MTG The Goose Mother taps into Food and card draw in Wilds of Eldraine

Fairy tales are returning to Magic: The Gathering and the Multiverse plane of Eldraine, featuring a bird hydra that’s a rework of Hydroid Krasis within the Wilds of Eldraine set. The Goose Mother was revealed today through the Wizards of the Coast preview stream. 

Geese on the plane of Eldraine and Food tokens are forever a staple in Magic thanks to Gilded Goose from the Throne of Eldraine set. A return to the plane through Wilds of Eldraine (WOE) taps into those same synergies while branching out into Simic colors. Players who competed in Standard when Ravnica Allegiance was legal will likely remember Hydroid Krasis, a jellyfish hydra in Simic. The Goose Mother is similar to Hydroid Krasis while also leaning into the Eldraine Food token theme established through Gilded Goose. 

The Goose Mother

Should a Simic ramp creature deck emerge within the Wilds of Eldraine meta, The Goose Mother has the potential to become an automatic four-of.  

• Casting cost: XGU
• Type: Legendary Creature—Bird Hydra
• Rarity: Rare 
• Keyword: Flying
• Stats: 2/2
• ETB ability: The Goose Mother enters the battlefield with “X” +1/+1 counters on it. 
• ETB ability: When The Goose Mother enters the battlefield, create half “X” Food tokens, rounded up. 
• Ability: Whenever The Goose Mother attacks, you may sacrifice a Food. If you do, draw a card. 

Leading up to the release of WOE, the top Simic deck in the Standard meta is a Lands deck by Aori4k. The Goose Mother is a possible inclusion in the deck but may have a more significant impact on the meta through a creature-focused build. 

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Hydroid Krasis was a four-of staple in Standard Simic decks during 2020 and the same may play out for The Goose Mother. There are differences between the two, though. 

Gaining life and drawing cards requires extra steps like sacrificing Food tokens and attacking. But the synergy with Food tokens could have huge payoffs once all the WOE spoilers have been revealed. And The Goose Mother can ETB with better stats, but doesn’t have Trample, which is a significant downside to the Wilds of Eldraine card. 

Players can test out The Goose Mother at Wilds of Eldraine prerelease events that start on Sept. 1 and in Standard through MTG Arena on Sept. 5.