Spore Burst MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Domain
Released	2009-02-06
Set symbol
Set name	Conflux
Set code	CON
Number	93
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Daarken

Key Takeaways

Spore Burst accelerates your mana and populates the board with multiple Saproling tokens, enhancing board state.
It demands strategic hand management and leans towards green mana decks, limiting its deck compatibility.
This MTG card shines in go-wide strategies, offering a scalable token generation mechanism unlike similar cards.

Text of card

Domain Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play for each basic land type among lands you control.

Seeds from Jund don't drift gently on the wind. They get up and stampede.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Spore Burst lets you populate your board with Saproling tokens, potentially creating multiple creatures for one card. This can outpace your opponent’s resources and force them to deal with several threats at once.

Resource Acceleration: Each Saproling token can contribute to your mana pool if you have other cards in play that turn creatures into mana sources. This acceleration enables bigger plays and overwhelming strategies.

Instant Speed: While Spore Burst is a sorcery, its impact on the board is immediate and significant. You can set up a defensive line or prepare for a formidable attack on your next turn, effectively utilizing resources at a pivotal moment in the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Spore Burst requires discarding a card to activate its effects which may force players to make tough decisions regarding hand economy.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana needed for Spore Burst is geared towards a green mana base, potentially making it less flexible for multi-colored decks that are not heavily green.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost it demands may be considered high when compared with other green spells that generate creatures or effects, potentially reducing its overall efficiency in a match.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Spore Burst offers flexibility, granting token generation that can enhance various strategies. Its ability to populate the board with Saprolings can be a boon for decks that thrive on creature numbers.

Combo Potential: This card can be the linchpin in combo builds, working synergistically with cards that capitalize on creature count or death for incremental advantage, or with sacrifice mechanics for a more explosive play.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where go-wide tactics are prominent, Spore Burst can become a key component, allowing players to quickly develop a commanding presence on the battlefield with multiple creatures.

How to Beat

The strategic intricacies of Magic: The Gathering manifest in challenges like overcoming Spore Burst. This card, known for filling the battlefield with Saproling creatures, can rapidly turn the tide of the game in favor of the green mage. Addressing such a threat necessitates precise plays and the key lies in preemptive action.

Mass removal spells are your most efficient weapon against a swarm of Saprolings. Cards like Wrath of God or Damnation can reset the board, neutralizing the advantage Spore Burst provides. If you’re not in colors that offer such sweepers, focus on preventing the accumulation of these tokens by using spot removal on pivotal creatures that amplify token generation, such as cards that benefit from a high creature count. Alternatively, keeping counter magic in hand to disrupt Spore Burst the moment it’s cast can ensure that you never face the overwhelming token onslaught. Remember, a timely response is paramount when dealing with any form of swarm strategy.

The key to besting Spore Burst’s effect extends beyond the battlefield. Hand disruption plays a crucial role, with Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek being notable examples that can extract this threat before it ever takes root. Awareness of your opponent’s potential plays, coupled with a diverse toolkit of responses, can secure your victory against the propagation of Spore Burst’s influence in the game.

Cards like Spore Burst

Spore Burst in MTG offers a unique approach to token generation strategy. It’s often compared to other green spells such as Scatter the Seeds, which also creates plant creature tokens. However, Spore Burst’s distinction lies in its scalability; the number of tokens correlates to the number of time counters on it which adds a layer of planning and anticipation. Scatter the Seeds lacks this variable effect but compensates with convoke, allowing for a potentially lower casting cost.

Sprout Swarm is another card in the conversation, offering repeatable token generation through buyback. Although it produces fewer tokens per cast compared to an evolved Spore Burst, its flexibility and longevity in a game could prove invaluable. Then there’s Fungal Sprouting, which mirrors the instant population of the battlefield based on a creature’s power, capable of delivering a massive one-time surge in tokens. While it lacks the delayed gratification mechanic of Spore Burst, it can immediately influence board presence.

Each of these cards carries its own merits and playstyles, but Spore Burst’s time-based token generation introduces strategic depth to the game that its counterparts approach differently, potentially making it a sleeper hit among savvy token tacticians looking to cultivate victory in MTG.

Cards similar to Spore Burst by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spore Burst MTG card by a specific set like Conflux, 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 Spore Burst and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Spore Burst has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2009-02-01	A number of nonbasic lands have basic land types. Domain abilities don’t count the number of lands you control — they count the number of basic land types among lands you control, even if that means checking the same land twice. For example, if you control a Tundra, an Overgrown Tomb, and a Madblind Mountain, you’ll have a Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest among the lands you control. Your domain abilities will be maxed out.
2009-02-01	How many lands you control of a particular basic land type is irrelevant to a domain ability, as long as that number is greater than zero. As far as domain is concerned, ten Forests is the same as one Forest.
2009-02-01	To determine the number of basic land types among lands you control, look at the lands you have on the battlefield and ask yourself whether the subtypes Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain, and Forest appear within that group. The number of times you say yes (topping out at five) tells you how powerful your domain abilities will be.