Momentum MTG Card


Momentum - Urza's Destiny
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant
Released1999-06-07
Set symbol
Set nameUrza's Destiny
Set codeUDS
Number113
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byCarl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

  1. Card advantage from Momentum can turn matches by continuously replenishing your hand for sustained control.
  2. Resource acceleration from this card helps deploy powerful spells quickly, shaping the match tempo in your favor.
  3. The flexibility of instant speed plays gives Momentum users a tactical advantage in surprising opponents.

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, you may put a growth counter on Momentum. Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 for each growth counter on Momentum.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Having Momentum in your deck provides significant card advantage as it allows for potential card draw that keeps your hand filled with options. This edge over your opponent can be pivotal in controlling the flow of the match.

Resource Acceleration: Momentum offers a substantial boost in resources, potentially ramping up your mana capabilities to cast high impact spells sooner than usual. Access to accelerated resources enables a swifter execution of your strategy.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Momentum at instant speed offers strategic flexibility. React to your opponents’ moves by playing it at the end of their turn to ensure optimal use of your mana and maintaining the element of surprise in your tactics.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Among its challenges, the Momentum card necessitates that a player discards a card as part of its activation cost. This condition can deplete a player’s hand, potentially leaving them at a disadvantage during later stages of the game when options are crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Crafting a strategy around Momentum means dealing with its specific mana requirements, which include green mana. This restriction can be limiting, as it dictates the inclusion of green-producing lands or sources, thus possibly hindering deck diversification and strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Momentum comes with a mana value that may be considered steep for its effect, especially when measured against other enchantments or spells in the same cost range. For many players, this raises concerns about the pace of gameplay and mana efficiency throughout the match, as using Momentum could delay the casting of other pivotal spells.


Reasons to Include Momentum in Your Collection

Versatility: Momentum is a card that can seamlessly adapt to various play styles. It easily slots into decks that capitalize on incremental advantages each turn, making it a reliable card for both aggressive and controlling strategies.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combination with permanents that rely on or benefit from enchantment synergy. It opens doors to powerful interactions and can significantly bolster your board state when played alongside the right pieces.

Meta-Relevance: In a game landscape where buffing creatures or maintaining tempo is key, Momentum can prove to be a valuable asset. Its ability to keep the pressure on opponents while sustaining your own threats aligns well with the demands of many popular deck archetypes.


How to beat

Momentum is a unique enchantment in the world of MTG that has the potential to steadily grow a threat on your board with each passing turn. At face value, it might seem like an unstoppable force, especially in longer games where it can amass significant power. However, there are strategies to dismantle the growing danger posed by a card like Momentum.

One effective way to tackle a card that accrues value over time is to remove it before it becomes problematic. Enchantment removal spells like Disenchant or Naturalize are classic answers that can handle the threat at a low cost. Direct damage spells or creature removal can also preemptively address targets buffed by Momentum, curtailing the benefit before it escalates. Finally, controlling the pace of the game and maintaining pressure can limit the time Momentum has to impact the board, making it easier to keep the enchantment in check. Managing such menacing enchantments requires foresight and prompt action, ensuring that the momentum never shifts too far out of balance.


Cards like Momentum

Momentum in Magic: The Gathering is a unique enchantment that elevates creature-based strategies by granting incremental growth each turn. Relatable to Momentum is the card Giant Growth, which offers a temporary boost in power and toughness. Although Giant Growth provides an immediate and more substantial increase, it lacks the staying power of Momentum’s gradual build-up across several turns.

Another card that draws comparison is Rancor, an Aura that bestows not only a consistent power boost but also the invaluable trample ability. Whilst Rancor can be more impactful by enabling creatures to push damage through, Momentum’s persistent nature can often lead to an even larger creature over time. Unflinching Courage stands out as well with its lifelink and toughness enhancement, however, unlike Momentum, it requires a larger upfront mana investment for its benefits.

Evaluating these options, it’s clear that Momentum has its niche within the spectrum of creature buffs in Magic: The Gathering. Its subtle power lies in the potential for growth throughout the game, presenting a consistent threat that can snowball into a decisive advantage.

Giant Growth - MTG Card versions
Rancor - MTG Card versions
Unflinching Courage - MTG Card versions
Giant Growth - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Rancor - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Unflinching Courage - Dragon's Maze (DGM)

Cards similar to Momentum by color, type and mana cost

Kudzu - MTG Card versions
Wanderlust - MTG Card versions
Maddening Wind - MTG Card versions
Cycle of Life - MTG Card versions
Hall of Gemstone - MTG Card versions
Dense Foliage - MTG Card versions
Ancestral Mask - MTG Card versions
Broken Fall - MTG Card versions
Lure - MTG Card versions
Food Chain - MTG Card versions
Howling Moon - MTG Card versions
The Dragon-Kami Reborn // Dragon-Kami's Egg - MTG Card versions
Squirrel Nest - MTG Card versions
Alpha Status - MTG Card versions
Lifegift - MTG Card versions
Blanchwood Armor - MTG Card versions
Rites of Flourishing - MTG Card versions
Fyndhorn Pollen - MTG Card versions
Arachnus Web - MTG Card versions
Courser of Kruphix - MTG Card versions
Kudzu - Limited Edition Beta (LEB)
Wanderlust - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Maddening Wind - Ice Age (ICE)
Cycle of Life - Mirage (MIR)
Hall of Gemstone - World Championship Decks 1998 (WC98)
Dense Foliage - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Ancestral Mask - Eternal Masters (EMA)
Broken Fall - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Lure - Tenth Edition (10E)
Food Chain - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Howling Moon - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
The Dragon-Kami Reborn // Dragon-Kami's Egg - Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (NEO)
Squirrel Nest - World Championship Decks 2002 (WC02)
Alpha Status - Scourge (SCG)
Lifegift - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Blanchwood Armor - The Brothers' War (BRO)
Rites of Flourishing - Future Sight (FUT)
Fyndhorn Pollen - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Arachnus Web - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Courser of Kruphix - Mystery Booster (MB1)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Momentum MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Destiny, 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 Momentum and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Momentum has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2004-10-04 Putting on a counter is optional. If you forget, you can’t go back later even if it is something you usually do.

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