Kaboom! MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Sorcery
Released	2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Onslaught
Set code	ONS
Number	214
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Glen Angus

Key Takeaways

Kaboom! can dominate by offering card advantage and disrupting opponent resources.
The card’s demand for specific mana and high cost must be factored into deck building.
Its randomness and potential for board-clearing make it a multifaceted asset in MTG.

Text of card

Choose any number of target players. For each of those players, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a nonland card. Kaboom deals damage equal to that card's converted mana cost to that player, then you put the revealed cards on the bottom of your library in any order.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kaboom! stands out as a red sorcery that grants the potential for massive card advantage. By dealing damage based on the number of cards in hand, this card ensures that the more cards you have, the more destructive power you can wield, potentially overwhelming multiple opponents or clearing a formidable board state.

Resource Acceleration: While Kaboom! itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its ability to clear the board of pesky mana dorks or utility creatures can indirectly accelerate your game plan. By disrupting your opponent’s resource base, you help ensure your own spells are the ones that dominate the playing field.

Instant Speed: Although Kaboom! operates at sorcery speed, its explosive impact mimics the surprise factor often associated with instant speed spells. It dictates the pace of the game, forcing opponents to play cautiously lest they overextend into its destructive force. In the right scenario, it can quickly turn the tides and serve as a game-ending move.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the significant drawbacks of Kaboom! is the necessity to discard a card. This can pose a real challenge when your hand is already dwindling, effectively forcing you into a tough decision about which resources to sacrifice.

Specific Mana Cost: Kaboom! demands a precise mana combination to cast — in this case, a notable amount of red mana. This requirement makes the card less flexible, potentially relegating it to mono-red builds or two-color decks that can reliably produce the necessary mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that’s on the higher end for its category, Kaboom! might not be the most cost-effective option available. Given that players need to balance the advantages of powerful effects against the speed of their game plan, the card’s cost might outweigh its explosive potential, especially when considering other cards that can deal damage or impact the board for less.

Reasons to Include Kaboom! in Your Collection

Versatility: Kaboom! is a unique card that can adapt to numerous playstyles, fitting into decks that might capitalize on dealing damage to multiple targets. Its scaling effect allows for impactful plays in both the early game and late game scenarios.

Combo Potential: This card’s ability to deal damage according to the number of lands you control opens up synergies with land ramp strategies or cards that put more lands onto the battlefield, multiplying its damage output significantly.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where creature-heavy decks are prevalent, Kaboom! serves as a crucial card capable of clearing out multiple threats at once or targeting specific issues across the battlefield, maintaining board control.

How to beat Kaboom!

Kaboom! presents itself as a formidable card within MTG, often catching opponents off guard with its potential for unbridled damage spread across numerous targets. The randomness of the damage allocation, based on the number of cards revealed from the top of your library, adds an element of unpredictability to its effect. However, it’s this very unpredictability that can be turned to your advantage when crafting a counter strategy.

Defensive measures such as spells that grant hexproof or shroud to your permanents can nullify Kaboom!’s effect by preventing it from targeting your critical assets. Cards like Leyline of Sanctity can make you hexproof, ensuring that you and your permanents are out of Kaboom!’s fiery reach. Spell counters are another efficient way to diffuse Kaboom!, as they can interrupt its casting, effectively stopping the chain reaction before it starts. Quick-reacting cards like Negate or Cancel can be key components in your deck to safeguard against such explosive threats.

Successful navigation around cards like Kaboom! hinges on anticipation and preparedness. Having the right counters in place can transform a potentially devastating blow into a fizzled firecracker, allowing you to maintain control of the game state and eventually emerge victorious.

Cards like Kaboom!

Kaboom! stands out in the realm of damage-dealing spells within Magic: The Gathering. At a glance, it seems akin to other cards like Chain Reaction, which also excels in dealing damage to multiple creatures based on certain conditions. However, Kaboom! introduces an element of randomness that Chain Reaction avoids, targeting specific creatures or players based on a shared deck’s top cards.

Looking towards Volcanic Fallout, another parallel emerges. This card deals damage to each creature and player instantly, a deviation from Kaboom!’s selective damage approach which is based on the luck of the draw. Fallout operates with a consistent effect and at instant speed, which is crucial in fast-paced games. Likewise, Arcbond provides a unique spin on widespread damage, it mirrors the damage dealt to a creature onto other creatures and players. This can lead to devastating chains of damage, but unlike Kaboom!, it requires a creature to be in harm’s way initially.

When comparing these spells, Kaboom!’s unpredictability can be both a boon and a disadvantage, making it an intriguing choice for players seeking a twist in their damage-dealing strategies within Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Kaboom! by color, type and mana cost

Explosive Revelation - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kaboom! MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Kaboom! and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kaboom! has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Kaboom! card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2004-10-04	If all the cards in your library are lands, this card deals zero damage.
2018-10-05	As Kaboom! resolves, you choose one of the target players or planeswalkers before revealing any cards, then complete the spell's process for that player or planeswalker, and then repeat until each target has been through the process.