Amok MTG Card


Amok - Stronghold
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeEnchantment
Released1998-03-02
Set symbol
Set nameStronghold
Set codeSTH
Number76
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byDermot Power

Key Takeaways

  1. Amok rewards risk with card advantage and can tip the scales during combat with its trample ability.
  2. Instant speed makes Amok a flexible tool for surprise tactics and strategy, vital for reactive gameplay.
  3. Despite its power, Amok’s specific mana needs and cost require thoughtful deck construction and timing.

Text of card

o1, Discard a card at random: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.

Crovax's rage was horrifying. Within moments only blood and shreds of flesh remained of the shapeshifter.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Amok ensures that each creature you sacrifice isn’t a complete loss. Instead, it mitigates the downside by drawing you a card. This helps keep your hand filled with options, maintaining pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: By offering the added benefit of trampling over defenses for lethal damage, Amok can quickly shift the tide, applying tremendous pressure and potentially ending games faster.

Instant Speed: Amok’s ability to be cast at instant speed provides incredible flexibility. This allows players to wait for the most opportune moment, such as during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions, to unleash a devastating surprise attack.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Amok requires players to drop a card from their hand into the graveyard to cast it. This action can deplete your hand, leaving fewer options for upcoming plays.

Specific Mana Cost: With its need for both black and red mana, Amok’s accessibility is limited mainly to dual-color decks, potentially restricting its inclusion in more mono-color focused strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Demanding a total of five mana, three generic and one each of black and red, Amok’s casting cost is on the higher side. In high-speed games, this mana investment can put you behind other players who might opt for lower-cost, quicker spells.


Reasons to Include Amok in Your Collection

Versatility: Amok finds its place in a diverse array of strategies, whether it’s powering up aggro decks or providing removal options for more controlled plays, its adaptability is key.

Combo Potential: With its ability to play both offense and defense, Amok can synergize with cards that feed on power boosts or utilize sacrificial mechanics, opening up several combo avenues.

Meta-Relevance: Given that Amok thrives in a battlefield where creature presence dictates the flow, it remains potent in metas dominated by creature-centric decks, maintaining its relevance across various competitive environments.


How to beat

Amok stands as a formidable challenge for players navigating the battlefields of Magic: The Gathering. This potent card can single-handedly turn the tides of a duel by empowering a creature with overwhelming strength and trample, enabling it to crush defenses and deal significant damage. To successfully disarm this threat, the key is in preemptive measures and reactive strategies.

To counteract Amok’s buff, a timely removal spell is essential. Cards like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can eliminate the enhanced creature before it has a chance to attack. If Amok is already in play, instant-speed interaction is your ally. Direct damage spells or effects that force the creature to tap without attacking can minimize the impact. Having a robust defense is also an effective strategy. Building a wall of creatures that can absorb the damage or employing cards with the “reach” ability to handle flying threats helps to prevent the loss of life points.

Ultimately, anticipating the play and maintaining control of the battlefield through strategic planning and resource management are the crucial components to ensure Amok doesn’t run rampant. By having the right answers at the right time, you can nullify its power and keep the game in your favor.


Cards like Amok

Amok brings its own flair to the arena of creature boost spells in Magic: The Gathering, drawing parallels with other notable buffs such as Giant Growth. The fundamental essence of Amok lies in its potential to significantly amplify a creature’s power, akin to how Giant Growth gives a creature a quick and formidable +3/+3 boost. Yet, what sets Amok apart is not just the sheer increase in power but also the trample it bestows, ensuring that excess damage cascades over to the opponent.

Invigorating Surge is another card that echoes the theme of creature enhancement. Where Amok focuses on power, Invigorating Surge excels in versatility by granting both +1/+1 counters and doubling up any existing ones, which can result in a substantial surge in both power and toughness. However, unlike Amok’s instant timing, Surge works at sorcery speed, offering a different tactical approach to gameplay. Berserk is also in the conversation, allowing for not only an increase in power but also a nifty attack trigger at the cost of the creature at the end of turn, unlike Amok which doesn’t have such a drawback.

When examining the offerings within the realm of creature enhancers, Amok proves to be a formidable contender for Magic: The Gathering players who favor aggressive strategies and seek to deal decisive blows by bulking up their creatures and trampling over defenses.

Giant Growth - MTG Card versions
Invigorating Surge - MTG Card versions
Berserk - MTG Card versions
Giant Growth - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Invigorating Surge - Core Set 2021 (M21)
Berserk - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Amok by color, type and mana cost

Power Surge - MTG Card versions
Raging River - MTG Card versions
Smoke - MTG Card versions
Goblin Kites - MTG Card versions
The Brute - MTG Card versions
Giant Strength - MTG Card versions
Lightning Reflexes - MTG Card versions
Errantry - MTG Card versions
Goblin Festival - MTG Card versions
Scald - MTG Card versions
Cave Sense - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Surge - MTG Card versions
Maniacal Rage - MTG Card versions
Battle Strain - MTG Card versions
Goblin Bombardment - MTG Card versions
Underworld Breach - MTG Card versions
Lightning Rift - MTG Card versions
Fractured Loyalty - MTG Card versions
Fire Whip - MTG Card versions
Emblem of the Warmind - MTG Card versions
Power Surge - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Raging River - Collectors' Edition (CED)
Smoke - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Goblin Kites - Fallen Empires (FEM)
The Brute - Renaissance (REN)
Giant Strength - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Lightning Reflexes - Mirage (MIR)
Errantry - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Goblin Festival - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Scald - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Cave Sense - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Flowstone Surge - Nemesis (NEM)
Maniacal Rage - Conflux (CON)
Battle Strain - Odyssey (ODY)
Goblin Bombardment - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Underworld Breach - Theros Beyond Death Promos (PTHB)
Lightning Rift - Onslaught (ONS)
Fractured Loyalty - Mirrodin (MRD)
Fire Whip - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)
Emblem of the Warmind - Future Sight (FUT)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Amok MTG card by a specific set like Stronghold, 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 Amok and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Amok has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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