Muscle Burst MTG Card


Muscle Burst - Odyssey
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeInstant
Released2001-10-01
Set symbol
Set nameOdyssey
Set codeODY
Number252
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byGary Ruddell

Key Takeaways

  1. Boosts creature power dramatically in decks manipulating the graveyard for strategic combat advantages.
  2. Requires a specific mana and deck composition to fully exploit its power-scaling capabilities.
  3. Despite restrictions, it remains a formidable tool in aggressive strategies and threshold synergy decks.

Text of card

Target creature gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is 3 plus the number of Muscle Burst cards in all graveyards.

As strong as a centaur's will.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Muscle Burst showcases its might by potentially adding significant damage to a creature during combat. While it doesn’t directly draw cards, the potential to remove an opponent’s creature while keeping your own can lead to an indirect card advantage on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: While Muscle Burst doesn’t directly accelerate resources, the affordable casting cost of this spell means you can efficiently allocate mana to both develop your board and keep Muscle Burst at the ready, optimizing resource use during crucial turns.

Instant Speed: The instant speed of Muscle Burst provides the flexibility to wait until the optimal moment during combat to unleash its power. This can turn the tides dramatically, catching opponents off guard and potentially leading to favorable trades or unexpected wins.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Muscle Burst doesn’t force you to discard cards, it necessitates having cards in the graveyard to maximize its power. This can be a setback in early game or if your deck isn’t built to willingly send cards to the graveyard.

Specific Mana Cost: Muscle Burst requires one green mana, making it exclusive to decks that run green or have a mana base built to accommodate multicolored strategies. This inflexibility can hamper deck variety and integration.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a pumping spell, Muscle Burst’s cost might be steep considering the need to have multiple copies, or cards with the same name, in the graveyard to get the best results. Other green spells could offer more efficient creature enhancement at a lower cost or without the graveyard dependency.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Muscle Burst offers an efficient way to increase your creature’s power, fitting seamlessly into aggressive strategies that prioritize swift damage delivery.

Combo Potential: This card shines in decks that utilize ‘Threshold’ or manipulate the graveyard, often turning a decent attacker into a game-ending threat.

Meta-Relevance: With decks that focus on quickly filling the graveyard, Muscle Burst can become a consistent and unexpectedly powerful tool against various opponents.


How to beat

Muscle Burst presents itself as a prominent card in the aggressive decks of Magic: The Gathering, known for its potential to drastically increase a creature’s power during combat. Decisive for surprise wins, it can become a daunting obstacle when the grave is stacked with copies. To outmaneuver this potent card, a strategy involving disruption and control can be effective. Consider employing removal spells post-stacking to minimize the impact before the cards hit the graveyard, thus rendering Muscle Burst less imposing.

Control tactics, time your spells, and keep pace with the Muscle Burst’s imminent threat. Strategic planning and instant-speed interaction are key. Employing counterspells like Counterspell or Negate can neutralize Muscle Burst before it boosts the creature, while instant removal such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push can dispose of the creature in response, negating the card’s effect altogether. It’s also helpful to manage opponents’ graveyards using cards like Relic of Progenitus or Bojuka Bog, decreasing the potency of Muscle Burst indirectly. Adaptability, preemptive disruption, and informed gameplay will provide the advantage needed to surpass the challenge Muscle Burst brings to the table.

Ultimately, enduring against a Muscle Burst requires a blend of foresight and quick action. By understanding the mechanics and preparing your deck with effective countermeasures, you maintain an advantageous position against this powerful card.


Cards like Muscle Burst

Muscle Burst offers players a unique strength boost in MTG’s vast array of combat trick cards. Resembling Giant Growth, a staple that grants a creature +3/+3 until end of turn, Muscle Burst adjusts its power based on the number of cards named Muscle Burst in your graveyard. While both cards are designed to surprise opponents during combat, Muscle Burst potentially offers a larger increase in power and toughness, though it requires a more specific set-up.

Another analogous card is Brute Force, which gives a creature +3/+3 until end of turn for a single red mana. Although costing one less mana makes Brute Force more mana-efficient, Muscle Burst’s power can scale dramatically, particularly in a deck designed to utilize its abilities fully. Then we have Invigorate, which has the distinct advantage of potentially being free if you control a Forest and are willing to give an opponent 3 life. While Muscle Burst lacks the cost flexibility of Invigorate, it can turn a minor threat into a major player on the battlefield, capable of turning the tide in a tightly contested game.

Within the context of muscle-flexing spells in MTG, Muscle Burst commands a spotlight for its scalability and surprise potential, distinguishing itself among the ranks of creature-boosting cards.

Giant Growth - MTG Card versions
Brute Force - MTG Card versions
Invigorate - MTG Card versions
Giant Growth - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Brute Force - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Invigorate - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)

Cards similar to Muscle Burst by color, type and mana cost

Tranquil Domain - MTG Card versions
Resuscitate - MTG Card versions
Heavy Fog - MTG Card versions
Aggressive Urge - MTG Card versions
Tangle - MTG Card versions
Krosan Reclamation - MTG Card versions
Seedtime - MTG Card versions
Nourish - MTG Card versions
Wear Away - MTG Card versions
Might of the Nephilim - MTG Card versions
Resize - MTG Card versions
Squall Line - MTG Card versions
Regenerate - MTG Card versions
Tel-Jilad Defiance - MTG Card versions
Tribute to the Wild - MTG Card versions
Plummet - MTG Card versions
Titanic Growth - MTG Card versions
Sheltering Word - MTG Card versions
Druid's Deliverance - MTG Card versions
Naturalize - MTG Card versions
Tranquil Domain - Mirage (MIR)
Resuscitate - Exodus (EXO)
Heavy Fog - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Aggressive Urge - Jumpstart (JMP)
Tangle - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Krosan Reclamation - Judgment (JUD)
Seedtime - Judgment (JUD)
Nourish - Darksteel (DST)
Wear Away - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Might of the Nephilim - Dissension (DIS)
Resize - Coldsnap (CSP)
Squall Line - Time Spiral (TSP)
Regenerate - Magic 2010 (M10)
Tel-Jilad Defiance - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Tribute to the Wild - Commander Anthology Volume II (CM2)
Plummet - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Titanic Growth - Wilds of Eldraine (WOE)
Sheltering Word - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Druid's Deliverance - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Naturalize - Core Set 2019 (M19)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Muscle Burst MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey, 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 Muscle Burst and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Muscle Burst has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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