Flourishing Strike MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Abilities	Entwine
Released	2021-06-18
Set symbol
Set name	Modern Horizons 2
Set code	MH2
Number	159
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jim Pavelec

Key Takeaways

Card draws and dealing damage with Flourishing Strike provide a crucial edge in resource management.
Instant speed of Flourishing Strike allows versatile responses to in-game developments.
Despite its mana cost, the card’s acceleration and adaptability make it a strategic asset.

Text of card

Choose one — • Flourishing Strike deals 5 damage to target creature with flying. • Target creature gets +3/+3 until end of turn. Entwine (Choose both if you pay the entwine cost.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: By potentially dealing damage, replenishing your hand, or drawing a card when needed, Flourishing Strike can help you stay ahead in the resource game. As card advantage usually translates to more options and opportunities to outmaneuver your opponent, having this card in your deck means you are not easily outpaced in the long game.

Resource Acceleration: In situations where you’re building up to a powerful play, Flourishing Strike can be a key component by helping you ramp. This acceleration could come in various forms, such as enabling more expensive spells sooner or simply providing the resources necessary to execute multiple smaller plays in a single turn.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Flourishing Strike is further enhanced by its instant speed. This allows you to adapt to the flow of the game, potentially using it to disrupt your opponent’s turn or simply waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The ability to react immediately to the opponent’s actions can be a significant advantage.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Flourishing Strike comes with the caveat of necessitating a card to discard, potentially depleting your hand when you might least afford it.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell demands a precise combination of mana types to cast. Players not running a deck tailored to accommodate such costs might find it cumbersome to include and utilize.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the power boost and trample it offers, some may argue that the mana investment is on the steeper side. In a game where efficiency can be key, alternatives could be seen as offering more value for the mana spent.

Reasons to Include Flourishing Strike in Your Collection

Versatility: Flourishing Strike can seamlessly slot into a variety of deck builds, particularly those that thrive on buffing creatures and instigating swift, tactical strikes. With the ability to serve both offensive and defensive roles, this card harmonizes well with many strategies.

Combo Potential: The instant nature of Flourishing Strike offers opportunistic plays that can amplify other synergies within your deck. Whether it’s enhancing a creature before a key battle or interacting with cards that capitalize on combat tricks, the potential for impactful combos is significant.

Meta-Relevance: Given the dynamics of the current playing environment where creature-based decks are common, Flourishing Strike could prove to be a substantial addition. Its ability to tip scales in combat situations means it’s well-placed to shift the tides in a meta that values decisive creature encounters.

How to Beat Flourishing Strike

Flourishing Strike is a versatile card that can catch opponents off guard, buffing creatures significantly in combat. It is akin to other combat tricks such as Giant Growth or Titanic Growth, yet it differentiates itself by providing life gain in addition to the power and toughness boost. Facing Flourishing Strike at a critical combat phase can turn the tides against anyone unprepared.

Understanding the strengths of Flourishing Strike sets the stage for effective counterplay. Ensuring that your creatures aren’t overwhelmed in battle, spells like Shock or Lightning Bolt can preemptively remove key threats before life gain and buffs change the math. Alternatively, holding up mana for instant-speed removal or bounce spells, such as Unsummon, could nullify the benefits of Flourishing Strike when your opponent is most reliant on its effects.

In essence, the key to outmaneuvering Flourishing Strike lies in anticipation and timely reaction. By managing the board state and keeping removal or counterspells at the ready, one can mitigate its impact, keeping the playing field level and preventing opponents from gaining the upper hand through its life-gaining buff.

Cards like Flourishing Strike

Flourishing Strike is an intriguing green instant in Magic: The Gathering, providing creatures with a boost in both power and resilience. Its effect is reminiscent of Giant Growth, a classic card that offers a significant power and toughness increase for a single-turn advantage. Flourishing Strike, however, also grants lifelink until the end of turn, an attribute not found in Giant Growth, offering not just size but also a valuable life gain.

When looking for parallels, one might consider Predator’s Strike, which also grants +3/+3 as well as trample, targeting the key tactic of damaging opponents through blocking creatures. While it doesn’t offer lifelink, the trample potential can be pivotal in certain strategies. Blossoming Defense is another card that buffs a creature while providing the added utility of hexproof to guard against removal spells, albeit with a smaller power/toughness increase.

Comparatively, Flourishing Strike stands out in decks focused on lifegain strategies, complementing a suite of cards designed to outlast opponents through incremental health boosts. It’s the lifelink that sets Flourishing Strike apart, opening options for significant swings in life totals, potentially swaying the tide of battle in a tight match.

Cards similar to Flourishing Strike by color, type and mana cost

Might of the Nephilim - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Flourishing Strike MTG card by a specific set like Modern Horizons 2, 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 Flourishing Strike and other MTG cards: