Best Kicker Card In The Set. Its So Strong Green Deserves This Kind Power!
nickv2002
★★☆☆☆ (2.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Awesome kicker. But can you use the primary ability (can't be target of opponent spells) to cancel/block something like a Lightning Bolt?
Laguz
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Yes, you can use it as a psuedo-counterspell. That's exactly what it's for...and then you can get a serious power boost if they are trying to remove one of your attackers or something.
Everyone targets my creatures - time to power up whilst at it.
UltimaCenturion
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(3 votes)
Great. Now elves are unbeatable.
ScissorsLizard
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(4 votes)
@nickvzooz: Yes, this would stop a lightning bolt. And just about anything else that could kill a creature, including Pyroclasm and combat damage, if you kick it. This thing is awesome.
Pwnsaw
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(3 votes)
I just noticed that it doesnt give shroud, but gives SUPER shroud. You can still target your creature after this card resolves. Great when casting an enchantment like shield of the oversoul, just to ensure the safety of your creature.
BelloAbril
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(4 votes)
This card may see play in eternal formats. Im surprised it is common, its incredibly powerful.
Donovan_Fabian
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(6 votes)
What's really so amazing about this card is the shroud, creature removal is at an all time high, and even without the boost you get a 1 mana save my creature from all sorts of spells like unmake, lightning bolt, path to exile, and if you have an extra mana you get an even better giant growth to boot. Thats the kind of combat trick I've been waiting to see from wotc, although I'm perfectly happy with colossal might as well, awesome card with the trample. Hmmm.. now if I use them together, I add +8/6, shroud and trample to my creature until end of turn.. sounds like a great way to finish a game.
Oh and here's something funny, note it says target creature.. not your creature. Your opponent blocks your big trampler and plays a righteousness on say palace guard.. and you play vines of vastwood on the palace guard for 1 mana, and it can't be the target of boosting spells anymore, and righteousness goes to the graveyard. Its an anti combat trick for your opponent as well as a nice combat trick for your own deck.
KicktheCAN
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(17 votes)
Counter target spell that targets a creature.
DarkZaix
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(2 votes)
lets say my opponent puts down a voracious dragon, and i play vine of vastwood on one of the creatures his gonna devour. does that mean the creature cannot be eaten?
Ulfhund
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(6 votes)
@DarkZaik
Devour doesn't target anything. It simply gives the ability to sacrifice and a reward for doing so.
CrimsonFury82
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(9 votes)
This card will be awesome in my Bant exalted deck. Biggest weakness of exalted decks is having your lone attacker removed. Giving them shroud for is awesome
coyotemoon722
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
Best card in a long time.
jhimbob
★★★★☆ (4.1/5.0)(8 votes)
Green's first counterspell? Either way, pure awesome, one of my favourite Zendikards
EnV
★★★☆☆ (3.3/5.0)(5 votes)
LULZ, know what you can use this for besides your own creatures? Use it when your opponents play powerful enchantments on creatures to bounce the enchantment of the creature on the stack before the enchantment resolves.
E-Enchantment C-Creature R-Resolving V-Vines of the Vastwood
-V(E+C)=R
Gear61
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(10 votes)
Only a common? Awesome.
luckyfirefox16
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Looks like stock on Wrath effects goes up even more with this card... Day of Judgement take a bow -_-
Gaussgoat
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(10 votes)
Good Lord, this thing is bannanas. A combo shroud/Monstrous Growth for a total CC of 2? As many have already mentioned, this works well as a counterspell. Nasty.
5/5
Quang
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(10 votes)
One of the few green instants that can used as protection and buff at the same time :)
Cheap, reliable, balanced
A3Kitsune
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(9 votes)
Great. Shroud can be a drawback as well as an advantage, selective shroud is just an advantage.
Just incredible. I won 4 games in a row using this card yesterday. On one, I shield my Mycoloth until it could token swarm. On the next, I +4/+4ed a Visionary and a bunch of other 1/1s to kill a Kalonian Behemoth and win with Overrun the next turn. The third game I bounced back an Unholy Strength to stay alive and win on the next turn. The fourth, I used it to keep my Ant Queen alive for token swarm. It really shines keeping token generators alive another turn. The best part is when it bounces Oblivion Ring and forces the player to exile his own creature.
Stray_Dog
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Another cool thing you can do with it is prevent your opponent from targeting one of his own creatures with a spell. Say you are running R/G with this and burn spells, your opponent tries to bounce his important creature after you have burned it, not expecting you have any response (you are running R/G after all), but then you cast this and say "no" :D
Not the primary reason for taking the spell of course, but the option is there ;)
BrutalJim
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Wow this thing is awesome, instants that give +4/+4 usually cost 3CMC, and none of them had a additional effect like this. Not to mention if you just need it to stop someone from using Doom Blade on your creature you only have to pay , I love it.
LordCapulet
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Absolutely brilliant. Protection or Protection and buff for G/GG, very needed and useful for mono-green.
