Incubation Sac MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact |
| Released | 2023-02-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Phyrexia: All Will Be One |
| Set code | ONE |
| Number | 171 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Tony Foti |
Key Takeaways
- Incubation Sac accelerates resources and offers card advantage through creature sacrifice mechanics.
- Flexibility at instant speed makes it a formidable card, but color-specific mana costs may limit usage.
- Despite a higher mana cost and discard requirements, its strategic benefits can justify its inclusion in decks.
Text of card
Incubation Sac enters the battlefield with three oil counters on it. , , Remove an oil counter from Incubation Sac: Create a 3/3 colorless Phyrexian Golem artifact creature token. Activate only as a sorcery.
"This one needs a bit longer to ripen." —Glissa Sunslayer
Card Pros
Card Advantage: By triggering the powerful mechanic of card draw, the Incubation Sac helps players cycle through their deck more quickly, increasing the chance of drawing into answers or key pieces for their strategy.
Resource Acceleration: This card can be a key enabler in ramp decks, providing an efficient means to propel players ahead in resources. By sacrificing creatures you no longer need, you convert them into valuable mana that can be invested in game-changing spells.
Instant Speed: The versatility of acting at instant speed cannot be overstated. With the ability to interact during an opponent’s turn or respond to an unfavorable game state, the Incubation Sac provides flexibility that keeps opponents guessing and maximizes strategic depth.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Incubation Sac requires a card to be discarded as part of its activation. This can be problematic when you’re short on cards, effectively limiting your strategic options and potentially leaving you at a disadvantage.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s mana cost includes both green and blue mana, making it less versatile and harder to fit into decks that aren’t tailored to these colors. Players not running a Simic (green/blue) combination might find it challenging to utilize the Incubation Sac effectively.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost resting at three, including one green and one blue, players may find the card investment hefty, especially when considering other options in the meta. There are alternative cards with lower mana requirements offering similar or even better functionality, hence the high cost might not always justify its inclusion in your deck.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Incubation Sac can adapt seamlessly into various deck types due to its dual operational nature. It serves both as a creature enabler and a potential source for mana acceleration, augmenting strategies that center around creature casting and utility.
Combo Potential: This card shines when integrated into engine combos, allowing its controller to exploit sacrifice synergies. Whether you are aiming to amplify death triggers or simply churn through your deck, Incubation Sac has numerous interactions that clever deck builders will appreciate.
Meta-Relevance: Given how often competitive environments lean towards creature-centric strategies, Incubation Sac can gain a special slot in your deck. It’s particularly effective against decks that can’t easily disrupt your setup, giving you a significant advantage in those matchups.
How to beat
Incubation Sac is a unique enchantment that adds a layer of complexity to any match it enters in Magic: The Gathering. At its core, the card’s strength comes from its ability to add a creature token to the battlefield, which can then be sacrificed for a benefit. This creates a renewable resource that, when used strategically, can give a player a significant edge. The self-replenishing nature of this enchantment calls for specific strategies to efficiently handle its presence on the battlefield.
To effectively combat Incubation Sac, it’s crucial to employ removal spells that can target enchantments directly. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant are classic options that can dispatch the enchantment quickly. Alternatively, one can use more versatile answers like Assassin’s Trophy, which can deal with any troubling permanents. In game formats that allow for sideboarding, incorporating enchantment-specific counters into your deck during sideboard phases can decisively turn the tide in this match-up. Additionally, leveraging cards that restrict the casting of enchantments or prevent sacrifice mechanics from triggering can cripple an opponent’s strategy centered around Incubation Sac.
Considering these tactics, one can nullify Incubation Sac’s influence, ensuring that this powerful enchantment doesn’t tip the scales too far in your opponent’s favor. Understanding how to neutralize key cards such as Incubation Sac is essential for maintaining control of the game and ultimately pushing towards victory.
Cards like Incubation Sac
Incubation Sac introduces an innovative dynamic to creature sacrifice effects in MTG. Resembling cards like Altar’s Reap, which offers instant speed creature sacrifice for card advantage, Incubation Sac pushes further with a focus on leveraging creature tokens for its effect. Unlike Altar’s Reap, it doesn’t draw cards immediately, but rather accrues value over time by creating a persistent state on the field.
Dive into comparisons with Costly Plunder, another card that permits a player to sacrifice a creature or artifact to draw cards. Costly Plunder, however, is an instant that delivers immediate results, which contrasts with Incubation Sac’s longer-term strategic setup. Then consider cards like Culling Dais, a staple that capitalizes on sacrificing creatures, but instead of drawing immediately, it accumulates counters for a future burst of card draw.
In evaluating how Incubation Sac stands in the pantheon of creature sacrifice spells, it emerges as a unique player. Its potential to create a sustainable advantage and its versatility in using creature tokens distinctly sets it apart from peers in its category, highlighting its strategic depth in MTG.
Cards similar to Incubation Sac by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Incubation Sac MTG card by a specific set like Phyrexia: All Will Be One, 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 Incubation Sac and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Incubation Sac has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |