Explore MTG Card


The explore mechanic enhances card advantage by offering control over the next card drawn or discarded. Resource acceleration with explore provides a potential extra mana, strategically advancing gameplay momentum. Flexibility is key with explore, pairing creature-based mechanics with instant-speed plays for deck efficiency.
Card setsReleased in 23 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery

Text of card

You may play an additional land this turn. Draw a card.

An explorer's reward is a view of tomorrow's possibilities.


Cards like Explore

Explore is a noteworthy card in Magic: The Gathering, uniquely placed within the realm of land drop and card draw spells. It finds rivals in Growth Spiral and Urban Evolution, each with their parallels. Growth Spiral, much like Explore, permits an extra land drop and offers a card draw but has the advantage of instant speed. Yet, unlike Explore, it demands a more specific mana commitment.

Then there’s Urban Evolution, providing both a card draw and land drop, resembling Explore. It further heightens the game by allowing an additional draw and land drop. Its drawback, however, is a notably higher mana cost and sorcery speed, which can potentially alter the pace of the game compared to Explore’s more efficient casting.

Therefore, upon examining the traits and assessing the value of these MTG cards, Explore stands tall among its counterparts. The balance it maintains between cost and value, along with its resource boosting potential, testifies to its strategic virtue within MTG games. Explore indeed holds a remarkable position in the lineup of land drop and card draw spells in Magic: The Gathering.

Growth Spiral - MTG Card versions
Urban Evolution - MTG Card versions
Growth Spiral - MTG Card versions
Urban Evolution - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Explore by color, type and mana cost

Regrowth - MTG Card versions
Superior Numbers - MTG Card versions
Summer Bloom - MTG Card versions
Rampant Growth - MTG Card versions
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Sylvan Scrying - MTG Card versions
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Channel - MTG Card versions
Nature's Spiral - MTG Card versions
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Mulch - MTG Card versions
Thunderherd Migration - MTG Card versions
Broken Bond - MTG Card versions
Aggressive Instinct - MTG Card versions
Bond of Flourishing - MTG Card versions
Regrowth - MTG Card versions
Superior Numbers - MTG Card versions
Summer Bloom - MTG Card versions
Rampant Growth - MTG Card versions
Gaea's Blessing - MTG Card versions
Monstrous Growth - MTG Card versions
Nostalgic Dreams - MTG Card versions
Nylea's Intervention - MTG Card versions
Sylvan Scrying - MTG Card versions
Revive - MTG Card versions
Weird Harvest - MTG Card versions
Farseek - MTG Card versions
Channel - MTG Card versions
Nature's Spiral - MTG Card versions
Savage Punch - MTG Card versions
Mulch - MTG Card versions
Thunderherd Migration - MTG Card versions
Broken Bond - MTG Card versions
Aggressive Instinct - MTG Card versions
Bond of Flourishing - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Amulet TitanAmulet Titan ModernAmulet TitanModern Challenge 64 2024-04-27
Naya ScapeshiftNaya Scapeshift ModernNaya ScapeshiftModern Challenge 64 2024-04-28
Gruul ScapeshiftGruul Scapeshift ModernGruul ScapeshiftModern League 2024-04-29
Indomitable CreativityIndomitable Creativity ModernIndomitable CreativityModern Challenge 64 2024-04-27
Turbo FogTurbo Fog PauperTurbo FogPauper Challenge 32 2024-04-28

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The ‘explore’ mechanic in MTG gives you an edge in gaining card advantage. When your creature explores, you look at the top card of your library. If it’s a land, it goes into your hand, increasing your card count. If it’s a non-land card, you can decide to place it back or put it into your graveyard, giving you control over your deck.

Resource Acceleration: The ‘explore’ mechanism also aids in accelerating your resources. If the revealed card is a land, it goes into your hand providing potential extra mana for the next turns. It’s like a bonus draw, fueling your strategies in quicker succession.

Instant Speed: Even though ‘explore’ isn’t an instant mechanic, many cards with ‘explore’ are creatures, giving you flexibility during your own turn. Pair them with instant-speed play methods, and you can exploit the ‘explore’ mechanic, making it even more efficient by revealing beneficial cards or controlling your deck during your opponent’s turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Explore mechanic in Magic: The Gathering often requires the player to discard a card to initiate exploration. This could be a significant disadvantage during gameplay, especially when the player is low on cards or would rather retain certain cards for strategic purposes.

Specific Mana Cost: To leverage the Explore feature, it typically demands a specific mana cost. Many times, this cost includes a green mana component. This limits the utilization of Explore to decks that majorly involve green mana, thereby reducing its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The Explore function often carries a high mana cost compared to its benefits. With an average of two to four mana for a single Explore action, there exist other cards that might provide a more efficient use of your mana, such as card drawing or generating resources.


