Plow Under MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Plow Under from Magic the Gathering is a powerhouse when it comes to disrupting your opponent’s resources. By putting two lands on top of your opponent’s library, you effectively set them back on draws. Not only do they lose access to those lands, but their next draws become known quantities, providing you with a tactical edge.

Resource Acceleration: While this card doesn’t directly act as a resource accelerator for you, it serves to significantly decelerate your opponent’s mana development. By sending lands back to the library, you ensure that your own board state and mana reserves are relatively accelerated in comparison to your opponent’s development.

Instant Speed: Though Plow Under is not an instant, its strategic value can be likened to the impact of an instant speed disruption. Casting this card at the right time, particularly after your opponent has tutored for lands or invested in land enchantments, can negate their well-laid plans, much like a well-timed instant.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Plow Under doesn’t explicitly ask for a card discard, utilizing such a powerful effect could lead to depleting your hand quickly if not used strategically. This might place you at a disadvantage against opponents who can capitalize on your dwindling resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Plow Under demands a dedicated commitment to green mana, requiring two green and three colorless mana to cast. This specificity can restrict deck-building flexibility and may make it difficult for multi-colored decks to utilize effectively.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of five mana to play, Plow Under is comparatively expensive. While the ability to disrupt your opponent’s mana base is strong, the high cost means you’ll need to carefully consider when to play it to get the maximum benefit without slowing down your own game plan too much.

Reasons to Include Plow Under in Your Collection

Versatility: While Plow Under is a green-specific card, it can be a dynamic addition to various green-centered decks. Its ability to disrupt opponents by setting back their land development can be beneficial in both aggressive and controlling strategies.

Combo Potential: This card offers synergy with landfall mechanics and decks that capitalize on opponents having fewer resources. It can be part of a combo that limits the opposition’s ability to play spells, paving the way for your own strategy to dominate the game without interference.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where ramp decks are prevalent, Plow Under can serve as an effective counter, denying opponents their crucial mana acceleration. Additionally, it’s advantageous in matchups where setting an adversary back two turns could mean the difference between victory and defeat.

How to beat

Plow Under is a powerful green spell in Magic: The Gathering that can set an opponent back considerably by putting two lands on top of their library. This move disrupts their mana curve and delays their game plan. Overcoming this can be challenging, but not impossible. Prioritizing mana acceleration with artifacts or creatures that tap for additional mana can mitigate the setback. Furthermore, playing land destruction or denial strategies also cuts green’s ability to amass the mana necessary for casting Plow Under. As a last resort, countering the spell with blue counterspells or utilizing cards that shuffle your library can neutralize the tempo loss Plow Under aims to inflict.

Additionally, instant-speed draw spells can help you dig for answers and maintain a presence on the board. Deck structures that naturally have a low curve benefit as well, sustaining pressure even when their land drops are disrupted. Efficient use of your resources and a keen understanding of when to expect and how to respond to such disruptive strategies make all the difference. By employing these tactics, you can defend against and outpace the setback that Plow Under presents, keeping your strategy on track for victory.