Orchard Spirit MTG Card

Innistrad (ISD)
2011-09-30 - Number 198

Magic Origins (ORI)
2015-07-17 - Number 192

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Spirit
Power	2
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Orchard Spirit provides consistent damage and synergizes well with combat-triggered abilities for strategic advantage.
Its low cost and evasion make it a strong early game presence, particularly in green-focused decks.
In the right meta, Orchard Spirit’s unique evasive ability can offer a subtle yet powerful edge.

Text of card

Orchard Spirit can't be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach.

"Pick not the rotten fruit, but neither touch the best. Leave those as an offering for our unseen guests." —Radwick, farmer of Gatstaf

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Orchard Spirit might not draw cards directly but being a creature that is difficult to block means it can consistently deal damage, potentially drawing from effects that trigger upon dealing combat damage to a player.

Resource Acceleration: While Orchard Spirit doesn’t provide mana or tokens, its lower casting cost allows for a quick board presence, leaving mana available for other spells or abilities you might need to accelerate your game plan.

Instant Speed: Though Orchard Spirit itself isn’t an instant, it plays well in decks that value having creatures on the board while keeping mana open for instant-speed interaction, allowing for flexible and responsive playstyles.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Orchard Spirit itself doesn’t impose a discard requirement, when playing cards with this mechanic, your hand size may be reduced, making it crucial to manage your hand well when using this type of card synergy strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Orchard Spirit demands green mana for casting, which can sometimes restrain deck-building options because it naturally fits into green-centered or multicolored decks that can accommodate green mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although not excessively expensive, Orchard Spirit comes with a mana cost that in some scenarios, could be seen as high considering alternative creatures or spells with similar or more impactful abilities that could be played at a lower cost.

Reasons to Include Orchard Spirit in Your Collection

Versatility: Orchard Spirit shines in decks that require a consistent board presence with a touch of evasion since it can’t be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach. Its low mana cost also makes it a suitable early-game play in various green-oriented strategies.

Combo Potential: Although Orchard Spirit is not typically a combo piece, its ability to stay unblocked by non-flying creatures makes it a viable candidate for auras or equipment that benefit from dealing combat damage to a player. It can effectively carry cards like “Rancor” or “Specter’s Shroud” to consistently trigger their effects.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta filled with ground-based creature decks, Orchard Spirit can offer an edge by consistently applying pressure and slipping through defenses. It’s not a staple in every format, but in the right deck, and against the appropriate matchups, its subtle strength becomes apparent.

How to beat

Orchard Spirit is a unique creature in the realm of Magic: The Gathering due to its evasion, being unable to be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach. This can make it a pesky adversary particularly in the early to mid-game phases as it chips away at your life points. To counteract Orchard Spirit, consider incorporating cheap removal spells that can target creatures regardless of their evasion abilities.

Direct damage spells such as Shock or Lightning Bolt are excellent choices, as they can dispatch Orchard Spirit efficiently without needing to engage in combat. Flying creatures can outmaneuver it in battle, and cards that provide reach, such as Giant Spider, ensure you can block and eliminate the Spirit when it attacks. Enchantment-based removals like Pacifism or Bound in Gold are also effective methods to neutralize it without having to resort to direct damage or specific creature abilities.

Equally important is understanding the tempo of the game. Adjusting your play to maintain board control will prevent the Orchard Spirit from gaining too much traction. By planning ahead and keeping the right answers ready, you can mitigate the threat posed by the Orchard Spirit and maintain dominance on the battlefield.

Cards like Orchard Spirit

Orchard Spirit is an intriguing creature card that brings a specific tactical nuance to the field in Magic: The Gathering. With its characteristic of being blockable only by creatures with flying, it shares a similar evasion quality to cards like Treetop Scout. Yet, it differentiates itself by offering more resiliency in the form of a 2/2 body, enabling it to withstand more damage than the 1/1 Scout.

In a parallel comparison, Skyshroud Sentinel is another card that comes to mind. While also a 2/2, it lacks the constant evasive ability, instead necessitating a kicker cost to gain flying temporarily. This makes Orchard Spirit more consistently agile in avoiding ground-based defenses. Alternatively, considering Jungle Delver, one might focus on the late-game scaling potential through its mana ability to strengthen itself. In contrast, Orchard Spirit presents an immediate threat that consistently avoids non-flying defenders, pushing for early and mid-game pressure.

Overall, Orchard Spirit aligns well with cards that frustrate opponents by skirting past ground-based obstacles. Its evasive ability couples well with early aggression and defensive durability, ensuring that it holds a notable place among its similarly spirited counterparts in the game.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Orchard Spirit MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Magic Origins, 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 Orchard Spirit and other MTG cards: