Feral Instinct MTG Card

Draw a card and boost your board presence simultaneously with Feral Instinct’s casting effect. Use it at instant speed to surprise opponents and turn the tides in your favor. Achieve resource acceleration by generating extra green mana, enabling larger plays.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	1997-02-03
Set symbol
Set name	Visions
Set code	VIS
Number	107
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Una Fricker

Text of card

Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Draw a card at the beginning of the next turn's upkeep.

"If a rhino's head is lower than its shoulders, trust me—it is *not* praying." —Mwani, Mtenda herder

Cards like Feral Instinct

Feral Instinct stands out as an intriguing addition to the suite of combat tricks in Magic: The Gathering. Its affinity with cards such as Titanic Growth is evident, as both provide a swift power boost to creatures. Feral Instinct provides a solid increase to a creature’s power, coupled with the valuable advantage of granting it trample, similar to spells like Larger than Life. While Larger than Life offers a more significant power boost, Feral Instinct comes with the added benefit of potential card draw if you possess a creature with power 4 or greater.

Another parallel can be drawn with the predicate of Shape the Sands. This spell grants a creature the reach ability but does not boost power. However, the real comparison can be drawn with the instant spell aspect, as both can be played at the same speed, allowing for surprise tactical shifts during combat. In contrast, there’s Hunt the Weak, a spell that not only increases power but also lets a creature fight another, effectively removing a threat, which Feral Instinct does not.

Ultimately, while analyzing similar boosts and their impact on the game, Feral Instinct is noticeable for its dual function, enhancing MTG decks that focus on heavy-hitters and potential card advantage during the heat of battle.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Feral Instinct can be key in swinging the momentum of a game in your favor. By allowing you to draw a card after casting it, it ensures that you’re not only developing your presence on the board but also refilling your hand, keeping the pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: In decks that thrive on savage energy, Feral Instinct provides more than just a boost to your creatures. Its ability to generate an additional green mana during your main phase can catapult your gameplay, giving you access to more powerful spells or the ability to deploy multiple threats in a single turn.

Instant Speed: The bread and butter of any tactical player’s arsenal is the element of surprise. The fact that Feral Instinct operates at instant speed means you can adapt to the battlefield as it unfolds. Whether it’s bolstering your creature in response to an attack or ambushing an unwary opponent, this card allows for strategic flexibility, keeping your adversaries on their toes.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One setback of Feral Instinct is the necessity to discard another card to utilize its effects. This can be particularly troublesome when you’re already dealing with a depleted hand, forcing you to make tough decisions on resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: Being green specific, the card requires a dedicated mana setup to play. This specificity means that it might not seamlessly fit into decks that operate on a more diverse color scheme or multi-color decks that cannot always guarantee the right mana when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a significant cost to cast, Feral Instinct might not always be the optimal choice, especially considering that other cards might give you a similar benefit or better efficiency for less mana, allowing for a more streamlined and cost-effective strategy.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Feral Instinct shines in decks that value reactive play and creature-based strategies. Its ability to give a creature +2/+2 and vigilance not only boosts combat prowess but also keeps defenders up to thwart enemy attacks.

Combo Potential: Green decks often come packed with creatures that have tap abilities. Feral Instinct can serve as a surprise enabler, allowing freshly summoned creatures to dodge summoning sickness and participate in combos right away.

Meta-Relevance: In a game that increasingly values tempo, the capacity to use a single card for both offensive enhancements and defensive fortification makes Feral Instinct particularly useful in metas with aggressive creature-based decks.

How to Beat Feral Instinct

Feral Instinct stands out as a versatile green instant in Magic: The Gathering, offering the powerful combination of card draw and creature empowerment. When you face a creature buffed by Feral Instinct, it’s crucial to have the right strategies in place to overcome the card’s benefits. Effective counterplay involves timing your removal spells accurately to interrupt your opponent’s well-laid plans. An instant-speed removal card can neutralize the threat before the buffed creature can deal damage or leverage its newly gained abilities.

Moreover, tricks that counter spells are another method to outmaneuver Feral Instinct. A well-timed Counterspell or Negate can neutralize Feral Instinct before it has any impact on the game, preserving board stability. Additionally, having creatures with reach or flyers gives you a defensive edge against creatures that have been pumped, ensuring you can block them effectively despite their increased strength and potential trample ability.

Feral Instinct may seem daunting due to its immediate, dual-effect gameplay, but with smart plays, strategic removal, and timely counters, you can turn the tables on this green spell and maintain control of the board, keeping its natural power in check.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Feral Instinct MTG card by a specific set like Visions, 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 Feral Instinct and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Feral Instinct has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal