Excavation Explosion MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 2022-11-18 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | The Brothers' War |
| Set code | BRO |
| Number | 132 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Campbell White |
Text of card
Excavation Explosion deals 3 damage to any target. Create a tapped Powerstone token. (It's an artifact with ": Add . This mana can't be spent to cast a nonartifact spell.")
Urza's engineers could take weeks to dig out a powerstone. The goblins weren't so painstaking.
Cards like Excavation Explosion
Excavation Explosion brings a unique twist to spell cards that deal damage to creatures or players. Looking at cards like Banefire and Demonfire, both offer X-cost damage abilities, allowing players to tap as much mana as they can afford for a powerful strike. Excavation Explosion differentiates itself by introducing an additional cost – sacrificing a land. This not only enables the control of board state through land destruction but potentially scales the damage output significantly.
When considering utility and strategy, we also see parallels with cards like Star of Extinction. Similarly, Star of Extinction delivers a devastating blow to both creatures and lands. However, while Star of Extinction has a fixed cost and damage, Excavation Explosion’s flexibility in mana spending can adapt to various game situations, offering diverse tactical approaches.
Between the versatile mana expenditure of Excavation Explosion and the set parameters of its counterparts, players are given a strategic choice. Such a tool exhibits the trade-offs players will weigh regarding resource management and impact timing, emphasizing its value in customizable MTG strategies.
Cards similar to Excavation Explosion by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Excavation Explosion. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mono-Red Midrange | Standard | Mono-Red Artifacts | 2023Players Convention Aichi 2023 Standard Open |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Excavation Explosion shines in granting players access to extra card draws. This not only helps maintain a solid hand size but can provide that crucial card you need to tip the scales in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: The card also serves as a resource accelerator. By generating a considerable amount of mana through its effect, it opens the door for casting high-cost spells or activating abilities that could be game-changers.
Instant Speed: The instant speed of Excavation Explosion means it can be a surprise factor during gameplay. This flexibility allows players to decide the best tactical moment to unveil their strategy, keeping opponents guessing.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Excavation Explosion requires players to discard a card in addition to its other costs. This can be a downside for players who are already struggling to maintain a substantial hand size, reducing their future play options.
Specific Mana Cost: With red in its casting cost, Excavation Explosion necessitates a mana base that can reliably produce red mana. This requirement could restrict the card’s inclusion to red-centric or two-color decks, potentially excluding it from a wider variety of deck archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding a total of five mana, with two of those being red, makes Excavation Explosion a significant investment in a game’s mid- to late stage. Considering its effect, there are alternative cards that can deliver similar or better performance at a lower cost, allowing players to utilize their mana more efficiently throughout the game.
Reasons to Include Excavation Explosion in Your Collection
Versatility: Excavation Explosion is a card that can adapt to various deck styles, particularly those that capitalize on direct damage and land interaction. It can serve as both removal and a game finisher.
Combo Potential: This card works well in synergistic plays, especially with land recursion or graveyard mechanics, allowing you to repeatedly leverage its destructive power.
Meta-Relevance: Given the right circumstances, for instance, in a meta that prioritizes value over time, Excavation Explosion’s ability to remove key threats and apply pressure is tremendously effective.
How to beat Excavation Explosion
Overcoming Excavation Explosion in an MTG game can be a strategic hurdle, given its dual-purpose nature as both a removal tool and a means of digging through your deck for cards. A direct approach to countering this spell is to prioritize the protection of your valuable creatures. Consider using spells that grant hexproof or indestructible abilities, effectively neutralizing its removal aspect. Another tactic is to employ counterspells. By keeping mana open, you can intercept and negate Excavation Explosion before it ever impacts the board.
Don’t underestimate the advantage of deck manipulation to thwart an opposing Excavation Explosion. Utilize effects that allow you to shuffle your deck or draw cards, potentially minimizing the impact of your opponent’s strategic card search. This can help dilute the effectiveness of their card advantage. It’s also worth adapting your playstyle, possibly conserving resources until after your opponent has exhausted their explosive plays. Crafting a late-game strategy that accounts for recovery after an Excavation Explosion can turn the tables in your favor.
By integrating these countermeasures into your strategy, you can effectively challenge Excavation Explosion’s capabilities, ensuring that your own game plan remains undisturbed while mitigating your opponent’s advancement.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Excavation Explosion MTG card by a specific set like The Brothers' War, 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 Excavation Explosion 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
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Excavation Explosion has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Excavation Explosion card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-10-14 | Although all the cards in The Brothers' War that create Powerstone tokens create a tapped Powerstone token, entering the battlefield tapped isn't part of the token's definition. Notably, if you create a token that is a copy of a Powerstone token, the token copy won't enter the battlefield tapped. |
| 2022-10-14 | Powerstone tokens are a kind of predefined token. Each one has the artifact subtype "Powerstone" and the ability ": Add . This mana can't be spent to cast a nonartifact spell." |
| 2022-10-14 | You can use the added by a Powerstone token on anything that isn't a nonartifact spell. This includes paying costs to activate abilities of both artifact and nonartifact permanents, paying ward costs, and so on. |