Evolutionary Escalation MTG Card

Evolutionary Escalation - Commander 2016 (C16)

Commander 2016 (C16)
2016-11-11 - Number 22

Evolutionary Escalation - Treasure Chest (PZ2)

Treasure Chest (PZ2)
2016-11-16 - Number 32

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment

Key Takeaways

Card boosts creature power every turn, potentially leading to a significant advantage on the battlefield.
Accelerates board state growth without extra card investment, optimizing resource allocation for other strategies.
Automatic triggering keeps opponents guessing, bolstering your strategy with surprise and tactical depth.

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, put three +1/+1 counters on target creature you control and three +1/+1 counters on target creature an opponent controls.

Survival is a constant competition from which both sides can benefit.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Evolutionary Escalation is a unique enchantment offering a sustained boost to your creatures. This effect can build up over several turns, resulting in a potential overwhelming advantage as your creatures become increasingly larger threats.

Resource Acceleration: Rather than a traditional form of mana ramp, this card accelerates your board state. By progressively enlarging your forces without expending additional cards from your hand, it indirectly frees up your resources to be allocated elsewhere, such as disruption or protection.

Instant Speed: Though Evolutionary Escalation operates at sorcery speed due to its enchantment nature, its automatic triggering at the beginning of your upkeep can catch opponents off guard. This allows you to maintain the element of surprise, as you don’t need to signal when you’re about to strengthen your creature, unlike instant speed spells and abilities that may require open mana and telegraph your plans.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Evolutionary Escalation asks players to discard a creature card to activate its ability, which can be costly if your hand is already running thin on creatures, thus potentially hindering your board presence in game.

Specific Mana Cost: Evolutionary Escalation carries a hybrid mana cost, and though flexible, this still requires dedication to either of its colors which may not align with every deck’s mana base or strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana, inclusive of green and either white or blue, this card’s mana investment might be steep when compared to other options that can provoke a creature’s evolution or provide similar benefits for less, allowing for more efficient mana usage elsewhere in your gameplay.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Evolutionary Escalation adds layers of complexity to any deck, offering strategic depth and adaptability. This card adapts well to various play styles and decks focused on +1/+1 counters, constantly adding value as the game progresses.

Combo Potential: With its ability to consistently buff creatures, it pairs excellently with abilities that trigger on counters or when creatures become larger, creating opportunities for powerful synergies and game-changing plays.

Meta-Relevance: As the game’s landscape evolves, cards that can create large threats quickly become pivotal. Evolutionary Escalation’s impact on board state and its capacity to tip the scales in creature-centric matches makes it a smart choice for staying competitive.

How to beat

Evolutionary Escalation in Magic: The Gathering is notable for its ability to rapidly enhance creatures each upkeep, tilting the power scale in a player’s favor. To counter this formidable card, strategic removal is key. Utilizing instant-speed spells that can disrupt the creature before it grows too large is essential. Cards like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization offer a solution by removing a creature regardless of its size, thereby neutralizing the threat posed by Evolutionary Escalation before it becomes unmanageable.

Another effective strategy is to focus on countermagic. Cards like Negate or Dovin’s Veto can prevent Evolutionary Escalation from ever hitting the battlefield, bypassing its effects entirely. For those who prefer a more direct approach, board wipes such as Wrath of God can reset the playing field, eliminating all creatures that have benefited from Evolutionary Escalation’s boost.

Overall, overcoming Evolutionary Escalation requires a blend of timing and choosing the right spells to ensure that the escalating advantage it provides is kept in check. By being proactive with removal and reactive with countermagic, players can thwart this advancement and maintain equilibrium on the battlefield.

Cards like Evolutionary Escalation

In the vast landscape of grow-your-creatures spells within MTG, Evolutionary Escalation finds its unique niche. Like Mutant’s Prey, it offers a way to buff creatures, yet Evolutionary Escalation does so by granting consistent, automatic increases on not just your creature but an opponent’s as well, making for a dynamic play environment.

When looking at counterparts such as Hadana’s Climb, which focuses on powering up a single creature each turn, Evolutionary Escalation stands out by having the potential to escalate two creatures – a duality that can be strategically leveraged. However, Hadana’s Climb provides control over which creature is strengthened, which isn’t the case with the auto-triggered Evolutionary Escalation.

Another kindred card is Blessings of Nature, which distributes +1/+1 counters on a more immediate but single-use basis. While Blessings of Nature offers an immediate board advantage, Evolutionary Escalation requires a longer-term strategy, fostering rising tension in each upkeep. In essence, each card serves a player’s tactical approach differently, with Evolutionary Escalation appealing to those who appreciate a gamble on the future board state.

Cards similar to Evolutionary Escalation by color, type and mana cost

Survival of the Fittest - MTG Card versions

Shigeki, Jukai Visionary - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Evolutionary Escalation MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2016 and Treasure Chest, 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 Evolutionary Escalation and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Evolutionary Escalation Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-11-11 and 2016-11-16. Illustrated by Kev Walker.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2016-11-11	Commander 2016	C16		22	2015	Normal	Black	Kev Walker
2	2016-11-16	Treasure Chest	PZ2		32	2015	Normal	Black	Kev Walker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Evolutionary Escalation has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2016-11-08	If one target becomes illegal before Evolutionary Escalation’s ability resolves, you’ll put three +1/+1 counters on the target that’s still legal.
2016-11-08	If there aren’t two legal targets for Evolutionary Escalation’s ability as it’s put onto the stack, it’s taken off the stack and no creature gets +1/+1 counters.
2016-11-08	You choose two targets for Evolutionary Escalation’s ability as it’s put onto the stack. No player may cast spells or activate abilities during your turn before this happens.