Boiling Earth MTG Card
2015-10-02 - Number 142
2019-11-07 - Number 866
2020-09-26 - Number BFZ-142
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Awaken |
Text of card
Boiling Earth deals 1 damage to each creature your opponents control. Awaken 4— (If you cast this spell for , also put four +1/+1 counters on target land you control and it becomes a 0/0 Elemental creature with haste. It's still a land.)
Cards like Boiling Earth
Boiling Earth takes its place in the pantheon of area damage spells within Magic: The Gathering that can alter the dynamics of a game, much like the renowned card Electrickery. Both serve the purpose of dishing out damage to multiple creatures, a tactic often pivotal in shifting game momentum. Boiling Earth, with its ability to deal one damage to each creature your opponents control, shines in its reach, affecting all creatures on the opposing side. This is slightly different from Electrickery which can either target a single creature or, with an additional mana via its overload cost, affect all creatures opponents control.
Pyroclasm and Volcanic Fallout are also worth mentioning for their similarity. Pyroclasm deals two damage to each creature for two mana—boasting a higher damage output than Boiling Earth, but without the Awaken mechanic, which allows Boiling Earth to not only deal damage but also turn lands into creatures for a strategic advantage. Volcanic Fallout, alternatively, can’t be countered and hits harder with two damage to each creature and each player, usurping Boiling Earth’s direct damage but at a higher mana cost and lack of the potential to transform lands into creatures.
Understanding these comparisons points to Boiling Earth’s unique flexibility blend of creature damage and board development, making it a card that stands out for its dual functionality in a player’s arsenal.
Cards similar to Boiling Earth by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Boiling Earth deals 1 damage to each creature your opponents control. In scenarios where your opponent has a large number of small creatures, Boiling Earth can potentially clear multiple threats at once, providing a significant swing in card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While Boiling Earth itself doesn’t provide direct resource acceleration, its ability to remove multiple mana dorks or creatures that provide your opponent with ramp can indirectly slow down their resource acceleration, preserving your board state advantage.
Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Boiling Earth cannot be played at instant speed; however, it allows you to set up your turn in advance. After casting Boiling Earth, you can plan your mana usage effectively, knowing how the battlefield will be altered once your spell resolves.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Although Boiling Earth doesn’t ask for a card discard, it falls short in the area of mana flexibility. This could be a downside if a player is dealing with a tight mana base or a color-intensive deck.
Specific Mana Cost: Boiling Earth requires red mana, making it a non-option for non-red or color-restricted decks. This specific mana cost can hinder deck-building strategies, limiting its inclusion to primarily red-focused builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When examining its one damage to each creature for two mana, Boiling Earth may not provide the impact needed in games against decks with larger creatures. Other spells at similar mana costs could potentially deal more damage or provide additional benefits.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Boiling Earth is adaptable to many deck strategies that seek to manage multiple threats at once. Its ability to deal 1 damage to each creature your opponents control makes it a useful card against token strategies or decks that deploy a considerable number of small creatures.
Combo Potential: This card’s Awaken mechanic allows for a late-game advantage, turning lands into potential creatures. Paired with cards that benefit from land creatures or spells that boost their power, Boiling Earth can unexpectedly turn the tides of a game.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where swarming the board with creatures is prevalent, Boiling Earth serves as a counteracting force. It’s a cost-effective solution that can clear the path for your winning strategy, ensuring that even when facing a vast army, you have the means to hold your ground.
How to beat Boiling Earth
Boiling Earth finds its niche within Magic: The Gathering as an impactful spell particularly against swarms of smaller creatures. Recognizing the one damage it deals across the board can dismantle an army of 1-toughness units, causing a potential catch-up situation for your opponent as they lose critical momentum.
To effectively navigate around Boiling Earth, consider using creatures with a toughness greater than one. This provides a buffer against the damage and ensures your creatures stay on the battlefield. Additionally, creatures with abilities like Hexproof or Indestructible are impervious to such mass damage spells, giving you a resilient front. Furthermore, countering this spell with a Negate or similar countering spells guarantees that your creatures are safe for a turn. Utilize instant-speed spells to bolster your creature’s toughness before Boiling Earth resolves.
Ultimately, adapting your strategy to anticipate mass removal options such as Boiling Earth can fortify your position in the game. Ensuring creature resilience or having countermagic at the ready are key tactics in maintaining a strong board presence against such sweepers. Recognize the threat, adapt your play, and Boiling Earth will lose its steam against your well-prepared strategy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Boiling Earth MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar and Mystery Booster, 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 Boiling Earth and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Boiling Earth Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2015-10-02 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Titus Lunter.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015-10-02 | Battle for Zendikar | BFZ | 142 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Titus Lunter | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 866 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Titus Lunter | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | BFZ-142 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Titus Lunter |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Boiling Earth has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Boiling Earth card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-08-25 | Awaken doesn’t give the land you control a color. As most lands are colorless, in most cases the resulting land creature will also be colorless. |
| 2015-08-25 | If a spell with awaken has multiple targets (including the land you control), and some but not all of those targets become illegal by the time the spell tries to resolve, the spell won’t affect the illegal targets in any way. |
| 2015-08-25 | If the non-awaken part of the spell doesn’t require a target and you cast the spell for its awaken cost, then the spell won’t resolve if the target land you control becomes illegal before the spell resolves (such as due to being destroyed in response to the spell being cast). |
| 2015-08-25 | If the non-awaken part of the spell requires a target, you must choose a legal target. You can’t cast the spell if you can’t choose a legal target for each instance of the word “target” (though you only need a legal target for the awaken ability if you’re casting the spell for its awaken cost). |
| 2015-08-25 | The land will retain any other types, subtypes, or supertypes it previously had. It will also retain any mana abilities it had as a result of those subtypes. For example, a Forest that’s turned into a creature this way can still be tapped for . |
| 2015-08-25 | You can cast a spell with awaken for its mana cost and get only its first effect. If you cast a spell for its awaken cost, you’ll get both effects. |