Volcanic Eruption MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 88
1993-10-04 - Number 89
1993-12-01 - Number 89
1993-12-10 - Number 89
1993-12-10 - Number 89
1994-04-01 - Number 89
1994-04-01 - Number 89
1994-06-21 - Number 89
1995-04-01 - Number 112
1995-04-01 - Number 112
2022-11-28 - Number 385
2022-11-28 - Number 88
| Card sets | Released in 12 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Destroys X mountains of your choice, and does X damage to each player and each creature in play.
Cards like Volcanic Eruption
Examining the dynamics of destruction spells in Magic: The Gathering, Volcanic Eruption presents as an intriguing option for land control. Within this space, it invites comparisons to cards like Stone Rain and Molten Rain. Stone Rain provides a simpler approach, allowing players to target and destroy a single land at a lower cost. Volcanic Eruption, however, has the capacity to wipe out multiple lands of the same type, potentially crippling opponents using mono-colored decks.
Another related card is Icefall, which destroys lands and has the additional benefit of being recoverable from the graveyard thanks to the recover mechanic. Yet, Volcanic Eruption stands out for its ability to target multiple lands simultaneously, which can be a game-changer in late-game scenarios. Sinkhole is also a noteworhty comparison, a powerful black spell capable of land destruction at an efficient cost. Its pinpoint removal is excellent, but unlike Volcanic Eruption, it doesn’t scale with the game’s progression.
Considering the strategic impact on gameplay, the versatility of Volcanic Eruption within Magic: The Gathering shows its potential to be a force against certain deck types, offering a significant advantage in disrupting the opponent’s mana base when timed correctly.
Cards similar to Volcanic Eruption by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Volcanic Eruption provides a potent mechanism for board control. By destroying multiple lands, you not only impact the battlefield but also set your opponent back significantly in resources, effectively generating card advantage by dealing with multiple threats at once.
Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly accelerate resources for you, Volcanic Eruption can serve as a resource acceleration strategy by indirectly setting your opponent’s mana development behind, giving you a relative advantage in the amount of available mana and the ability to deploy threats quicker than your opponent.
Instant Speed: This powerful card operates at sorcery speed, which means strategic timing is essential. Although it doesn’t have the flexibility of instant speed, the impact it has on the game state can be so substantial that it compensates for this by potentially clearing the way for your win conditions unimpeded.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One key drawback of Volcanic Eruption is its potential card disadvantage. To maximize its effect and destroy more of your opponent’s lands, you may need to discard valuable cards, which could leave you with fewer options later in the game.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost for Volcanic Eruption is quite specific, requiring multiple blue mana. This can make it quite restrictive, as it fits primarily in decks that are heavily invested in blue mana and might be clunky or unusable in more diversified mana bases.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a starting cost that’s steep and increases with each additional land you aim to destroy, Volcanic Eruption comes with a high mana investment. In a game where timing and efficiency are crucial, you might find it challenging to cast it without falling behind on other important plays.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Volcanic Eruption brings flexibility to blue-centric control decks, offering a way to deal with multiple non-basic lands that could be enabling your opponent’s strategies. Its ability to disrupt land bases across the table makes it a useful tool in various matchups.
Combo Potential: This card can work in conjunction with land destruction strategies or serve as a potent finisher in a game where mana denial is key. Coupled with cards that allow you to return lands to the hand or play extra lands, Volcanic Eruption can significantly alter the board state to your advantage.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where land-heavy or multi-color decks prevail, having the option to clear out a swath of non-basic lands can be a game-changer, potentially stalling your opponents’ plans and securing a win through strategic land control.
How to beat
Volcanic Eruption is a potent force in the MTG arena that requires strategic consideration to counter effectively. This blue spell has the power to destroy multiple lands in one fell swoop, especially targeting lands of the mountain type. To circumvent the significant threat this card poses, players need to diversify their mana base, reducing reliance on mountain lands that are vulnerable to Volcanic Eruption’s impact.
Moreover, incorporating countermeasures such as counterspells can neutralize the eruption before it wreaks havoc. Cards like Counterspell or Negate are perfect defensive tools, allowing players to halt Volcanic Eruption before it resolves. Additionally, employing instant-speed land regeneration abilities or spells will aid in protecting your valuable mana resources from becoming collateral damage. At instant speed, regeneration spells or abilities can be a swift response to the destruction that Volcanic Eruption aims to inflict.
In essence, playing around Volcanic Eruption demands a blend of land diversity, precise timing of counteractions, and a sharp eye on mana management. Adapting your gameplay to expect and mitigate threats like this can mean the difference between victory and seeing your lands turn to ash.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Volcanic Eruption MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Volcanic Eruption 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
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Printings
The Volcanic Eruption Magic the Gathering card was released in 11 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by Douglas Shuler.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 88 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 89 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 89 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 89 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 89 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 89 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 89 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 89 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 112 | 1993 | Normal | White | Douglas Shuler | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 112 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 11 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 385 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 12 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 88 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Douglas Shuler |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Volcanic Eruption has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Volcanic Eruption 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 | Can be used with X equal to zero. This is useful if no Mountains are on the battlefield. |