Viridian Emissary MTG Card


Viridian Emissary provides card advantage by adding a creature and enabling a land ramp upon death. Though constrained by green mana, its land-fetching ability optimizes a variety of MTG deck strategies. Its passive land-ramp effect can deter opponents from reckless attacks or spellcasting.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Phyrexian Elf Scout
Power 2
Toughness 1

Text of card

When Viridian Emissary is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, you may search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.


Cards like Viridian Emissary

Viridian Emissary holds a unique role among creatures in Magic: The Gathering, akin to similarly functioning cards like Sakura-Tribe Elder. Both creatures have the ability to sacrifice themselves for the benefit of their controller, granting an additional land onto the battlefield. While Viridian Emissary requires the creature to be destroyed by the opponent to trigger its land-fetching ability, Sakura-Tribe Elder gives players more control, with the sacrifice being at their discretion.

Dawntreader Elk is another creature that shares traits with Viridian Emissary, including the feature to search your library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. Nonetheless, the Elk requires mana investment to activate this ability, whereas Viridian Emissary’s power lies in its passive aspect that can dissuade opponents from attacking or using removal spells recklessly.

Considering these options, Viridian Emissary offers a strategic edge in MTG decks that reap the rewards from death-triggered abilities or landfall mechanics. Its potential to affect battlefield tactics while progressing your mana curve subtly differentiates it from its counterparts, adding depth to gameplay strategies and deck building.

Sakura-Tribe Elder - MTG Card versions
Dawntreader Elk - MTG Card versions
Sakura-Tribe Elder - MTG Card versions
Dawntreader Elk - MTG Card versions

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Decks using this card

MTG decks using Viridian Emissary. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
BRGBRG PauperPauper Challenge 32 2024-03-09

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Delivers a two-for-one benefit by providing a creature presence on the board and ensuring a land enters the battlefield upon its demise, giving you the advantage of having more resources in play.

Resource Acceleration: Expertly stacks your mana base by allowing you to search for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped when it’s sent to the graveyard from the battlefield. This effect is a subtle yet powerful form of ramping up your resources to cast more impactful spells ahead of your opponent.

Instant Speed Interactions: While not having instant speed itself, it pairs well with cards that can sacrifice creatures at instant speed. This synergy allows you to initiate the land-fetching ability on your terms, potentially during your opponent’s turn, thus lightly mimicking the flexibility typically associated with instant-speed dynamics.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Despite its benefits, Viridian Emissary doesn’t come without its downsides. Unlike other cards which may allow you to keep your hand intact, this card becomes a target on the board, effectively demanding a block or spell to trigger its ability—much like a forced discard, setting you back on your hand resources to gain that extra land.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature requires green mana, which means it fits into green decks or multicolor decks that include green. For players not running green mana, Viridian Emissary is off-limits, reducing its versatility across various deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana for a 2/1 creature that ramps you upon death is decent, there are situations where this cost is a bit steep. In an aggressive green deck, you might prefer to utilize that two mana for a creature with more immediate board presence or a spell that could influence the game right away instead of waiting for your Emissary to be dealt with.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Viridian Emissary boasts the ability to fit seamlessly into a variety of deck archetypes. This creature shines in strategies seeking to capitalize on land ramp to accelerate their game plan, and it serves dual functions as both an early blocker and a resource generator upon its death.

Combo Potential: The Emissary’s death-triggered ability to search for a land is ripe for combo interactions. Integrating it with death-matters or sacrifice-focused decks unleashes its potential, turning every demise into a step towards overwhelming your opponent with superior mana availability.

Meta-Relevance: As metas fluctuate, having a card that can adapt to various dominant archetypes is vital. Viridian Emissary’s ability to manipulate your mana base and stay proactive against both aggressive and controlling strategies makes it a noteworthy addition to collections aiming to stay competitive in an evolving meta.


How to Beat

The Viridian Emissary adds strategic depth to the battlefield with its death-triggered ability, offering a land ramp to its controller in Magic: The Gathering. When facing this creature, consider holding back on your removal spells. The key is not to let the card’s ability provide an advantage to your opponent. If possible, try to bypass the Emissary by using evasion tactics or by applying pressure elsewhere on the board to direct your adversary’s focus away from land ramping.

Utilizing exile effects is another effective method to handle this creature without triggering its land-searching capability. Cards such as Path to Exile or even temporary solutions like Journey to Nowhere can suppress the Emissary’s benefit to your opponent. It’s also worth noting that board wipes don’t discriminate; if you’re running a wrath effect, it will neatly sidestep the emissary’s land ramp ability by not allowing it to trigger.

Ultimately, to triumph over the Viridian Emissary, it’s vital to either render its ability redundant or to mitigate its impact on the game. Interact thoughtfully with your environment, and you will navigate past this card effectively, maintaining the pace and control in your Magic: The Gathering matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Enhancing your MTG play involves more than just assembling a deck; it’s about understanding each card’s role and potential synergies. Viridian Emissary is a versatile tool, adept at subtly shifting the balance of resources in your favor. Whether you’re fortifying your collection or refining your competitive edge, appreciating the nuanced strategies enabled by such cards is key. Dive deeper into the vast universe of MTG with us, discover advanced tactics, and optimize your deck’s performance. Let’s embark on a strategic journey to unlock your true potential as a player. Explore further and master the art of the game with BurnMana.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Viridian Emissary MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged and Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia, 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 Viridian Emissary and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Viridian Emissary Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2011-02-04 and 2017-06-09. Illustrated by Matt Stewart.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-02-04Mirrodin BesiegedMBS 952003NormalBlackMatt Stewart
22011-05-14Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New PhyrexiaTD2 522003NormalBlackMatt Stewart
32012-06-01Planechase 2012PC2 802003NormalBlackMatt Stewart
42015-11-13Commander 2015C15 2082015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
52016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 802015NormalBlackMatt Stewart
62017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 1622015NormalBlackMatt Stewart

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Viridian Emissary has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal