Ground Assault MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery

Key Takeaways

  1. Ground Assault is a cost-effective removal card that scales with the number of lands you control.
  2. Its mana requirement can be restrictive but offers targeted creature removal at sorcery speed.
  3. Card keeps relevance in creature-heavy metas and can function as a versatile tool in land-centric decks.

Text of card

Ground Assault deals damage to target creature equal to the number of lands you control.

"Taking down a dragon is easy. All you need is enough space to get in a good swing." —Narbulg Nine Fingers


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ground Assault provides a direct answer to creature threats, maintaining balance on the board and effectively saving your cards while dealing with opponents’ creatures.

Resource Acceleration: Not directly linked to ramping up your mana pool, but eliminating opponent creatures with Ground Assault can keep your attackers free to hit your opponent, potentially leading to quicker victories and less time for their mana base to outpace yours.

Instant Speed: While Ground Assault operates at sorcery speed, its power in removing creatures during your turn can clear the way for a safe attack, ensuring you optimize your turn without interruption.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Ground Assault doesn’t ask you to toss another card from your hand, it’s pivotal to remember that such requirements in general can hinder your play if your hand size is already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: Ground Assault calls for a precise mana setup—one red and one green. This can be restrictive, as it may not fit seamlessly into multicolored decks that don’t focus on these colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Even though Ground Assault’s mana cost is not exorbitant, it requires a total of two mana to cast. In the early to mid-game, this can be a significant investment, particularly when other spells could be more cost-effective in dealing with threats on the board.


Reasons to Include Ground Assault in Your Collection

Versatility: Ground Assault’s ability to deal damage to creatures based on the number of lands you control makes it a scalable removal spell. It can be a powerful asset in decks that ramp up their land count quickly, remaining useful from the early to late game.

Combo Potential: Working seamlessly with landfall mechanics or decks that focus on maximizing land count, Ground Assault can be a central piece in increasing the efficiency of land-based synergies, helping to keep the board clear of potential threats.

Meta-Relevance: Given its efficiency in removing large creatures for a minimal mana investment, Ground Assault maintains relevance in metas where creature-based strategies are prevalent. Its cost-effectiveness makes it an excellent choice for decks looking to preserve momentum while dealing with opponents’ threats.


How to beat

Ground Assault is a dynamic removal spell seen in Magic: The Gathering that can remove troublesome creatures by dealing damage equal to the number of lands you control. Tackling such a card requires strategic maneuvering. One effective approach is to reduce the effectiveness of Ground Assault by minimizing the number of lands your opponent controls. Land destruction or forced sacrifice strategies can put a damper on this card’s potency.

Incorporating indestructible creatures into your deck is another viable tactic to nullify the impact of Ground Assault. Since this card relies on dealing damage to destroy creatures, those with indestructibility remain unaffected. Moreover, you can pivot towards utilizing spells that grant hexproof to protect your valuable creatures for a turn, thus preventing them from being targeted by Ground Assault.

Lastly, implementing counter spells or using discard effects to remove Ground Assault from your opponent’s hand before it can be cast can serve as preemptive strikes, thereby maintaining your board’s integrity. Keeping these strategies in mind can help ensure that Ground Assault does not disturb your path to victory in the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of Ground Assault can refine your MTG strategy, giving you an edge in card selection and game tactics. This removal spell can be a game changer in controlling the board when used correctly, adjusting to the flow of the game as your land count increases. To ensure that you’re not just surviving but thriving in your matches, it’s crucial to continue learning about card synergies, mana balance, and optimal playstyles. Dive deeper with us into the nuances of deck building and advanced play techniques, and let Ground Assault be a part of your winning arsenal. Learn more and take control of your MTG journey.


Cards like Ground Assault

Ground Assault is a powerful removal option in Magic: The Gathering, providing removal utility similar to other spells but with a unique spin. Comparable cards like Roast allow for the elimination of creatures without flying, with a flat five damage to a single target. However, Ground Assault’s damage potential is tied directly to the number of lands you control, which can often lead to removing much larger threats.

Another parallel can be drawn with Flames of the Raze-Boar, which can potentially deal damage to multiple creatures but requires a relatively high mana investment and a creature with power 4 or greater in play. Ground Assault doesn’t have such prerequisites, allowing more flexibility in deck construction. Comparatively, the Decimate card can destroy multiple types of permanents at once but requires all four target types to be in play, which can be highly restrictive. Ground Assault’s simplicity and specificity can make it a more accessible and reliable choice in many situations.

To conclude, Ground Assault finds its niche within MTG removal cards, offering a scalable and land-dependent removal option that can adapt to take down the mightiest of enemies.

Roast - MTG Card versions
Flames of the Raze-Boar - MTG Card versions
Decimate - MTG Card versions
Roast - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)
Flames of the Raze-Boar - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)
Decimate - Odyssey (ODY)

Cards similar to Ground Assault by color, type and mana cost

Primitive Justice - MTG Card versions
Savage Twister - MTG Card versions
Savage Offensive - MTG Card versions
Hull Breach - MTG Card versions
Clan Defiance - MTG Card versions
Domri's Ambush - MTG Card versions
Reap the Past - MTG Card versions
Unnatural Moonrise - MTG Card versions
Perilous Iteration - MTG Card versions
Picnic Ruiner // Stolen Goodies - MTG Card versions
Worldsoul's Rage - MTG Card versions
Break Out - MTG Card versions
Primitive Justice - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Savage Twister - The List (PLST)
Savage Offensive - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hull Breach - Warhammer 40,000 Commander (40K)
Clan Defiance - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Domri's Ambush - War of the Spark (WAR)
Reap the Past - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons (J21)
Unnatural Moonrise - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Perilous Iteration - Alchemy: The Brothers' War (YBRO)
Picnic Ruiner // Stolen Goodies - Wilds of Eldraine (WOE)
Worldsoul's Rage - Murders at Karlov Manor Promos (PMKM)
Break Out - Murders at Karlov Manor (MKM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ground Assault MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash and Modern Masters 2017, 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 Ground Assault and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ground Assault Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2013-02-01 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by Karl Kopinski.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12013-02-01GatecrashGTC 1682003normalblackKarl Kopinski
22017-03-17Modern Masters 2017MM3 1692015normalblackKarl Kopinski
32020-09-25Zendikar Rising CommanderZNC 912015normalblackKarl Kopinski
42022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 2232015normalblackKarl Kopinski

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ground Assault has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

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