Wildgrowth Walker MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Elemental |
| Abilities | Explore |
| Released | 2017-09-29 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Ixalan |
| Set code | XLN |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 216 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Ryan Alexander Lee |
Key Takeaways
- Boosts survivability and grows stronger through creature-based and explore synergies.
- Manages resources effectively with a low casting cost and impactful presence.
- Offers tactical advantage with its significant life gain in aggressive metas.
Text of card
Whenever a creature you control explores, put a +1/+1 counter on Wildgrowth Walker and you gain 3 life.
"Hear me, stone, root, branch: be the fist of this land. Turn back those who trample upon your domain." —Song of the Shaper
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Wildgrowth Walker has the intrinsic ability to act as a repeatable source of life gain which is crucial in outlasting opponents. While not directly drawing cards, it synergizes well with creatures entering the battlefield and explores, providing value as long as you’re playing creatures, effectively giving you more utility from each creature played.
Resource Acceleration: Although Wildgrowth Walker itself doesn’t directly generate additional mana, its low casting cost makes it an efficient play that sets up your board early. As it grows with each exploring creature, it helps maintain a solid presence on the board, allowing you to allocate resources elsewhere.
Instant Speed: Wildgrowth Walker doesn’t operate at instant speed, but its ability to gain counters and life can create a buffer that provides greater flexibility when considering instant-speed responses. This added survivability can be crucial in maintaining board state while keeping mana open for other instant speed interactions during your opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Wildgrowth Walker itself doesn’t require you to discard a card, its synergy with explore mechanics often leads to discarding non-land cards, depleting your hand.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both green mana for casting, Wildgrowth Walker’s usability is typically confined to green or explore-themed decks, limiting its versatility in multicolor or colorless decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two green mana, Wildgrowth Walker’s initial impact on the board may not be as significant when compared to other two-mana creatures with more immediate board presence or effects.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Wildgrowth Walker is a flexible addition to a broad range of deck types. It shines in strategies focused on creature-based synergies or life gain, as it grows larger with each creature that enters the battlefield under your control.
Combo Potential: When paired with cards that generate creature tokens or those with explore mechanics – like Merfolk Branchwalker or Path of Discovery – Wildgrowth Walker rapidly becomes a formidable threat while bolstering your life total.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment laden with aggressive decks, Wildgrowth Walker provides a crucial lifeline, stabilizing your health while establishing a presence on the board that opponents must answer to. Its relevance in such metas makes it a valuable asset in your collection.
How to beat
Wildgrowth Walker is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, recognized for its ability to gain life and become stronger with each Explorer mechanic action you perform. This card has the potential to become an imposing threat if not managed promptly. To effectively counter it, consider employing removal spells early in the game before it accumulates too many +1/+1 counters. Instant-speed spells like Fatal Push or Cast Down can handle the Walker efficiently.
Another tactic is to control the game with counterspells, preventing the Walker from entering the battlefield at all. Disallow or Negate are excellent choices for stopping the Wildgrowth Walker and dealing with subsequent Explorer triggers. If the Walker has become too large to deal with through traditional removal, board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the playing field.
Overall, swift removal, effective counterspelling, or a strategic board wipe can neutralize the advantage gained from Wildgrowth Walker. Keeping these strategies in mind can help preserve your life total and maintain control of the game.
Cards like Wildgrowth Walker
Wildgrowth Walker is an intriguing presence in the creature lineup of Magic: The Gathering, sharing the stage with life-gain synergy cards such as Ajani’s Pridemate. While Wildgrowth Walker gains counters and life with each exploring creature, Ajani’s Pridemate simply gains counters when you gain life. This subtle distinction underscores Wildgrowth Walker’s particular affinity to the explore mechanic.
Another peer in this arena is Scavenging Ooze, a creature that grows stronger while simultaneously removing cards from graveyards, providing a versatile response to various strategies. Though not directly related to life gain, its ability to increase in power and toughness while offering graveyard disruption makes it a substantial contender.
The lifelink-enabled creatures like Bloodthirsty Aerialist also hold a place in this comparison. Each life gain event bolsters its strength, akin to the way Wildgrowth Walker benefits from the explore mechanic. However, Bloodthirsty Aerialist relies on a broader set of life gain triggers, potentially offering more flexibility depending on deck construction.
Overall, while each card bears its unique advantages and strategic uses, Wildgrowth Walker distinguishes itself within Magic: The Gathering by rewarding players who effectively utilize the explore mechanism, creating both a resilient creature and a life buffer against opponents.
Cards similar to Wildgrowth Walker by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Wildgrowth Walker MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan, 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 Wildgrowth Walker 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 Wildgrowth Walker has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Wildgrowth Walker card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-09-29 | If Wildgrowth Walker leaves the battlefield while its triggered ability is on the stack, you won’t put a +1/+1 counter on anything but you will gain 3 life. |
| 2017-09-29 | If a creature leaves the battlefield before an effect instructs it to explore, it still explores. Effects that trigger when a creature you control explores, such as that of Wildgrowth Walker, trigger if appropriate. |
