Golden Ratio MTG Card


Golden Ratio - Strixhaven: School of Mages
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery
Released2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set nameStrixhaven: School of Mages
Set codeSTX
Number190
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byAlix Branwyn

Key Takeaways

  1. Golden Ratio Mtg Card boosts your hand by drawing cards based on creature power diversity.
  2. Playing at instant speed allows for tactical responses to dynamic gameplay situations.
  3. The card’s specific mana cost and discard requirement can limit its universal application.

Text of card

Draw a card for each different power among creatures you control.

"When I look around, I see a world defined by patterns that still manages to defy them." —Kianne, Quandrix dean


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Golden Ratio Mtg Card facilitates card draw based on the number of different power creatures you control, potentially refilling your hand and granting a decisive advantage.

Resource Acceleration: By allowing you to draw multiple cards, the Golden Ratio can indirectly lead to an increase in resource availability. More cards often mean more land and spell play opportunities, which can accelerate your presence on the battlefield.

Instant Speed: This card’s ability to be played at instant speed gives you the tactical flexibility to respond to game changes and optimize the timing of your plays, keeping opponents on their toes.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One aspect of the Golden Ratio card that some players might find limiting is the discard element attached to its activation. This cost demands you forsake another card from your hand, which can be especially problematic when your hand is already running thin on options.

Specific Mana Cost: What sets this card apart is the necessity for a precise combination of mana colors to cast it. The Golden Ratio necessitates both blue and green mana, which means that it slots neatly into Simic decks but could be a cumbersome addition in a deck that isn’t aligned with these colors or in a multicolor deck where mana flexibility is key.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that sits on the higher side, the Golden Ratio might not always be the most efficient play. Other cards could offer similar or better effects for less, or could provide additional benefits beyond drawing cards. In a game where tempo can be decisive, the higher investment can sometimes be a setback.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Golden Ratio card offers a unique flexibility to a variety of deck archetypes. Whether you’re running a creature-heavy strategy or a deck centered around drawing cards, this card can significantly bolster your draws while helping to maintain board presence.

Combo Potential: With its ability to draw you a card for each different power among creatures you control, Golden Ratio has the potential to unlock significant combo plays. It pairs excellently with decks that vary their creatures’ power, maximizing card advantage and fueling your winning strategies.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where the battlefield is constantly evolving, Golden Ratio keeps you ahead by ensuring your hand is stocked with options. Its importance in the current MTG meta cannot be overstated, especially in formats that prize adaptability and card advantage.


How to beat

The Golden Ratio proves to be an intriguing card drawing engine in the landscape of Magic: The Gathering. It shines in decks dense with creatures of varying mana values, potentially drawing a sizable number of cards for a meager cost. Yet, this boon comes with a condition: to maximize its benefit, one must deploy a varied menagerie on the battlefield.

Overcoming the advantage provided by Golden Ratio requires some strategy. Prioritize removal spells that can handle multiple targets such as Board Wipes or similar effects, efficiently reducing the diversity of your opponent’s creatures and thereby diminishing the card’s efficacy. Furthermore, disrupting the opponent’s creature curve through spot removal or counter spells will stunt their setup, rendering Golden Ratio less potent. Finally, applying pressure with a swift and offensive deck can force the opponent to use their creatures defensively, preventing them from reaching the ideal creature distribution needed for an optimal draw with Golden Ratio.

While Golden Ratio can bolster the card advantage for decks that meet the criteria, it is not without its vulnerabilities. A wise opponent can tactically dismantle the necessary board state, maintaining the upper hand and diluting Golden Ratio’s potential impact on the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

The Golden Ratio MTG card is a testament to the depth and complexity of deck-building, offering a bounty of card advantage to those who weave a diversified tapestry of creatures. Understanding its value and potential constraints is essential for any player aiming to refine their game. Looking to harness the full power of Golden Ratio and incorporate it into your MTG arsenal? Explore our comprehensive guide, where we provide in-depth insights into deck synergy, meta strategies, and how to outplay opponents leveraging this dynamic card. Advance your strategy and unlock new paths to victory—immerse yourself in the enriching world of MTG with us.


Cards like Golden Ratio

The Golden Ratio finds its niche within Magic: The Gathering as a card that melds card draw with the synergistic nature of creature types. It bears resemblance to cards like Lead the Stampede, which digs for creatures and potentially adds several to the player’s hand. However, the Golden Ratio adds a distinct specificity by rewarding players for having a diverse spread of creature types on the battlefield, deepening the value of each creature drawn.

Distantly related is the spell Incubation // Incongruity, which also revolves around creatures, though it allows for a creature to be found among the top five cards only and lacks the card advantage element of drawing numerous creatures under specific conditions. The Golden Ratio demands a more complex and rewarding puzzle to be solved, akin to a more interactive and strategic gameplay experience.

Another comparable card is Adaptive Automaton, which encourages playing with creature types but from a different angle. Rather than drawing cards, it boosts creatures of a chosen type, providing a static bonus on the battlefield. While not a card draw spell, this parallel shows the breadth of emphasis on diversity among creature types in game play.

Considering their unique contributions to deck strategies, Golden Ratio offers a distinctive advantage for players who thrive on maximizing the value of their creature collection. It showcases a strategic depth that can support a range of multicolored creature-focused decks in MTG.

Lead the Stampede - MTG Card versions
Incubation // Incongruity - MTG Card versions
Adaptive Automaton - MTG Card versions
Lead the Stampede - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Incubation // Incongruity - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)
Adaptive Automaton - Magic 2012 (M12)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Golden Ratio 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 Golden Ratio and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Golden Ratio has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2021-04-16 Creatures have different power if their powers are not equal. For example, if you have a creature with 2 power, two creatures with 1 power, and a creature with -1 power, you will draw three cards as Golden Ratio resolves.

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