Tezz
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
counter all spells that targets creature this turn
Wudikind
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(11 votes)
This is amazing. Imagine a 5/6 Storm Crow with troll shroud, and there's nothing anyone can do about it. Priceless. Storm Crow does what he wants.
Temple_Garden
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Great for protecting creatures that have been targeted with removal. If you suspect they will try to target your creature with removal, make sure you wait for them to cast first, otherwise something like Doom Blade cast in response will resolve first. The +4/+4 part of the card is just gravy.
This should also protect a creature from spells like Lava Burst because after it resolves, the targeted creature becomes an illegal target for your opponent.
zap284
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
The color pie hurts my brain right now. Obviously reads "Counter target spell that targets a creature", yet is most definitely green. Oh well, might as well take the toys we get =p
GOD, I love this card. Green Negate for one mana and a much better Giant Growth if you need it...the best part is they can't two-for-one you after it resolves because of the troll shroud.
Egres
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(4 votes)
RafiqTheMiststalker, the first green counterspell is Avoid fate.
Stops those annoying Polymorph decks that turn 0/1 plants into Emrakrul because Polymorph is a spell the opponent controls obviously...
TheMoustacheCame
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(16 votes)
instant +4+4 + shroud = broken = half star
vsasntore
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
good luck bolting my elves mono red burn decks. HA
Evermint
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Super tech against Mythic Con***ion decks.
ZuesAscendant
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(6 votes)
Makes green relevant in the removal heavy standard environment. Not quite countermagic, but the next best thing. And it's tied to an optional (big!) buff, for extra green stompy.
FelixCarter
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(3 votes)
Absolutely amazing card. I used 4 in my Elf deck, Eldrazi deck, and pretty much any other deck that was green or splashed green. And even though I rarely used the kicker (unless I was going for a kill-shot), the ability to counter both opponent-based offensive and defensive spells in one instant is a ridiculous asset. And for the cost of mana? This deserved uncommon, if not rare. But I'm glad Wizards made it widely accessible at common so that it's affordable not just to the rich.
Art is pretty ferocious. While one could ask, "is he being subdued or strengthened by the vines?" you only need to know the function of the card to understand. I think more color and/or definition could have been used in the background, but it's fine as is. The perspective is very powerful and is sure to remind your opponent that being on the receiving end of the kicker for this spell is not something that is to soon be forgot.
djflo
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(4 votes)
Great card, but don't use it preemptively or for the pump if there is a possibility they can remove the creature, or they'll kill it while the spell is on the stack, two for oneing you.
Superllama12
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(3 votes)
After reading these comments, I think I'll go stick every copy I own into my R/G Eldrazi/Large Generic Green Creature Deck...Although I kinda wish it were a choose either for G, then entwine for G
Axelle
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(7 votes)
It's a counterspell and a pump spell.
Ugh, I hate it when people spout the word "broken" on cards that aren't.
TPmanW
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Holy crop a common that's worth a buck on star city games and actually worth it.
hexproof and titanic growth all in one? this ranks up their with rancor and spider umbra for most effecitve 1 drop green pumps.
NoobOfLore
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Lots of fun when you realize you can use this to fizzle things your opponents cast on their own creatures.
JFM2796
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Why hasn't this been errata'ed to hexproof?
Gelzo
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(13 votes)
It hasn't been errata'd to hexproof because it isn't hexproof. If you target a creature your opponent controls, they won't be able to target it while you still can, but the reverse would be true if it said hexproof.
Cards like these should see way more play. It saves your guy, it can speed the clock, it can do both at once as 1 card. It makes glistener elf swinf for half life on turn 2. Cards like this just win games if the resolve. And with no misteps around, well damn.
TherealphatMatt
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
so amazingly, beautifully green
adrian.malacoda
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
No, Gelzo is right. If a creature has hexproof, then it cannot be targeted by anyone other than its controller. If this read "Target creature has hexproof until EOT" then the creature gains the hexproof ability, which is always seen as from the perspective of the creature's controller.
"You" in any effect refers to the effect's source's controller. Vines of Vastwood has an ability, but it doesn't grant target creature an ability. "You" in this case are the Vines' controller, not target creature's controller.
Amorgan
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@ TPmanW "Holy crop a common that's worth a buck on star city games and actually worth it."
Actually no... (and I know this is a while after, but this is the best card buying site HANDS DOWN and a link to the card too ;D)
@Celnoriak: I don't understand what you're talking about. This doesn't "bounce" enchantment spells. It counters them. It doesn't "bounce" an Oblivion Ring either. It either forces them to choose their second favorite target, or you can counter the triggered ability, making it useless. The only situation you could force an opponent to exile one of their own creatures is if you had one creature, and no other permanents. So good luck getting green mana. Elvish Spirit Guide?
Wacco4932
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(4 votes)
@JFM2796 "Why hasn't this been errata'ed to hexproof?" Because it's just "target creature", not "target creature you control". Someone triens to slap Eldrazi Con***ion on his Rafiq of the Many, you can use this on the Rafiq and Eldrazi Con***ion will be countered by game rules.
blurrymadness
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Hey babe, thanks for saving my creatures from vampires. We showed 'em.
