Mutagenic Growth MTG Card
2011-05-13 - Number 116
2015-05-22 - Number 149
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Text of card
({PG} can be paid with either or 2 life.) Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
"Sympathy is for weaklings. Whoever survives, wins." —Benzir, archdruid of Temple Might
Cards like Mutagenic Growth
Mutagenic Growth is a standout combat trick within the green spell lineup of Magic: The Gathering, offering a significant power and toughness boost to creatures for either one green mana or at no cost with the Phyrexian mana payment of 2 life. When compared to Giant Growth, which gives a slightly higher boost for one green mana but lacks the flexibility of a free cast option, Mutagenic Growth offers a unique edge in fast-paced games and surprise defenses.
Gathering another parallel, we encounter Groundswell, which offers a conditional but greater boost provided a land was played that turn. While the increase is substantial under the right circumstances, it lacks the surprise factor and resource-free advantage of Mutagenic Growth. Vines of Vastwood is an additional card that seems to be in the same vein, providing not only a power increase but also the quintessential benefit of hexproof. Nevertheless, its need for green mana renders it less versatile in the heat of battle compared to the life-for-effect trade Mutagenic Growth provides.
Thus, weighing in the tactical benefits, Mutagenic Growth stands as a significant player among its peers, striking a fine balance between cost efficiency and combat surprise, a characteristic highly valued by strategic Magic: The Gathering players.
Cards similar to Mutagenic Growth by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Mutagenic Growth. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Gruul Aggro | Modern | Gruul Aggro | Modern Challenge 32 2024-05-09 |
 | Temur Prowess | Modern | Temur Prowess | Modern Preliminary 2024-05-08 (1) |
| Boros Prowess | Modern | Boros Prowess | Modern Challenge 32 2024-05-10 (1) |
| Mono-Red Prowess | Modern | Mono-Red Prowess | Modern Challenge 32 2024-05-09 |
| 4c Prowess | Modern | 4c Prowess | Modern Challenge 32 2024-05-09 |
| Gruul Prowess | Modern | Gruul Prowess | Modern Challenge 32 2024-05-09 |
| Izzet Prowess | Modern | Izzet Prowess | Modern Challenge 32 2024-05-09 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Despite not directly drawing cards, Mutagenic Growth can effectively save a creature from removal or help win combat, indirectly retaining card advantage by preserving your board presence without spending mana.
Resource Acceleration: Mutagenic Growth excels in resource acceleration due to its Phyrexian mana cost. This unique cost allows you to cast the spell by paying 2 life instead of green mana, keeping your lands untapped to deploy other threats or hold up mana for different interactions.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Mutagenic Growth at instant speed provides a strategic advantage, allowing you to respond to opponents’ actions by unexpectedly buffing creatures during combat or in response to removal, often leading to favorable trades or preserved threats.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Although Mutagenic Growth doesn’t require an upfront card discard, using its Phyrexian mana cost option effectively trades life points for card advantage, which can be a risky move, especially in tight games where every point of life is crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: Mutagenic Growth comes with a green mana cost, which could limit its integration in decks that are not based around green mana or lack the necessary fixing to comfortably accommodate the spell.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its versatility, when not paying with life points, the single green mana might be better invested in advancing board state or saving for more impactful spells, especially given the array of options available for pump spells in the current metagame.
Reasons to Include Mutagenic Growth in Your Collection
Versatility: Mutagenic Growth offers a significant power boost at an incredibly low cost, and with its phyrexian mana cost, it can be slotted into virtually any deck. This makes it an excellent choice for increasing the potency of your creatures unexpectedly, which can be pivotal during combat.
Combo Potential: This card shines in strategies that synergize with pump effects or require a creature’s power to reach a certain threshold. The instant speed of Mutagenic Growth allows for surprise interactions and can be the key factor in executing successful combos.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where quick and efficient answers are needed to deal with threats, Mutagenic Growth provides a low-cost solution. It finds its place in aggressive decks aiming to close games swiftly and can act as a protective measure against removal spells when your creatures are under fire.
How to Beat Mutagenic Growth
Mutagenic Growth is a versatile instant card that can give a creature an unexpected power and toughness boost during combat or in response to removal. To effectively counter this, ensure you have instant-speed interaction that can disrupt your opponent’s plans. Having a counter spell ready can negate Mutagenic Growth’s effect altogether. Additionally, removal spells that don’t target, such as board wipes, can be used to sidestep its power-boosting ability.
It’s also wise to be cautious during combat if your opponent has open mana or a known Mutagenic Growth in hand – this knowledge can inform your blocking and attacking decisions to prevent a devastating combat trick. Watch out for Phyrexian mana costs – Mutagenic Growth can be cast for ‘free’ at the cost of 2 life, so always consider it a threat even if your opponent seems tapped out. Playing around this surprise buff by holding back key creatures or waiting until your opponent is fully tapped out can keep you in control of the game tempo.
Balancing carefully considered attacks with strategic creature preservation is the key to mitigating the high impact surprise that Mutagenic Growth brings to the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mutagenic Growth MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia and Modern Masters 2015, 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 Mutagenic Growth and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
Printings
The Mutagenic Growth Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-05-13 and 2015-05-22. Illustrated by Dave Kendall.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-05-13 | New Phyrexia | NPH | 116 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Dave Kendall | |
| 2 | 2015-05-22 | Modern Masters 2015 | MM2 | 149 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dave Kendall |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Mutagenic Growth has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Mutagenic Growth card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-06-01 | A card with Phyrexian mana symbols in its mana cost is each color that appears in that mana cost, regardless of how that cost may have been paid. |
| 2011-06-01 | As you cast a spell or activate an activated ability with one or more Phyrexian mana symbols in its cost, you choose how to pay for each Phyrexian mana symbol at the same time you would choose modes or choose a value for X. |
| 2011-06-01 | If you’re at 1 life or less, you can’t pay 2 life. |
| 2011-06-01 | Phyrexian mana is not a new color. Players can’t add Phyrexian mana to their mana pools. |
| 2011-06-01 | To calculate the converted mana cost of a card with Phyrexian mana symbols in its cost, count each Phyrexian mana symbol as 1. |