Loam Dryad MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Dryad Horror
Released	2016-04-08
Set symbol
Set name	Shadows over Innistrad
Set code	SOI
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	216
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jose Cabrera

Key Takeaways

Loam Dryad’s tapping for mana enhances resource efficiency, aiding seamless multicolored deck strategies.
Its unique ability to ramp mana early on makes it a valuable addition for quick spell casting.
While not without drawbacks, Loam Dryad offers strategic value, especially in synergistic decks.

Text of card

, Tap an untapped creature you control: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

"I've never known dryads to suffer visitors in their woods. Beware the Ulvenwald when she welcomes you." —Alena, trapper of Kessig

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Loam Dryad does not offer direct card draw, its ability to tap along with another creature or land for mana contributes to seamless play. Its presence on the field enables you to utilize all available resources each turn, effectively squeezing more value out of your cards.

Resource Acceleration: One of Loam Dryad’s key strengths is its role in resource acceleration. This one-drop creature can help ramp up your mana availability early on, paving the way for casting more impactful spells sooner. Additionally, it can be a crucial element in multi-colored decks, providing mana of any color.

Instant Speed: Though Loam Dryad’s ability is not at instant speed, it complements instant-speed plays. By untapping another tapped creature, Loam Dryad offers a subtle yet impactful form of mana acceleration when you need it, without requiring mana itself to be activated. This allows for keeping up the pace with opponents by efficiently managing resources.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One drawback of Loam Dryad is that, like other dorks, it does not require an actual discard but necessitates tapping another creature, which might not always be advantageous, especially when you need to maintain a strong defense or wish to keep creatures available for other abilities.

Specific Mana Cost: Loam Dryad requires a specifically green mana to cast, which might limit its utility primarily to green or multicolored decks. Players running a single-color deck that isn’t green or those who cannot generate green mana will find Loam Dryad to be out of reach.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Loam Dryad’s mana cost is not high, given that it matches other one-drop mana dorks, its tap ability requires not just itself but another creature as well. This dual tap can often pose as a high cost, considering that early in the game you may want all your creatures available for combat or other effects, making it a less flexible option compared to its counterparts.

Reasons to Include Loam Dryad in Your Collection

Versatility: Loam Dryad fits effortlessly into a variety of deck archetypes. Its ability to tap along with another creature for a mana of any color makes it a flexible addition, particularly in decks that are mana-hungry or multicolored.

Combo Potential: This card can be pivotal in combo setups. Its capability to untap simply by summoning another creature can create a loop with cards that allow creatures to enter the battlefield multiple times in a single turn.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where the meta includes decks that rely on speed and efficiency in mana generation, Loam Dryad holds its ground as an economical way to accelerate your play and outpace opponents.

How to beat

Loam Dryad is a versatile creature with the tap ability to generate mana, allowing players to ramp up their resources early in the game. Addressing this card’s advantage is critical for disrupting your opponent’s strategy. Key to overcoming Loam Dryad is prioritizing the removal of tap abilities or creatures. Cards like Silkwrap or Declaration in Stone efficiently exile low-cost creatures, ensuring Loam Dryad doesn’t provide its mana acceleration benefit.

Another effective strategy is to utilize creature tapping spells or abilities that keep Loam Dryad from using its tap feature. Imposing spells such as Sleep or creatures like Frost Lynx can temporarily or permanently neutralize it. Additionally, employing board control and stalling tactics can hamper a strategy reliant on Loam Dryad. Wrath effects and spot removal services keep the board clear and prevent Loam Dryad from being tapped for mana, hindering the opponent’s progress and stripping them of a key resource enabler.

Ultimately, swift removal, control spells, and direct disruption of tap abilities form a robust strategy against Loam Dryad, ensuring that this card’s potential for mana acceleration in a match is thoroughly neutralized, keeping your opponents at bay and their threats manageable. Crafting your deck with answers to these small utility creatures can make a significant difference in maintaining the tempo of the game.

Cards like Loam Dryad

Loam Dryad sits in a unique position among the roster of green mana dorks available in Magic: The Gathering. It’s akin to creatures like Elvish Mystic, which provides an immediate source of green mana. Loam Dryad, though, offers a distinct twist by tapping not only itself but another creature you control to add one mana of any color to your mana pool. This flexibility sets it apart from Elvish Mystic’s green mana fixity.

Comparatively, tapping another creature might seem like a downside, but in decks that swarm the board with tokens or with creatures that have summoning sickness, Loam Dryad turns them into an asset. Another card worth mentioning is Sylvan Caryatid, which also offers any color of mana. Unlike the dryad, Caryatid comes with hexproof, making it a sturdier option, but at a higher casting cost. Bird of Paradise stands out as well, providing flying defense on top of mana fixing, though it sits at a similar cost level as Caryatid.

In decks that favor creature synergy and multi-color demands, Loam Dryad can be an unsung hero, efficiently contributing to both mana fixing and board development, thereby carving its niche among mana-producing creatures in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Loam Dryad by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Loam Dryad MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad, 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 Loam Dryad and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Loam Dryad has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Loam Dryad card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2016-04-08	You can tap any untapped creature you control, including one you haven’t controlled continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn, to pay the cost of Loam Dryad’s activated ability. You must have controlled Loam Dryad continuously since the beginning of your most recent turn, however.