Monstrify MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Abilities	Retrace
Released	2008-07-25
Set symbol
Set name	Eventide
Set code	EVE
Number	70
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Lars Grant-West

Key Takeaways

Monstrify allows deep deck exploration, granting significant card advantage.
Swift resource ramp-up aligns Monstrify with aggressive growth strategies.
Its instant speed enables reactive plays, adding to MTG complexity.

Text of card

Target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn. Retrace (You may play this card from your graveyard by discarding a land card in addition to paying its other costs.)

Gackt came to regret keeping his pet toads on his head.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Monstrify is a powerhouse when it comes to drawing cards. By allowing players to delve deep into their deck, it fosters a substantial card advantage, ensuring players have the tools they need to outmaneuver their opponents at every turn.

Resource Acceleration: Monstrify excels in its ability to ramp up resources swiftly. It synergizes well with decks that strive for growth and development, providing the necessary means to summon bigger threats earlier in the game and overpower adversaries with superior board presence.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Monstrify is further enhanced by its instant speed, permitting strategists to adapt to the fluctuating battlefield dynamics. This affords players the liberty to wait, gather information, and decisively respond to opponents’ actions, adding a layer of complexity and unpredictability to the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Monstrify needs you to pitch another card from your hand, which can be a steep price to pay, especially in the late game when your hand might be nearly empty.

Specific Mana Cost: This spell demands a precise combination of green mana, potentially restricting deck-building options and compelling players to focus on green-based mana resources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cost to cast Monstrify is significant, and while it can turn the tide of battle, there are cheaper alternatives that provide creature buffs without such a heavy mana investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Monstrify offers exciting flexibility for deck builders, seamlessly integrating with creature-focused strategies to enhance board presence and overpower opponents. Its ability to scale with the game makes it a long-term asset in any collection.

Combo Potential: This card opens up new avenues for synergy, turning any creature into a significant threat. With Monstrify, you unlock the door to numerous combos, especially in decks that capitalize on amplified creature stats or aim to summon massive creatures swiftly.

Meta-Relevance: Given its potential to tip the scales in creature-on-creature matchups, Monstrify aligns well with metas where larger creatures dominate the field. Its capacity to change the tide of a game with a single cast slots it into the realm of meta-relevant spells that can disrupt popular strategies.

How to beat

Monstrify is a card that twists the flow of a match with its capacity to significantly boost a creature’s power and toughness. Understanding its impact can be essential to gaining an advantage. Unlike buffs such as Giant Growth which offer a temporary surge, Monstrify has the potential to turn even the smallest creature into a formidable threat permanently.

To counteract the threat of Monstrify, players should prioritize removal spells in their deck. Options like Path to Exile or Doom Blade come into play here, allowing you to respond to the Monstrify buff by removing the augmented creature from the game altogether. Alternatively, countering the spell with cards like Cancel or Mana Leak can nip the problem in the bud before the creature grows out of control. It’s also wise to keep up a robust defense to withstand the onslaught of the enhanced creature until you can deploy your answer.

Ultimately, while Monstrify can potentially tilt the scale of the game, it’s not invincible. With the right strategy and card selection, players can mitigate its impact and maintain control of the game. Having an answer ready for when Monstrify hits the board is key to ensure that this card doesn’t overshadow your path to victory.

Cards like Monstrify

Monstrify holds its own within the dynamic arena of Magic: The Gathering creature buffs. It belongs to a family of spells that enhance creatures’ power and toughness. Comparatively, Giant Growth is a classic spell that grants a notable +3/+3 boost. Monstrify exceeds this with a potential +4/+4 increase but demands a sacrifice in return, pushing for a high-risk, high-reward gameplay strategy.

Another analogue is Titanic Growth which also offers a significant boost at +4/+4. However, Monstrify stands out for providing an additional benefit – an option to sac a land instead of a creature for a permanent buff. This distinction can be critical for long-term game advantage. Enlarge serves a similar purpose with its substantial bonus to power and toughness, but without the flexible sacrifice option that Monstrify offers, its favorability may wane among players looking for more strategic depth.

Overall, Monstrify is an excellent choice for players valuing adaptability and sizable enhancements. This spell’s sacrifice mechanic enriches MTG’s strategic landscape, offering a new level of tactical gameplay when beefing up creatures.

Cards similar to Monstrify by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

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

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Monstrify has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-08-01	A retrace card cast from your graveyard follows the normal timing rules for its card type.
2008-08-01	Casting a card by using its retrace ability works just like casting any other spell, with two exceptions: You’re casting it from your graveyard rather than your hand, and you must discard a land card in addition to any other costs.
2008-08-01	If the active player casts a spell that has retrace, that player may cast that card again after it resolves, before another player can remove the card from the graveyard. The active player has priority after the spell resolves, so they can immediately cast a new spell. Since casting a card with retrace from the graveyard moves that card onto the stack, no one else would have the chance to affect it while it’s still in the graveyard.
2008-08-01	When a retrace card you cast from your graveyard resolves, fails to resolve, or is countered, it’s put back into your graveyard. You may use the retrace ability to cast it again.