We showed 'em..
sincleanser
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
That ruling is Bull, look at Ranger's Guile for a card that does almost the same thing, but has Hexproof.
Guile - hexproof until end of turn. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
Vines - can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control this turn
It IS the same thing. It even SAYS the same thing.
Joseph_Curwen
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@ sincleanser It is most definitely NOT the same thing. Consider an opponent playing this on your creature in response to a pump spell. Who's shiny and who's farked?
BreadandButter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The wording on this card is actually kinda awesome to me. Not just the obviously listed purposes, but a counter to pump (or other beneficial targeting spells) on opponents creatures as well (as others have stated)
To illustrate this... an ex. from today, kiln fiend vs. green infect (me). Friend cleared my board with lightning bolts, then burned my face, assault strobe in response to which I played vines of vastwood targeting kiln fiend. Bought myself another two turns (he emptied his hand) to ten poison counters (off another one of these kicked)
bertuccia32
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
My favorite use for this card is using it along with its kicker in response to someone dealing with your attacking creature.
"In response, Vines of Vastwood kicked. So take a total of 10, you insolent wretch! Wahahahahaha!"
jonrds
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Because I can only have 4 simic charms in my deck. I would say this is better (you can get better-than-hexproof and a better buff for the same mana cost), but the bounce on simic charm has saved me so many times that I still like it more as long as I can get the blue.
On a related note, there's now a mini version of this - Ranger's Guile.
@sincleanser There's a different between applying and giving the effect "can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control". When you apply the effect, "opponents" are the opponents of the controller of the spell. When you give the effect to a creature, "opponents" are the opponents of the controller of the creature. So you can use this to make your opponent's giant growth fizzle, but you can't use ranger's guile.
There is also an important difference in that this can't be removed by glaring spotlight.
Comments (64)
Zendikar really hooked green up. Between this, Primal Bellow, Lotus Cobra and Beastmaster Ascension, my second color is primed to be a powerhouse.
Oh and here's something funny, note it says target creature.. not your creature. Your opponent blocks your big trampler and plays a righteousness on say palace guard.. and you play vines of vastwood on the palace guard for 1 mana, and it can't be the target of boosting spells anymore, and righteousness goes to the graveyard. Its an anti combat trick for your opponent as well as a nice combat trick for your own deck.
Devour doesn't target anything. It simply gives the ability to sacrifice and a reward for doing so.
E-Enchantment
C-Creature
R-Resolving
V-Vines of the Vastwood
-V(E+C)=R
5/5
Cheap, reliable, balanced
Not the primary reason for taking the spell of course, but the option is there ;)
This should also protect a creature from spells like Lava Burst because after it resolves, the targeted creature becomes an illegal target for your opponent.
the first green counterspell is Avoid fate.
Art is pretty ferocious. While one could ask, "is he being subdued or strengthened by the vines?" you only need to know the function of the card to understand. I think more color and/or definition could have been used in the background, but it's fine as is. The perspective is very powerful and is sure to remind your opponent that being on the receiving end of the kicker for this spell is not something that is to soon be forgot.
Ugh, I hate it when people spout the word "broken" on cards that aren't.
I mean consider it with blighted agent
"You" in any effect refers to the effect's source's controller. Vines of Vastwood has an ability, but it doesn't grant target creature an ability. "You" in this case are the Vines' controller, not target creature's controller.
Actually no... (and I know this is a while after, but this is the best card buying site HANDS DOWN and a link to the card too ;D)
http://http://www.abugames.com/shop.cgi?command=search&log=1&cardname=Vines+of+Vastwood&edition=0&displaystyle=list&displayspeciallinked2=on&x=36&y=18
anyone know how to hyperlink on this thing??? :P
You are wrong. I don't know what else to say. If this is cast on an opponent's creature they cannot target it with their spells.
Because it's just "target creature", not "target creature you control". Someone triens to slap Eldrazi Con***ion on his Rafiq of the Many, you can use this on the Rafiq and Eldrazi Con***ion will be countered by game rules.
We showed 'em..
Guile - hexproof until end of turn. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
Vines - can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control this turn
It IS the same thing. It even SAYS the same thing.
To illustrate this... an ex. from today, kiln fiend vs. green infect (me). Friend cleared my board with lightning bolts, then burned my face, assault strobe in response to which I played vines of vastwood targeting kiln fiend. Bought myself another two turns (he emptied his hand) to ten poison counters (off another one of these kicked)
"I'll swing with Rampaging Baloths"
"In response, Doom Blade"
"In response, Vines of Vastwood kicked. So take a total of 10, you insolent wretch! Wahahahahaha!"
On a related note, there's now a mini version of this - Ranger's Guile.
@sincleanser
There's a different between applying and giving the effect "can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control". When you apply the effect, "opponents" are the opponents of the controller of the spell. When you give the effect to a creature, "opponents" are the opponents of the controller of the creature. So you can use this to make your opponent's giant growth fizzle, but you can't use ranger's guile.
There is also an important difference in that this can't be removed by glaring spotlight.