Reasons to Include Explore in Your Collection

Versatility: Explore illustrates the beautiful game dynamics MTG offers and can easily adapt to different kinds of decks. With its ability to provide additional land and card advantage, it perfectly complements strategies requiring rapid mana growth.

Combo Potential: Explore, besides ramping and cantripping, functions excellently as a combo-enabler. Be it in tandem with “Landfall,” exploiting its additional draw, or powering up “Ramp” strategies, Explore integrates seamlessly to strengthen your deck’s efficiency.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where speed and card advantage make all the difference, Explore’s ability to provide both makes it a worthy consideration for any MTG collection. Its relevance in today’s game cannot be overemphasized as it fits into a variety of popular decks, from “Land Matters” to “Simic Ramp” strategies.


How to Beat

The allure of the explore mechanic in MTG is undeniable. A strategic blend of deck manipulation and creature enhancement, it rewards players with added board presence or beneficial card draw. But how can you effectively counter this mechanic? For instance, Control Strategies are a great response to combat the explore mechanic. Cards like “Counterspell” and “Essence Scatter” can disrupt the enemy’s play and freeze their exploration.

Cards such as “Ghost Quarter” or “Field of Ruin” offer an avenue to handle popular lands associated with the mechanic like “Wildgrowth Walker”. These pieces can remove troublesome lands from play, disrupting your opponent’s strategy. Remember, prevention is key here.

Additionally, utilize graveyard removal effects. Many explore strategies are iterative, so using graveyard removal cards like “Rest in Peace” or “Relic of Progenitus” can greatly hamper the power of recursion based explore decks.

Ultimately, understanding your opponent’s explore deck, its intricacies and inner workings are crucial in outplaying and defeating them. Magic: The Gathering is a game of strategy and by countering the explore mechanic effectively, you certainly have an upper hand in the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Delving into MTG’s explore mechanic unravels a deckbuilding treasure trove. It empowers card advantage and resources, vital for outpacing opponents. While specific mana costs and potential high costs present hurdles, explore’s versatility and combo potential more than compensate. It’s a gem for those valuing speed and strategic depth within diverse MTG formats. If you’re keen to optimize play or create resilient decks, considering explore can prove transformative. Looking to navigate the intricate balance of land drops and resource management? Let’s guide you to leverage explore to its fullest, ensuring your MTG journey is not just about playing a game – it’s about mastering it.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Explore MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Worldwake, 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 Explore and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Explore Magic the Gathering card was released in 21 different sets between 2010-02-05 and 2024-04-19. Illustrated by 8 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 596432015NormalBlackJohann Bodin
22010-02-05WorldwakeWWK 992003NormalBlackJohn Avon
32015-02-27Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. KioraDDO 452015NormalBlackJohann Bodin
42017-03-17Modern Masters 2017MM3 1252015NormalBlackJohn Avon
52017-06-16Archenemy: Nicol BolasE01 632015NormalBlackJohn Avon
62018-08-09Commander 2018C18 1432015NormalBlackJohn Avon
72019-08-23Commander 2019C19 1642015NormalBlackJohn Avon
82019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 12022015NormalBlackJohann Bodin
92019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 1142015NormalBlackFranz Vohwinkel
102020-07-17JumpstartJMP 3932015NormalBlackJohn Avon
112020-09-26The ListPLST DDO-452015NormalBlackJohann Bodin
122020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 4262015NormalBlackJohn Avon
132021-07-23Forgotten Realms CommanderAFC 1572015NormalBlackJohn Avon
142022-04-29New Capenna CommanderNCC 2892015NormalBlackJohn Avon
152022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 8232015NormalBlackJohn Avon
162022-09-09Dominaria United CommanderDMC 1312015NormalBlackJohn Avon
172022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 213★2015NormalBlackGames Workshop
182022-10-07Warhammer 40,000 Commander40K 2132015NormalBlackGames Workshop
192023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth CommanderLTC 5282015NormalBorderlessGreg Hildebrandt & Tim Hildebrandt
202023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 2312015NormalBlackKim Sokol
212023-10-13Doctor WhoWHO 8222015NormalBlackKim Sokol
222023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 2412015NormalBlackDavid Sondered
232024-04-19Outlaws of Thunder Junction CommanderOTC 1922015NormalBlackJohn Avon

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Explore has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Explore card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2017-03-14 Explore's effect allows you to play an additional land during your main phase. Doing so follows the normal timing rules for playing lands. In particular, you don't get to play a land as Explore resolves; Explore fully resolves first and you draw a card, perhaps a land you'll play later.
2017-03-14 If you somehow manage to cast Explore when it's not your turn, you'll draw a card when it resolves, but you won't be able to play a land that turn.
2017-03-14 The effects of multiple Explores in the same turn are cumulative. They're also cumulative with other effects that let you play additional lands, such as the one from Urban Evolution.