Hidden Volcano MTG Card
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Land — Cave |
| Abilities | Discover |
| Released | 2023-11-17 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | The Lost Caverns of Ixalan |
| Set code | LCI |
| Number | 277 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Logan Feliciano |
Text of card
Hidden Volcano enters the battlefield tapped. : Add . , , Sacrifice Hidden Volcano: Discover 4. Activate only as a sorcery. (Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value 4 or less. Cast it without paying its mana cost or put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom in a random order.)
Cards like Hidden Volcano
Hidden Volcano carves its niche in the realm of land cards within Magic: The Gathering. It draws parallels to other lands like Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle which similarly rewards players for landfall. Yet, Hidden Volcano’s ability to transform under specific conditions offers a unique twist. Unlike Valakut that triggers direct damage to a player or creature, Hidden Volcano waits dormant, with its true potential locked away until the eruption conditions are met.
Comparing Hidden Volcano to Dwarven Mine, both lands have conditions that lead to an extra benefit. Where Dwarven Mine creates a 1/1 Dwarf creature token when the right land-count is reached and you control a mountain upon its entry, Hidden Volcano’s transformative ability can lead to a more impactful reward, albeit with more stringent requirements to reach its explosive climax.
Weaving an assessment through the subtle complexities and situational advantages, Hidden Volcano holds an intriguing place in the landscape of MTG land cards. With its latent power waiting to be unlocked, it can significantly alter game dynamics, presenting an exciting option for deck builders who enjoy a build-up to a powerful payoff.
Cards similar to Hidden Volcano by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Hidden Volcano card lets players excavate the depths of their libraries, enabling them to potentially uncover additional valuable cards that propel them towards a win condition. This edge allows a player to sustain or increase the momentum on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: Elevating your mana resources is pivotal in MTG, and Hidden Volcano accelerates your mana pool. This surge expedites the casting of high-impact spells that can swiftly change the game’s direction to your favor.
Instant Speed: Flexibility in timing is a crucial tactic, and the instant speed of this card means you can weave your strategy with guile, opting to use the card when the moment is most opportune. This keeps opponents guessing and gives you the upper hand as you navigate the intricate dance of MTG plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: When playing the Hidden Volcano card, you need to discard another card. This prerequisite can deplete your hand, leaving you with fewer options for future plays, especially if the game extends and resources become more crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost requires a mix of both colorless and red mana. This specificity restricts the card’s flexibility, as not all decks will have the necessary mana distribution to play it efficiently or without delay.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Deploying Hidden Volcano involves a non-trivial amount of mana. Even though the effects may bring value to your gameplay, you must consider that investing such a high cost might prevent you from executing other strategies or playing additional cards in the same turn. Additionally, other cards at a lower cost might offer similar benefits or better synergy with your deck’s overall strategy.
Reasons to Include Hidden Volcano in Your Collection
Versatility: Hidden Volcano isn’t just a land card. Its ability to transform into a powerful creature under the right conditions makes it a valuable addition to a range of MTG decks. It fits snugly into strategies that benefit from land cards that also serve as potential threats.
Combo Potential: This card can act as a surprise element in gameplay, pairing well with landfall strategies or decks that manipulate land types. Its ability to switch between a mana source and a creature offers numerous creative ways to combo with other cards.
Meta-Relevance: For decks that deal with long games and require resilient forms of board presence, Hidden Volcano can be a game-changer. Serving both as mana ramp and a latent threat, it holds relevance in numerous meta environments where adaptability can spell the difference between victory and defeat.
How to beat Hidden Volcano
Confronting the presence of Hidden Volcano on the battlefield can be a daunting task for many players. This card’s ability to reshape the landscape of the game with its land transformation capability makes it a formidable challenge. Tackling this enchantment requires strategic planning and appropriate countermeasures. One such tactic is to keep land destruction cards or enchantment removal options in your deck, which can directly address the threat posed by Hidden Volcano. Cards like Naturalize or Bedevil offer the versatility to deal with a variety of obstacles, Hidden Volcano included.
Moreover, pacing your land plays and controlling the number of nonbasic lands in your own game can mitigate the advantage that Hidden Volcano bestows upon an opponent. By maintaining a disciplined approach to managing your own resources, the impact of the effect becomes lessened. Lastly, remaining vigilant about the counter strategy details the opposing player might deploy as a result of the boost from Hidden Volcano ensures that you are not caught off guard by swift changes to the power dynamics on the board.
In essence, preparation and adaptability are key in overcoming the fiery trials that await those who face off against the transformative nature of Hidden Volcano. By incorporating dedicated answers and mindful play, you can extinguish the threat and continue on your path to victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Hidden Volcano MTG card by a specific set like The Lost Caverns of 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 Hidden Volcano 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 Hidden Volcano 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 |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Hidden Volcano card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-11-10 | "Discover N" means "Exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a nonland card with mana value N or less. That card is the "discovered" card. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost if the resulting spell's mana value is less than or equal to N. If you don't cast it, put that card into your hand. Put the remaining exiled cards on the bottom of your library in a random order." |
| 2023-11-10 | A spell's mana value is determined only by its mana cost. Ignore any alternative costs, additional costs, cost increases, or cost reductions. |
| 2023-11-10 | If the discovered card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost. |
| 2023-11-10 | If you can't cast the discovered card (perhaps because there are no legal targets for the spell), you'll put it into your hand. |
| 2023-11-10 | If you cast a spell "without paying its mana cost", you can't choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the spell has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast it. |
| 2023-11-10 | If you discover an adventurer card, split card, or modal double-faced card, you might be able to cast that card with either set of characteristics depending on the effect's discover value. For example, if you discover 4 and reveal Galvanic Giant (an adventurer card from Wilds of Eldraine with a mana value of 4), you could cast Galvanic Giant, but not Storm Reading (its Adventure, which has a mana value of 7). If you discover 7 and reveal Galvanic Giant, you could cast either Galvanic Giant or Storm Reading. |
| 2023-11-10 | Some spells and abilities that cause you to discover may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve and you won't discover. |
| 2023-11-10 | The mana value of a split card is determined by the combined mana cost of its two halves. If discover allows you to cast a split card, you may cast either half (as long as its mana value is less than or equal to the effect's discover value) but not both halves. |
| 2023-11-10 | When you discover, you must exile cards. The only optional part of the ability is whether you cast the exiled card or put it into your hand. |
| 2023-11-10 | You exile the cards face up. All players will be able to see them. |