Fractal Summoning MTG Card

Fractal Summoning - Strixhaven: School of Mages

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery — Lesson
Released	2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set name	Strixhaven: School of Mages
Set code	STX
Number	187
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Livia Prima

Key Takeaways

Fractal Summoning excels late game, using mana to create a potentially overwhelming creature.
Perfect for ramp decks, it transforms abundant mana into a formidable board presence.
Works in instant speed strategies, summoning Fractals at the most opportune moments.

Text of card

Create a 0/0 green and blue Fractal creature token. Put X +1/+1 counters on it.

"Fractals are just pseudo-dimensional manifestations of asynchronous biosymmetries. It's really quite simple." —Kianne, Quandrix dean

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The quirk of Fractal Summoning is in how it scales with your game progress. This modular sorcery lets you create a 0/0 green and blue Fractal creature token that comes into play with X +1/+1 counters, meaning you can customize the size of your token according to the available resources. Late game, this can translate to a significant creature overwhelming your opponent and securing card advantage with just a single card.

Resource Acceleration: Playing Fractal Summoning in a deck with ramp capabilities beautifully synergizes with its X casting cost. As you accelerate your resources, you pave the way for a larger creature, turning your mana investment into a formidable board presence. This resource to power conversion is a key pro for those looking to capitalize on mana abundance.

Instant Speed: While Fractal Summoning is a sorcery, it fits well in a deck that operates at instant speed, particularly with cards that can give you unspent mana during the final phases of your opponents’ turns. This allows you to end your turn without placing a creature on the board, which is less vulnerable to sorcery-speed removal, and then spring a surprise on your adversary by summoning a sizeable Fractal creature just before your turn begins.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Fractal Summoning doesn’t have a direct discard requirement, creating the most value from it often requires forethought in maintaining a hand with ample cards to exploit its scaling ability, leaving players facing tough decisions if their resources are limited.

Specific Mana Cost: Fractal Summoning’s quandle of Quandrix mana (one blue, one green, and X generic) means it’s exclusively at home in Simic decks or those that can reliably produce both types of mana, making it less flexible across various deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: As mana invested dictates the creature’s size, to make a significant impact, one needs to pump a substantial amount of mana into the spell which may not always equate to the most mana-efficient use, especially when compared with other creature-generating options.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Fractal Summoning offers adaptability to various playstyles, fitting smoothly into decks that thrive on casting spells of varying mana costs. Its ability to create a creature with a power and toughness equal to the amount of mana spent makes it a valuable card for scaling strategies throughout the game.

Combo Potential: This card excels in synergizing with strategies that amplify +1/+1 counters or benefit from casting multicolored spells. Fractal Summoning’s scalable nature allows players to tailor it to the specific needs of their combo, providing substantial flexibility.

Meta-Relevance: Due to the dynamic nature of play environments, having a card that can adjust to the tempo of the game is crucial. Fractal Summoning fits well into the current meta, which rewards versatility and the ability to deploy threats at any stage of the game.

How to beat

Fractal Summoning presents itself as a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering due to its scalability and the potential for it to become a colossal creature on the battlefield. When facing an opponent wielding this card, the key to overcoming it is timing and choosing the right removal strategies. Since Fractal Summoning relies on the number of lands to determine its size, countering it early in the game is generally more manageable before it escalates.

Direct removal spells like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can be highly effective against a burgeoning Fractal, bypassing the need to contend with a larger threat later. Board sweeps such as Wrath of God or Blasphemous Act will also reset the playing field, nullifying the mana investment your opponent has made into their Fractal Summoning. Additionally, employing counterspells like Mana Leak or Negate when your opponent initially casts Fractal Summoning will prevent it from entering the battlefield altogether.

Successfully mitigating the threats posed by Fractal Summoning can hinge on strategic foresight and maintaining control over the tempo of the game. Being able to anticipate and disrupt your opponent’s plans is crucial in maintaining the upper hand.

Cards like Fractal Summoning

Fractal Summoning carves its niche within the world of creativer spellcards in Magic: The Gathering. It finds parallels with cards like Baloth Pup, where both allow players to summon a creature with a potential for growth over time. Fractal Summoning, however, is more flexible due to its X mana cost component, allowing scaling that Baloth Pup, with its static cost, can’t match. Another similar card is Predator’s Howl, which summons multiple creatures, yet it doesn’t offer the same single creature scalability of Fractal Summoning.

Exploring further, one may draw comparisons to Jade Mage. Jade Mage shares the ability to repeatedly create creature tokens, which reflects Fractal Summoning’s one-off but potentially much larger token creation. Additionally, a noteworthy peer is Marang River Prowler, which offers repeated value for playing from the graveyard, contrasting with Fractal Summoning’s upfront investment in a potentially massive token.

With an analysis of versatility, token generation potential, and mana investment, Fractal Summoning presents a unique proposition in Magic: The Gathering, balancing immediate impact with long-term strategic play possibilities.

Marang River Prowler - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Fractal Summoning MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Fractal Summoning and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Fractal Summoning 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
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2021-04-16	Although you may want to include Lessons in your sideboard if you’re playing with cards that instruct you to learn, Lesson cards can be included in your main deck like other instant or sorcery cards.
2021-04-16	Lesson is a spell subtype found on some instant and sorcery cards in the Strixhaven set. The Lesson subtype has no special rules associated with it.