Top 10 Green Draw Creatures in Magic: The Gathering
Jeremy casts spells in between his careers as a chemical analyst and campus manager.
Magus of the Library mtg
Green Draw Spells in Magic
In Magic, green is best known for its burly creatures and mana ramping capacity, but it wields a surprising number of draw engines for crafty players. As a creature-based faction, many of these come from creatures themselves, often triggering when you play other big creatures.
Having extra cards in hand ensures land drops and lets you rebound from board wipes—these are ten great creature draw engines in Magic: The Gathering!
Runic Armasaur
10. Runic Armasaur
Use in: Dino decks
Armasaur is hard to kill with impressive 2/5 stats and punishes opponents for abilities, giving a draw whenever an opponent activates a non-mana creature or land effect. Bearing in mind that this triggers off fetch lands, you'll usually gain several cards before Armasaur dies. Bonus points for using Armasaur in dinosaur decks, but he really fits anywhere.
Ripjaw Raptor
9. Ripjaw Raptor
Use in: Dinosaur/fight decks
Raptor has great 4/5 stats and utilizes his enrage effect to draw whenever he's dealt damage. This can happen in combat, but to speed things up, use fight-based abilities or things that hit creatures for damage (Marauding Raptor works great).
Oakhame Adversary
8. Oakhame Adversary
Use in: Elf decks
An underestimated card, Adversary drops in cost from 4 to 2 just by an opponent controlling a green permanent—in four-player commander, this almost always applies.
Either way, Adversary's mediocre 2/3 stats are bolstered by his deathtouch ability, but if opponents don't block him, he'll give you a draw when he inflicts combat damage to a player. Throw in the best green subtype, elf, for a versatile tool.
Drumhunter
7. Drumhunter
Use in: Big, stompy decks
Admittedly, Drumhunter is weak at 2/2 and lacks useful subtypes. However, she taps for a colorless mana and grants a draw at your end step by controlling a creature with five or more power.
I like that this triggers at your end, not upkeep, a much faster reward. Protect Drumhunter for a few turns and she pays off with both draws and mana. Also, unlike many of today's cards, her draw is optional, so you can decline in the rare case you'd want to (perhaps to avoid milling out).
Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
6. Selvala, Heart of the Wilds
Use in: Elf decks
Selvala is what Drumhunter wants to be. Great in elf decks, she pays a green to add mana equal to the highest power among creatures you control, and in any color combination! This yields insane payoffs, and to further reward you for playing big creatures, she lets players draw when a creature enters their field if it has more power than every other creature.
Both powerful effects, but be careful, as opponents can reap the draw effect too.
Ohran Viper
Ohran Frostfang
5. Ohran Viper/Ohran Frostfang
Use in: Snow and snake decks
Viper is only 1/3, but effectively has deathtouch with its effect and grants a draw when it hits an opponent. Frostfang costs more mana, but has better 2/6 stats and grants all your attacking creatures deathtouch and lets you draw when they hit opponents. In most cases, I much prefer Frostfang, since you can profit from its effect immediately without waiting for summoning sickness to fade.
Toss in snow and snake typings for extra synergy potential.
Gilanra, Caller of Wirewood
4. Gilanra, Caller of Wirewood
Use in: Partner/elf decks
Arguably the most underrated partner commander, Gilanra can lead your commander deck alongside another partner. Use something with cost 6 or more like Kodama of the East Tree to profit from Gil's effect, which adds a green mana and draws a card if that mana is spent on a spell costing 6+ mana.
Elf synergy is also useful, and Gil provides one of green's best answers to counterspell decks (which can devastate big spells), as you gain his draw just by casting your big ace, even if it gets countered.
Regal Force
3. Regal Force
Use in: Elemental decks
Elemental typing is nice, but throw Regal Force in any deck that swarms creatures, usually green's endgame. Regal simply draws a card for each green creature (including multi-colored ones) you control when he arrives; counting himself, that's at least one, but usually much more. From there, you've got a hefty 5/5 body, but one you don't have to devote much effort to protecting, as you've already reaped your draws.
Also note that an exclusive MTG Arena planeswalker, Freyalise, Skyshroud Partisan, can conjure a Regal Force with her -6 ultimate effect.
Argothian Enchantress
Verduran Enchantress
Eidolon of Blossoms
2. Argothian Enchantress/Verduran Enchantress/Eidolon of Blossoms
Use in: Enchantment decks
Both Enchantresses provide draws just by casting enchantments; go for Argothian where possible thanks to her lower cost and defensive shroud ability.
Eidolon of Blossoms costs more mana, but counts as an enchantment itself, and gives a draw on entry plus when other enchantments enter your field. Not all green decks utilize enchantments, but for ones that do (often paired alongside white or blue), these are fantastic low-cost engines.
Beast Whisperer
Primordial Sage
Soul of the Harvest
1. Beast Whisperer/Primordial Sage/Soul of the Harvest
Use in: Anything, especially elf/elemental decks
These spells reward green for doing what it does best: playing creatures. Whisperer and Sage grant a draw by casting a creature, while Harvest gives it when a non-token one enters your field.
Either way, they're perfect for swarming and all have tribal potential thanks to elf, spirit, and elemental subtypes.
Other Green Draw Cards in Magic
Today we explored green's best creature-draws, but don't forget its non-creature offerings, like Harmonize, The Great Henge, and Lifecrafter's Bestiary. Pairing with other colors, especially blue and black, can also access extra cards, but for now, vote for your favorite engine and I'll see you at our next MTG countdown!
© 2022 Jeremy Gill
