Harvest Gwyllion MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Hag
Abilities	Wither
Released	2008-07-25
Set symbol
Set name	Eventide
Set code	EVE
Power	2
Toughness	4
Number	90
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Nils Hamm

Key Takeaways

With card synergies, Harvest Gwyllion can create a decisive advantage through its battlefield presence and effects.
Its instant speed play adds strategic depth, allowing for unexpected plays and better control over the game flow.
While potent, it requires careful mana management and consideration of its higher mana cost for deck inclusion.

Text of card

Wither (This deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters.)

She speaks only in vile epithets, spitting out curses and obscenities that harm others just by the hearing.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Harvest Gwyllion is a crucial piece for decks that revolve around card synergy, often yielding incremental advantage as the game progresses. This card can be especially formidable when combined with mechanics that encourage multiple creatures entering and leaving the battlefield, potentially translating to significant card advantage over your opponents.

Resource Acceleration: While Harvest Gwyllion itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its interaction with other cards can lead to enhanced resource availability. In multicolored decks, this can contribute to color fixing by filling the graveyard with a variety of mana symbols, therefore powering up spells with Delve or aiding in the activation of abilities that depend on cards in the graveyard.

Instant Speed: With the flexibility to play at instant speed, Harvest Gwyllion offers strategic depth, allowing players to keep mana untapped until just the right moment. This adaptability can be advantageous, holding off opponents’ actions by the threat of potential plays or by literally disrupting their strategy during their turn when they least expect it.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Harvest Gwyllion’s abilities may require a player to discard cards, which can exhaust valuable hand resources prematurely, especially in game situations where maintaining card advantage is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: This card has a precise mana requirement that includes black mana, potentially restricting its inclusion to decks that can reliably generate that type of mana, thus limiting its versatility in multicolored deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that may be considered steep for its in-game effect, players might find that Harvest Gwyllion doesn’t provide an optimal power-to-cost ratio in comparison to other options available within the same mana range.

Reasons to Include Harvest Gwyllion in Your Collection

Versatility: Harvest Gwyllion offers flexible play for those who appreciate adaptability on the battlefield. Its ability to hinder opponent’s creatures makes it a useful card for various defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: With its capacity to put -1/-1 counters on creatures, Harvest Gwyllion can be a key piece in decks that thrive on counter manipulation or those that capitalize on weakening enemy forces.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where small to medium-sized creatures dominate, Harvest Gwyllion can serve as an efficient tool to manage the board and maintain control, proving its worth in your deck’s lineup.

How to beat

Harvest Gwyllion stands out in MTG as a card that slowly grinds an opponent down, adding a +1/+1 counter to it each time it deals combat damage to a player. The gradual yet steady growth makes it a looming threat on the battlefield if left unchecked. Dealing with Harvest Gwyllion requires a well-thought strategy.

To effectively counter Harvest Gwyllion, consider using removal spells that can bypass its growing size, such as “Path to Exile” or “Fatal Push,” which are not constrained by the creature’s power or toughness. Sweepers like “Wrath of God” or “Damnation” can also clear the board regardless of how large the creature has grown. Additionally, preventing damage through “Fog” effects or deterring it from attacking with cards such as “Pacifism” can nullify Harvest Gwyllion’s impact effectively, inhibiting its ability to become a more significant threat over time.

Ultimately, timely removal, strategic board control, and preventing Harvest Gwyllion from dealing damage are key strategies in mitigating its potential. Recognizing the card’s threat level and having a plan to counteract it can ensure that this persistent creature does not dominate the game.

Cards like Harvest Gwyllion

Harvest Gwyllion brings its own nuances to the battlefield in MTG as a creature card with a blend of menace and damage dealing. When delving into cards of a similar kind, Stab Wound stands as a notable parallel. It inflicts damage to opponents with each upkeep, akin to Harvest Gwyllion’s ability, but it’s an enchantment rather than a creature. Stab Wound lowers a creature’s power and toughness as well, which Harvest Gwyllion doesn’t impact.

Comparing further, we find Blind Zealot delivers damage upon dealing combat damage to a player, much like Harvest Gwyllion. Although Harvest Gwyllion doesn’t destroy creatures the way Blind Zealot does – it relies on consistently chipping away at the opponent’s life. And if we look at Falkenrath Noble, we see a creature that inflicts damage whenever another creature dies, offering a persistent but conditionally-triggered harm, in contrast to Harvest Gwyllion’s guaranteed hit each turn.

Ultimately, Harvest Gwyllion claims its place among MTG cards with its steady, menacing ability to erode an opponent’s life total. It may not have the immediate impact of some similar creatures or enchantments, but its relentless nature can prove instrumental in wearing down opposition over time.

Cards similar to Harvest Gwyllion by color, type and mana cost

Shaile, Dean of Radiance // Embrose, Dean of Shadow - MTG Card versions

Orah, Skyclave Hierophant - MTG Card versions

Felisa, Fang of Silverquill - MTG Card versions

Elenda, the Dusk Rose - MTG Card versions

Ghost Council of Orzhova - MTG Card versions

Restoration Gearsmith - MTG Card versions

Aryel, Knight of Windgrace - MTG Card versions

Seraph of the Scales - MTG Card versions

Barrowin of Clan Undurr - MTG Card versions

Edgar, Charmed Groom // Edgar Markov's Coffin - MTG Card versions

Minthara, Merciless Soul - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Harvest Gwyllion MTG card by a specific set like Eventide, 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 Harvest Gwyllion and other MTG cards: