Flowstone Flood MTG Card
1998-06-15 - Number 83
1999-08-04 - Number mlp83sb
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Buyback |
Text of card
Buyback— Pay 3 life, Discard a card at random. (You may pay 3 life and discard a card at random in addition to any other costs when you play this spell. If you do, put Flowstone Flood into your hand instead of your graveyard as part of the spell's effect.) Destroy target land.
Cards like Flowstone Flood
Flowstone Flood is an intriguing spell that invites comparisons within the realm of land alteration effects in Magic: The Gathering. This card offers versatility by transforming any land into a basic Mountain until end of turn. Its closest relatives on the battlefield include cards like Blood Moon, managing to convert all nonbasic lands into Mountains permanently, impacting the entire board significantly. Despite the more expansive reach of Blood Moon, what Flowstone Flood lacks in permanence, it compensates with a targeted precision, allowing for strategic plays.
Conversely, we have Sea’s Claim, which similarly changes a specific land’s type, in this case transforming it into an Island. While Sea’s Claim has the element of permanence, it lacks the aggressive tilt-shift towards red mana acceleration that Flowstone Flood provides. Furthermore, considering the geographical manipulation of lands, Spreading Seas is another comparator, offering not only the conversion to Islands but an added value of card draw. It’s a tactical switch notable for both disruption and providing additional resources.
Each card holds unique strategic advantages, and while Flowstone Flood might not permanently change the board’s landscape like some of its counterparts, its capability of on-demand terrain transformation ensures that it holds its ground in Magic: The Gathering for players valuing flexibility and control over the field’s mana resources.
Cards similar to Flowstone Flood by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Flowstone Flood adds a strategic element to your deck with its ability to maneuver through your library, providing you with the precise tools needed at pivotal moments in the match. It enables you to search for the perfect response or threat, effectively increasing the quality of your hand.
Resource Acceleration: This card provides a unique form of resource acceleration by permitting you to rearrange the top cards of your library. This manipulation may not directly translate to mana generation, but it accelerates your access to essential resources, ensuring that you can play more impactful cards sooner rather than later.
Instant Speed: The instant speed of Flowstone Flood is a major advantage, as it allows you to adapt to the battlefield dynamics on the fly. Whether in the middle of combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn, this instant speed interaction ensures that you can always make the best tactical decision without prematurely showing your hand.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Flowstone Flood demands that you discard a card to activate its ability. This can be a setback, particularly in late-game scenarios when you may not have extra cards to spare or you’re holding onto key pieces for your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Necessitating two red mana to cast, Flowstone Flood’s mana requirement might constrain its inclusion, fitting primarily into mono-red or heavily red-focused decks. This specificity restricts deck-building options and could be a hurdle in multi-colored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an activation cost of three mana including double red, Flowstone Flood’s overall investment can be steep when compared to other options available. For a card that manipulates land without providing immediate board presence or card advantage, there may be more cost-effective choices for your deck.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Flowstone Flood offers a range of strategic applications, fitting smoothly into decks that capitalize on land destruction or those that need to restrict opponents’ mana bases. Its ability to potentially target multiple lands makes it a flexible sideboard option.
Combo Potential: This card can work well in combinations that lock down the game—pairing it with cards that allow for land recursion or that benefit from opponents having fewer lands can create powerful synergy.
Meta-Relevance: In a metagame that’s heavy on multi-colored decks or reliant on specific lands for key strategies, Flowstone Flood can disrupt your opponents’ plans effectively, making it a situational yet impactful choice.
How to beat
Flowstone Flood brings a unique twist to land destruction strategies in Magic: The Gathering. This card allows players to target lands and comes with a cumulative upkeep cost, which can become steep as the game progresses. To effectively counter this strategy, keeping a diverse base of lands is crucial. Versatility in your land types prevents a total lock-out by this card.
Additionally, employing land recovery spells or abilities can mitigate the impact of Flowstone Flood. Cards such as Life from the Loam or Crucible of Worlds let you play lands from your graveyard, turning the tides back in your favor. It’s also beneficial to have instant-speed interaction to destroy or counter Flowstone Flood before it can assert its influence over the battlefield.
Finally, alternative win conditions that don’t heavily rely on land permanence can circumvent the threats posed by Flowstone Flood. Utilizing cards that can operate from the graveyard or command zone or casting spells that create creature tokens can help maintain pressure on your opponent and lead you to victory, despite the potential setbacks of battling against this unique card.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Flowstone Flood MTG card by a specific set like Exodus and World Championship Decks 1999, 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 Flowstone Flood 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
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Printings
The Flowstone Flood Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1998-06-15 and 1999-08-04. Illustrated by Paolo Parente.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1998-06-15 | Exodus | EXO | 83 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Paolo Parente | |
| 2 | 1999-08-04 | World Championship Decks 1999 | WC99 | mlp83sb | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Paolo Parente |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Flowstone Flood has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Flowstone Flood card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | You can’t pay the Buyback cost unless you have at least one card in your hand to discard. |