Wanderlust MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 14 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant

Key Takeaways

  1. Wanderlust provides a continuous stream of damage, bolstering card advantage while pressuring the opponent.
  2. Instant speed allows for tactical plays, ensuring mana is used efficiently in the heat of battle.
  3. While powerful, its specific mana cost and discard requirement add a strategic layer to deck-building.

Text of card

Wanderlust does 1 damage to target creature's controller during upkeep.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wanderlust ensures a steady stream of card advantage as it chips away at an opponent’s life total, effectively pressuring opponents while providing continuous value.

Resource Acceleration: By providing consistent damage to the opponent, this card indirectly contributes to resource acceleration by maintaining pressure and controlling the pace of the game.

Instant Speed: The ability to deploy Wanderlust at instant speed offers strategic flexibility, allowing you to optimize your mana usage and respond swiftly to the changing battlefield.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Being a card that necessitates discarding another card from your hand can be costly, especially when your hand is already dwindling in size. This requirement can force players into making tough decisions about which resources to sacrifice, potentially impacting their game strategy negatively.

Specific Mana Cost: Wanderlust features a mana cost that includes green mana, which can be a limitation for decks that either aren’t running green or have a mana base that isn’t optimized for timely access to green mana sources. This can hinder the card’s inclusion in various multi-colored deck builds where mana flexibility is key.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment needed to cast Wanderlust may not align with the tempo of some decks, especially when there are alternatives available. For decks focused on efficiency and speed, the mana you spend on Wanderlust might be too steep for the stage of the game where its effect would be most beneficial.


Reasons to Include Wanderlust in Your Collection

Versatility: Wanderlust proves to be a multifaceted card that adapts seamlessly across various deck archetypes, particularly enchantment-centric builds that seek to leverage life-draining mechanics.

Combo Potential: As a continuous source of life loss for your opponents, it can act as a cog in a machine of enchantment synergies or as fuel for cards that thrive on regular life point changes.

Meta-Relevance: With decks often aiming for long-term value, this card fits well into the mix, chipping away at an opponent’s life total as part of a controlled long-game strategy.


How to beat

Wanderlust is a unique enchantment that drains the health of the creature it’s attached to and subsequently impacts the creature’s controller. It might seem tricky, but there are straightforward strategies to nullify its effect. Key to overcoming Wanderlust involves either countering it upon cast, using enchantment removal, or employing creatures with hexproof or shroud to avoid becoming its target in the first place.

Efficient removal spells like Naturalize or Disenchant can swiftly handle Wanderlust after it resolves. Shielding your creatures with cards like Swiftfoot Boots or Asceticism can also prevent or break the enchantment’s influence. Remember that, as with most card-based challenges in Magic: The Gathering, flexibility in response and preemptive deck building can turn the tide against persistent threats like Wanderlust.

At its core, the art of beating cards like Wanderlust lies in anticipating your opponent’s moves and having the right counters at your disposal. By being prepared with enchantment interaction and protection for your creatures, you can ensure that this card’s effect is minimal or nonexistent on your path to victory.


Cards like Wanderlust

Wanderlust is an intriguing enchantment card in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, reminiscent of damage-over-time effects that steadily sap an opponent’s life. It can be likened to cards such as Poison the Well, which not only deals damage but also disrupts the mana base by destroying a land. Although Poison the Well is a one-time effect, Wanderlust provides continuous pressure every turn.

Analogous to Wanderlust’s persistent damage, cards like Curse of the Pierced Heart present a similar threat by inflicting recurring damage to a player. Yet, it stands out with its ability to be more versatile in red’s aggressive decks. On the other hand, the fabled card Rancor employs a different angle, equipping a creature with a potent attack bonus and trample, with the resilience of returning to the owner’s hand. Whilst it doesn’t deal direct damage as Wanderlust does, its recurring impact on board state and combat can be quite significant over time.

Ultimately, Wanderlust asserts its place in Magic: The Gathering as a unique enchantment that applies continuous damage, providing players with a strategy that can whittle down an opponent slowly but surely, which is distinctive from the directness of single-shot spells or the attack boost of auras like Rancor.

Poison the Well - MTG Card versions
Curse of the Pierced Heart - MTG Card versions
Rancor - MTG Card versions
Poison the Well - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Curse of the Pierced Heart - Innistrad (ISD)
Rancor - Urza's Legacy (ULG)

Cards similar to Wanderlust by color, type and mana cost

Kudzu - MTG Card versions
Thelon's Chant - MTG Card versions
Maddening Wind - MTG Card versions
Cycle of Life - MTG Card versions
Dense Foliage - MTG Card versions
Hall of Gemstone - MTG Card versions
Fecundity - MTG Card versions
Familiar Ground - MTG Card versions
Momentum - MTG Card versions
Ancestral Mask - MTG Card versions
Broken Fall - MTG Card versions
Verdant Field - MTG Card versions
Lure - MTG Card versions
Food Chain - MTG Card versions
Howling Moon - MTG Card versions
The Dragon-Kami Reborn // Dragon-Kami's Egg - MTG Card versions
Squirrel Nest - MTG Card versions
Alpha Status - MTG Card versions
Lifegift - MTG Card versions
Blanchwood Armor - MTG Card versions
Kudzu - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Thelon's Chant - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Maddening Wind - Ice Age (ICE)
Cycle of Life - Mirage (MIR)
Dense Foliage - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Hall of Gemstone - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Fecundity - Urza's Saga (USG)
Familiar Ground - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Momentum - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Ancestral Mask - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Broken Fall - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Verdant Field - Prophecy (PCY)
Lure - Tenth Edition (10E)
Food Chain - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Howling Moon - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
The Dragon-Kami Reborn // Dragon-Kami's Egg - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Promos (PNEO)
Squirrel Nest - World Championship Decks 2002 (WC02)
Alpha Status - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Lifegift - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Blanchwood Armor - The Brothers' War (BRO)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wanderlust MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Wanderlust and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Wanderlust Magic the Gathering card was released in 13 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11993-08-05Limited Edition AlphaLEA 2261993normalblackCornelius Brudi
21993-10-04Limited Edition BetaLEB 2271993normalblackCornelius Brudi
31993-12-01Unlimited Edition2ED 2271993normalwhiteCornelius Brudi
41993-12-10Collectors' EditionCED 2271993normalblackCornelius Brudi
51993-12-10Intl. Collectors' EditionCEI 2271993normalblackCornelius Brudi
61994-04-01Revised Edition3ED 2271993normalwhiteCornelius Brudi
71994-04-01Foreign Black BorderFBB 2271993normalblackCornelius Brudi
81994-06-21Summer Magic / EdgarSUM 2271993normalwhiteCornelius Brudi
91995-04-01Fourth Edition4ED 2851993normalwhiteCornelius Brudi
101995-04-01Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border4BB 2851993normalblackCornelius Brudi
111997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 3391997normalwhiteRebecca Guay
122007-09-10Masters EditionME1 1371997normalblackCornelius Brudi
132022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 5191997normalblackCornelius Brudi
142022-11-2830th Anniversary Edition30A 2222015normalblackCornelius Brudi

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Wanderlust has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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