What's the consensus on Greenwarden of Murasa?
Commander (EDH) forum
Posted on Oct. 2, 2015, 1:43 a.m. by Forkbeard
Personally, I think it has legs, especially in mono-green ramp & smash decks. I've heard a few complaints that the casting cost is prohibitive.
I'm curious to hear the TappedOut verdict on this card - What do you think? A no-brainer auto-include in green decks? A subpar E-Wit? Let's hear it!
It's ok, ut I don't think it's anything to write home about. The biggest benefit of Eternal Witness is that you can play here and still do things in your turn. But 6 mana is quite expensive. At that point it's the same cost as a Codex Shredder.
I can see it being run in some slower more casual decks but more aggressive and faster decks probably wont like it.
October 2, 2015 2 a.m.
flyingmonkeyofra says... #4
Eternal witness is better with bounce effects (like temur sabertooth or crystal shard or evacuation) since its low cost allows for returning and playing the card in the same turn. I like Greenwarden better with Clones since the body is actually relevant. same goes for things like mimic vat, where the cost of the creature doesn't matter anymore.
October 2, 2015 2:40 a.m.
RegisteredDecksOffender says... #5
I think Greenwarden is just fine. And that's about it. I like him for the reason he gives you the option to return two cards throughout his lifespan, so it might make your opponent think twice about removing him.But overall, I think he's a solid 6/10 EDH card.
October 2, 2015 2:51 a.m.
iBleedPunk says... #6
I would rate him as 5/10. There are cheaper better options and for a CMC of 6 I am wanting to play either better effect cards or I plan on doing multiple things on that turn. A 5/4 for 6 that has ETB and LTB effects is conditional to me.
October 2, 2015 4:51 a.m.
YouGotFranked says... #7
I wouldn't say it's a subpar E-Wit. He cost twice as much than Eternal Witness, but also have twice the effect. His body is also relevant, unlike E-Wit. He's neither better or worse. Just different.
October 2, 2015 4:54 a.m.
6 mana, for 5/4 with two cards back to your hand. Substantial body, and a great psychological effect (the opponent will wonder, must I attack, kill the creature and grant my opponent and extra card? or not? )
In certain decks, especially in EDH but I can image also in spell heavy decks or certain ramp decks, he will be very powerful.In fast green decks, he won't be seen much.
October 2, 2015 5:25 a.m.
riddlechest says... #9
Combine it with Heartless Summoning and it is totally worth the effort ;-)
October 2, 2015 5:34 a.m.
Eternal Witness, Den Protector, Deadwood Treefolk, Greenwarden of Murasa and Regrowth are all hitting the same idea. I think of them as a way to bring back a combo piece that an opponent interrupted.
I run Eternal Witness and Den Protector in my Animar, Soul of Elements deck; and I'm also considering Greenwarden of Murasa. With animar I hope to cast him for 
in the optimal scenario, making him very worth it.
October 2, 2015 7:13 a.m.
mathimus55 says... #12
I don't play a ton of edh anymore but I would totally put him right into Mayael without hesitation. He's a big e-witness that you can actually do things in combat with, so I don't really think there isn't much downside.
October 2, 2015 8:13 a.m.
I think he's very solid. Not every deck will want him, but he's undeniably a value machine. Er, value tree.
October 2, 2015 8:36 a.m.
Solid Inclusion.
Exit the Battlefield abilities are exceptionally useful in EDH because they trigger on board-wipes. Returning a card to your hand guarantees you a leg-up after a sweep. Add in this is green card advantage and you have a useful card. It just may not fit in every green deck.
October 2, 2015 10:26 a.m.
brokendwarf says... #15
I've been considering running this and E-Wit in my Mayael the Anima deck. Finding a spot, however, would be difficult. Also Greenwarden doesn't come in a pretty judge promo like Eternal Witness, which is what I'm using.
October 2, 2015 10:31 a.m.
Some wildly differing opinions! Cool. My playgroup can't decide if it's worth including or not - Seems to be a love/hate card. I'm going to give him a go in my mono-green EDH deck and prove the haters wrong.
October 2, 2015 12:53 p.m.
MindAblaze says... #17
I think it's a for sure in my Mayael deck. It makes me consider running it over E-Witness, but the recursion with Sun Titan isn't unimportant.
October 2, 2015 1:24 p.m.
brokendwarf says... #18
Sun Titan + Eternal Witness is awesome. I'm also a fan of Sun Titan + Domri Rade.
October 2, 2015 1:30 p.m.
iBleedPunk says... #19
I admit my opinion is completely biased but Den Protector holds a special place in my heart for EDH due to the interactions with Strionic Resonator and Peel from Reality
October 2, 2015 4:01 p.m.
I run E-wit in just about every EDH deck with green in it. I don't think of Greenwarden of Murasa as quite that level of Value-Town.
I agree with all the comments above, especially the comments about E-wit's CMC being low enough to allow you to play her and still do something else that turn. Casting Greenwarden of Murasa... is likely all you're gonna do that turn.
So I suppose I'm landing in the same spot as you, Forkbeard: Try it in ramp decks and decks that can afford that CMC without an issue. The fact that it has twice the effect of E-wit is pretty nice... provided no one exiles the dude.
October 2, 2015 5:04 p.m.
asasinater13 says... #21
Greenwarden of Murasa is good, but not "needed in every deck" good. I'm going to run it in zegana because I need creatures with big bodies for zegana to work, and I'm a control-ish deck so I often have some form of counterspell in my graveyard early game to get back (or a Cultivate is just fine to get).
October 4, 2015 2:39 a.m.
I want one for my Maelstrom deck because E-wit is too small for me to care. :p Is also two for the price of ... two... but with a big body to smash you with.
Otherwise I would prefer E-wit unless playing junk. Junk likes this because Junk can keep doing it with the right cards.
October 24, 2015 8:49 p.m.
Blitzdragoon says... #23
I think it works great in an abzan graveyard shell with flicker effects( white black flicker with green ramp/graveyard shenanigans). otherwise its a bit expensive unless you can cheat it in.
December 18, 2015 10:49 a.m.
it's funny that you brought this thread back to life; since i actually pulled Greenwarden of Murasa out for Artisan of Kozilek in my Animar, Soul of Elements deck last night.
greenwarden is awesome mid-late game once you have a few cards in the grave, but i found that if i didn't have anything in the grave he was a pretty boring 5/4 that did nothing extra
hopefully artisan's Annihilator ability will bring the ruckus if even if i have an empty grave. also, even if he gets Counterspelled, i get the creature from the grave
December 18, 2015 11:36 a.m.
MindAblaze says... #25
That makes sense for Animar since you get the discount on the cast ability, but I think at the very least you should be getting back a fetchland, tutor or ramp spell in most decks you're using Greenwarden.
December 18, 2015 12:54 p.m.
Blitzdragoon says... #26
definitely if your playing green a creature tutor or another good ramp card. but if i'm in another color I might go with a good removal spell.
Kre says... #2
I wouldn't call it an auto-include for green. It's a subpar EWit in most cases. However, I've been trying it out in GB sacrifice (Savra, Queen of the Golgari) and there it can be more useful since I usually have ways to sac it to get its second effect, and where I'm intending to play to the graveyard anyway. It's certainly a usable card, in short, and more so in graveyard based decks, but not strong enough to be auto-include.
October 2, 2015 1:54 a.m.