Emergent Growth MTG Card

Emergent Growth boosts a creature’s power significantly, enabling decisive combat scenarios. The card’s instant speed allows for flexible gameplay and surprise combat tricks. Using Emergent Growth demands careful resource management, including mana and card economy.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Released	2017-09-29
Set symbol
Set name	Ixalan
Set code	XLN
Number	188
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Daniel Ljunggren

Text of card

Target creature gets +5/+5 until end of turn and must be blocked this turn if able.

"By accepting my smallness I am vast."

Cards like Emergent Growth

Emergent Growth is a unique aura in Magic: The Gathering that boosts a creature’s attacking power. The essence of Emergent Growth is somewhat akin to other growth spells like Giant Growth, which also gives a temporary boost in strength. However, Emergent Growth is distinct in its ability to grant a massive seven additional power, which could turn the tides of a game in a single swing. Unlike Giant Growth, which is a quick-use instant for a sudden surprise during combat, Emergent Growth remains on the field, signaling a clear threat to opponents.

In terms of mana investment, Berserk stands out as another alternative. This spell not only doubles a creature’s power but also grants it trample until end of turn, though at the end of combat, that creature is destroyed. While Bioshift offers a different angle of flexibility by moving +1/+1 counters between creatures, it doesn’t have the immediate impact on power that Emergent Growth offers. Despite the differences in mana cost and effect duration, each card has its strategic place depending on the game state and the deck’s overall strategy.

Examining Emergent Growth amongst its peers shows its potential for a high-risk, high-reward strategy, especially in formats where such a sudden spike in power can be game-ending. It’s the promise of a dominant creature that makes this card a notable consideration for players looking to create a powerful offensive edge.

Cards similar to Emergent Growth by color, type and mana cost

Explosive Vegetation - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Emergent Growth offers a potential shift in board presence by giving a single creature a significant power boost. This can lead to advantageous trades or even game-ending damage, effectively providing a strategy advantage through one card.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly generating additional mana or tokens, Emergent Growth can accelerate your game plan by enabling a creature to overwhelm blockers, clearing the way for subsequent turns to deploy your hand more efficiently.

Instant Speed: The capacity to play Emergent Growth at instant speed grants you the flexibility to wait until the most opportune moment, such as during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions, to maximize impact and surprise your opponent with a sudden power surge.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Emergent Growth asks for a potentially considerable trade-off. The caster must be prepared to discard another card from their hand. This requirement can deplete your hand quickly, leaving you vulnerable in the ongoing game.

Specific Mana Cost: Emergent Growth demands a specific configuration of mana investment, including a mix of green and generic mana. This can be restrictive as it requires that your mana base is tailored to accommodate such costs, possibly impacting the consistency of gameplay for multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that claims a significant chunk of your mana resources, especially in the crucial early to mid-game turns, Emergent Growth might strain your mana economy when you might prefer to deploy multiple spells or threats in a single turn. Other cards with lower mana costs could potentially offer similar benefits or allow for more strategic flexibility during a match.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Emergent Growth is a powerful addition to Green decks due to its ability to force a single massive attack. This can be used strategically in various situations, whether to eliminate an opponent’s problematic creature or to swing for a surprise victory.

Combo Potential: This card has great synergy with effects that capitalize on creature size or damage dealt. Combine it with cards that grant trample or have mechanics like “Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player,” and watch the combo potential unfold.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where board states are cluttered and combat can make or break a game, Emergent Growth can clear a path for your most threatening creature, making it a relevant choice for many Green-focused strategies.

How to beat Emergent Growth

Emergent Growth is a unique enchantment that stands out in the vast landscape of green spells in MTG. Its ability to accelerate mana production by making lands produce additional green mana is undeniably appealing. Yet, every spell has its counterplay, and Emergent Growth is no exception. Understanding the card’s strengths and weaknesses is crucial to navigate around its potentially game-altering effects.

The key to overcoming Emergent Growth lies in timing and disruption. Interaction spells that remove enchantments can effectively neutralize Emergent Growth before the additional mana can be harnessed for a significant advantage. Counterspells are also a strong answer, preventing the spell from ever taking effect. Players should keep mana open to respond when an opponent attempts to resolve Emergent Growth. In addition, focusing on board control and maintaining a pace that outstrips the potential mana boost from Emergent Growth can render its advantage moot. Being proactive and not allowing the enchanted land to tip the scales is a strategic path to victory against decks utilizing Emergent Growth.

Ultimately, respect for Emergent Growth’s potency paired with a prepared suite of answers will ensure players can combat this powerful enchantment and maintain control over the game’s flow.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Emergent Growth MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan, 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 Emergent Growth and other MTG cards:

BUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Emergent Growth has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2017-09-29	If the target creature attacks, the defending player must assign at least one blocker to it during the declare blockers step if that player controls any creatures that could block it. Other creatures may also block it, block other creatures, or not block at all.