Thrive MTG Card
2000-06-05 - Number 129
2006-05-05 - Number 98
2015-05-22 - Number 166
2019-11-07 - Number 1357
2022-07-08 - Number 161
2020-09-26 - Number MM2-166
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Put a +1/+1 counter on each of X target creatures.
"We wait and watch, and as we prepare for war, we grow strong."
Cards like Thrive
The Thrive card in Magic the Gathering offers players a unique twist in their deck-building strategy, particularly when compared to cards with similar purposes. Like Thrive, Giant Growth is a classic card that boosts creature’s power and toughness. While both cards can swing a game by empowering creatures, Thrive allows for the distribution of +1/+1 counters across multiple creatures, providing a more versatile application in multiplayer scenarios or when boosting an army of tokens.
Another card worth mentioning is Invigorate, which provides a large buff to a single creature without any mana cost if you give your opponent 3 life—a trade-off that can be strategically advantageous in aggressive decks. However, unlike Thrive, it doesn’t give the player the choice to spread out the power increase across different creatures, which can be less beneficial in wide board states.
Ultimately, players must consider the trade-offs between flexibility and individual power spikes when integrating these cards into their decks. Thrive’s ability to affect multiple targets might be less impactful on a single creature but offers adaptability in situations where board presence is key, situating Thrive as a uniquely balanced card in the creature enhancement category of Magic the Gathering.
Cards similar to Thrive by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Thrive enables a mass buff across multiple creatures, effectively amplifying the potential draw of cards through other synergistic effects or outcomes.
Resource Acceleration: By increasing the +1/+1 counters on your creatures, Thrive potentially raises your board state’s power, indirectly helping you accelerate towards a winning condition without incurring additional mana costs for similar effects.
Instant Speed: The ability to cast Thrive at instant speed offers strategic flexibility, allowing players to surprise opponents during combat or at the end of their turn, thus optimizing the timing and impact of the card’s effect.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Thrive requires you to return a creature you control to your hand, which could disrupt your board presence and result in a loss of momentum during the game.
Specific Mana Cost: Its green mana cost necessitates a commitment to green mana-producing lands or sources, potentially limiting its inclusion in multicolored decks that don’t strongly feature green.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its effect of placing +1/+1 counters, it has a base cost plus an additional cost per counter, which may not be as cost-effective compared to other counter-placement spells in MTG.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Thrive proves to be a valuable addition to a myriad of decks, shining in those that capitalize on +1/+1 counters and proliferate mechanics. Its ability to enhance multiple creatures makes it a must-have for any growth-centric strategy.
Combo Potential: This card excels when paired with creatures that have evolve, unleash, or modular, leveraging its full potential to amplify your board presence significantly. Players who love crafting intricate synergies will appreciate the depth Thrive adds to their gameplay.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where combat tricks and creature advantages are crucial, Thrive holds its ground. Its low mana cost and scalability ensure it remains a relevant choice for players looking to outmaneuver their opponents in creature-heavy match-ups.
How to beat Thrive
Thrive is an intriguing spell in Magic: The Gathering, functioning as a versatile combat trick and board enhancer. Its key feature lies in its ability to distribute any number of +1/+1 counters across your creatures for a single green mana plus additional mana for each desired counter. This scalability makes it a handy tool for turning even the smallest creatures into significant threats, allowing for unexpected swings in the state of the board.
To counter the effects of Thrive, one needs to focus on timing and disruption. Utilizing instant-speed removal or counter spells just as your opponent casts Thrive can be an effective way to disrupt their strategy. Spot removal can help manage individual creatures that become too powerful, and board wipes can reset the stage altogether. It might also be wise to keep an eye on an opponent’s mana availability, as a tapped-out player won’t be able to maximize Thrive’s potential. Additionally, employing creatures with reach or flying can help defend against pumped-up ground units, ensuring your defenses remain robust in the face of an enhanced assault.
Managing the threats at the right time and staying one step ahead of your opponent’s enhancements will help ensure that their attempts to Thrive don’t result in your downfall during the match.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Thrive MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy and Dissension, 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 Thrive and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Thrive Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2000-06-05 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000-06-05 | Prophecy | PCY | 129 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Mike Ploog | |
| 2 | 2006-05-05 | Dissension | DIS | 98 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Daren Bader | |
| 3 | 2015-05-22 | Modern Masters 2015 | MM2 | 166 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daren Bader | |
| 4 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1357 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daren Bader | |
| 5 | The List | PLST | MM2-166 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daren Bader | ||
| 6 | 2022-07-08 | Double Masters 2022 | 2X2 | 161 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daren Bader |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Thrive has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Thrive card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | It means X different creatures. You can’t give more than one +1/+1 counter to a creature with this spell. |