Elemental Uprising MTG Card
2016-01-22 - Number 130
2019-11-07 - Number 1191
2020-07-17 - Number 390
2020-09-26 - Number OGW-130
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Instant |
Key Takeaways
- Elemental Uprising transforms lands into creatures, giving unsuspected battlefield advantages.
- Instant speed of the card adds surprise factor and strategic complexity to matches.
- Card requires discard and specific mana, which could be restrictive without proper support.
Text of card
Target land you control becomes a 4/4 Elemental creature with haste until end of turn. It's still a land. It must be blocked this turn if able.
"My heart and Zendikar's beat as one. Together we will endure." —Nissa Revane
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Elemental Uprising enables players to transform a land into a potent creature until end of turn, effectively giving them an additional attacker or defender without losing a land resource. This can lead to advantageous board states where you can press for damage or establish a blocker when needed without sacrificing long-term mana availability.
Resource Acceleration: While Elemental Uprising doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense, it allows lands to pull double duty. By temporarily turning a land into a creature, it helps you make the most of all your resources, potentially overwhelming opponents with the element of surprise and additional power on the board.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Elemental Uprising at instant speed provides significant strategic flexibility. During the opponent’s end step or in response to an attack, you can surprise your opponent by turning an unassuming land into a sudden blocker or attacker, which can disrupt their plans and potentially swing the game in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Elemental Uprising necessitates discarding a card, a prerequisite that could be particularly burdensome when your hand is nearly empty or holding crucial cards for later strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Elemental Uprising includes colors that are specific to the elementals’ nature, which might not seamlessly blend with deck themes beyond elementals or those not tuned to accommodate its mana needs.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Providing a boost to elementals, the card’s cost may appear steep when other cards could offer similar or greater enhancements for a more economical mana investment, potentially detracting from its overall utility in a fast-paced game.
Reasons to Include Elemental Uprising in Your Collection
Versatility: Elemental Uprising is a unique card that can turn your lands into threatening creatures. This feature enables it to fit into decks that aim to capitalize on land synergies and surprise attacks, broadening your strategic options during gameplay.
Combo Potential: By transforming lands into creatures, Elemental Uprising can unlock numerous combinations in land-centric decks. It pairs well with cards that benefit from creatures entering the battlefield or being tapped for various effects, thus expanding your combo repertoire.
Meta-Relevance: With the ever-evolving nature of the MTG meta, decks that can adapt to various threats are invaluable. Elemental Uprising plays a vital role in matches against control decks that aren’t prepared for an animated land to suddenly become an aggressive creature.
How to beat
Elemental Uprising presents a unique challenge in the world of Magic: The Gathering, transforming your lands into potent creatures capable of catching opponents off guard. Distinguishing Elemental Uprising from mere land animation spells is its instant speed, allowing you to surprise attack during an opponent’s turn or defend your territory swiftly.
To counteract Elemental Uprising, strategic foresight is paramount. Cards such as instant-speed removal spells can efficiently eliminate the temporary threat posed by the land-turned-creature. Negate and other counterspells offer preemptive solutions to stop Elemental Uprising before it even unfolds. Additionally, maintaining a board presence with creatures that have reach or those that can block multiple creatures simultaneously can mitigate the impact of your opponent’s animated lands.
Ultimately, outpacing an Elemental Uprising requires readiness and adaptability. Knowing when to hold back removal or when to establish a strong line of defense ensures you stay one step ahead. The ability to anticipate and neutralize these sudden elemental threats is a testament to a player’s tactful approach within the dynamic setting of Magic: The Gathering.
Cards like Elemental Uprising
Elemental Uprising offers an intriguing twist to creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. This sorcery holds similarities with cards like Vastwood Zendikon, transforming lands into powerful elemental forces. However, where Elemental Uprising stands out is its ability to instantly turn any land into a threat without losing the land if the elemental is later destroyed.
Embodiment of Spring is another card that plays into the land-as-creature concept, albeit with a different approach. It converts mana investment into a creature, but Elemental Uprising provides an immediate impact, demanding no extra mana to convert the land into a creature. Rounding out these comparisons is Awakening of Vitu-Ghazi. It instantly brings a land to life as a formidable 9/9 creature but at a steeper five mana cost. Elemental Uprising offers a more cost-effective and flexible alternative, as it doesn’t permanently alter your lands.
To sum up, Elemental Uprising stands its ground among MTG cards that animate lands, providing a quick and inexpensive option to apply pressure on the opponent. Its unique balance of instant threat creation and unrestricted activation makes it a noteworthy choice for players looking to capitalize on the versatility of their mana base.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Elemental Uprising MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch and Mystery Booster, 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 Elemental Uprising 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
Printings
The Elemental Uprising Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-01-22 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Svetlin Velinov.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-01-22 | Oath of the Gatewatch | OGW | 130 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1191 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | |
| 3 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart | JMP | 390 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | OGW-130 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Elemental Uprising has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Elemental Uprising card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-01-22 | If the resulting creature attacks, the defending player must assign at least one blocker to it during the declare blockers step if that player controls any creatures that could block it. |
| 2016-01-22 | You may target a land that’s already a creature. For example, if you target a land that’s also a 0/0 creature and has three +1/+1 counters on it, the resulting land creature will be 7/7. |
