to those that can reliably generate the required mana types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment to bring Gift of the Woods into play is not insubstantial, considering its effects in the broader context of the game. There exist other options that can provide similar or better utility at a lower cost, which might render Gift of the Woods an inefficient choice in a tightly curated deck.

Reasons to Include Gift of the Woods in Your Collection

Versatility: Gift of the Woods shines by offering incremental advantages in a variety of gameplay situations. Its enchantment nature can bolster creatures in both offensive and defensive roles, making it a flexible inclusion for decks that capitalize on creature synergies.

Combo Potential: In decks that are keen on creature strategies, this card can be a key piece in establishing formidable board states. The triggered ability can work in concert with cards that thrive on targeting creatures, amplifying both survival and combat effectiveness.

Meta-Relevance: Against a meta with aggressive strategies, Gift of the Woods can be a worthwhile addition. It provides a protective buffer that can help see your creatures through sweeping damage effects and targeted removal, therefore allowing for sustained board presence.

How to beat

Gift of the Woods stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a quirky automation tool for the defender. At first glance, it seems to provide a consistent defense boost, offering the potential to turn any creature into a recurring shield for your life total. Yet, experienced players know there are strategies to unravel this enchantment’s protective embrace.

To navigate around Gift of the Woods, consider using spells that force your opponent to sacrifice enchantments, thereby circumventing its effect. Direct enchantment removal spells also serve as a clean answer to dismantle these defenses. Additionally, switching to indirect damage through spells can bypass the creature buff entirely, maintaining the pressure on your adversary’s life points.

Ultimately, Gift of the Woods poses an interesting challenge but remains a manageable obstacle. By integrating enchantment control or indirect assault strategies, players can effectively prevent this card from becoming a persistent thorn in their side and maintain the upper hand in the match.

Cards like Gift of the Woods

Gift of the Woods adds an intriguing option to the suite of enchantments in MTG. It’s akin to cards such as Spider Umbra, which also offers a creature both a power boost and reassurance against harm. However, Gift of the Woods provides a unique angle with its damage prevention ability, which differentiates it from Spider Umbra’s focus on providing the Totem Armor ability.

Considering another enchantment, Ranger’s Guile, we find a different form of protection. Ranger’s Guile grants hexproof for a turn rather than Gift of the Woods’ ongoing, conditional damage prevention. Though less enduring, Ranger’s Guile’s instant speed makes it a surprise element during combat or in response to targeted spells. Armadillo Cloak presents another parallel, giving a stat increase and lifelink, yet it doesn’t specifically guard against damage like Gift of the Woods does.

In summary, while examining the protective enchantments available in MTG, Gift of the Woods stands out for its distinctive ability to shield creatures from harm over time, marking its place in decks that value resilience and defensive strategies.

Cards similar to Gift of the Woods by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gift of the Woods MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and Alliances, 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 Gift of the Woods and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Gift of the Woods Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 1996-06-10. Illustrated by Susan Van Camp.