Brood Birthing MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Released	2010-04-23
Set symbol
Set name	Rise of the Eldrazi
Set code	ROE
Number	138
Frame	2003
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Anthony Francisco

Key Takeaways

It offers a significant mana boost by sacrificing Eldrazi Spawn tokens for faster plays.
Ideal for decks focused on Eldrazi Spawn, enhancing deck versatility and synergy.
Card efficiency can be situational, relying heavily on Eldrazi Spawn presence.

Text of card

If you control an Eldrazi Spawn, put three 0/1 colorless Eldrazi Spawn creature tokens onto the battlefield. They have "Sacrifice this creature: Add to your mana pool." Otherwise, put one of those tokens onto the battlefield.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Brood Birthing facilitates additional token generation if you control an Eldrazi Spawn, essentially netting you an extra creature without expending an additional card from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: The Eldrazi Spawn tokens created can be sacrificed for mana, offering a significant speed boost and making it easier to deploy your bigger threats ahead of the usual curve.

Instant Speed: As a sorcery that allows for immediate token creation, it can set the stage for explosive turns, enabling you to utilize those resources without delay.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Even though Brood Birthing doesn’t ask you to discard, its requirement of having an Eldrazi Spawn on the battlefield can feel similar to a discard if you’re pressured into using Spawn as mana fodder earlier in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Brood Birthing has a colorless mana value, but its benefit hinges on the presence of an Eldrazi Spawn, potentially restricting its seamless inclusion in decks not dedicated to Eldrazi themes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While only costing two mana, Brood Birthing’s effectiveness is conditional and can be underwhelming when you don’t have any Eldrazi Spawn available. At times, this investment might not match the immediacy and impact of other two-cost cards available to players.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Brood Birthing stands out for its ability to seamlessly blend into numerous archetypes that utilize Eldrazi Spawn tokens. Its adaptability across various decks leveraging token generation strategies makes it a handy card for multiple scenarios.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, namely a field already hosting an Eldrazi Spawn, Brood Birthing can quickly escalate your board presence. It acts synergistically with cards that capitalize on creature sacrifices for mana acceleration or as a catalyst for other combo enablers.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where speed and board development are crucial, Brood Birthing offers swift tempo advantage. It’s specially tailored for matches that reward the amassing of multiple creatures, propelling swarm strategies to overwhelm opponents or bolstering defenses against aggressive decks.

How to beat

Brood Birthing is a powerful tool in any MTG player’s Eldrazi deck, renowned for its ability to escalate the summoning of Eldrazi tokens. Comparable in effect to card enhancers that multiply creature presence, Brood Birthing stands out when combined with cards that spawn Eldrazi Spawn tokens. Breaking through its effectiveness relies on preventing these tokens from ever hitting the battlefield or expeditiously clearing them once they are present.

To effectively counteract Brood Birthing, strategic deck building is essential. Incorporating board sweepers like Pyroclasm or Wrath of God can clean up multiple tokens in one fell swoop, undermining the potential swarm of Eldrazi minions. Disruption tactics like countering token-generating spells or using spot removal such as Fatal Push on key creatures before the tokens are created can also be critical. Additionally, graveyard manipulation with cards like Relic of Progenitus or Scavenging Ooze can remove Eldrazi tokens from the game or disrupt the synergy before Brood Birthing’s condition is met.

Understanding when to dismantle the opponent’s strategy—be it through denial of resources or timely removal—can transform a game that may have been initially dominated by Brood Birthing into a victory for the well-prepared opponent.

Cards like Brood Birthing

Brood Birthing, as a staple in MTG’s proliferate decks, stands toe to toe with a variety of token-generating cards. Notably similar is Krenko’s Command, which similarly conjures two tokens with a single cast. Where Brood Birthing gains the upper hand is its synergy with Eldrazi spawn, potentially offering a higher token yield under the right circumstances.

Another counterpart to examine is Dragon Fodder, which mirrors Krenko’s Command in mana cost and effect but often finds its way into different deck archetypes. Brood Birthing’s advantage comes into play once again when Eldrazi spawn are present, surpassing the static token production of Dragon Fodder.

Assessing the value of token generators in MTG, Brood Birthing holds a special position for those playing with Eldrazi themes, offering exponential growth in the form of additional spawn. While other cards offer consistency, Brood Birthing offers potential, scaling with the presence of spawn to amass a formidable force on the battlefield.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Brood Birthing MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi, 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 Brood Birthing and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Brood Birthing has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2010-06-15	If you put a single token onto the battlefield this way, it’s exactly like the ones specified earlier: it’s a 0/1 colorless Eldrazi Spawn creature token that has “Sacrifice this creature: Add .”
2010-06-15	Whether you control an Eldrazi Spawn is checked as Brood Birthing resolves.