Explosive Growth MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Abilities	Kicker
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Number	187
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Arnie Swekel

Key Takeaways

Boosts mana pool for casting high-cost spells earlier, giving players a strategic edge.
Instant speed play allows flexibility and tactical responses during the game’s progress.
Demands precise green mana, making it less versatile for multi-colored or colorless decks.

Text of card

Kicker o5 (You may pay an additional o5 as you play this spell.) Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. If you paid the kicker cost, that creature gets +5/+5 until end of turn instead.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Explosive Growth provides significant advantage by enabling the ramping of your lands, effectively multiplying your resources which can be pivotal to outpacing opponents.

Resource Acceleration: Delivers direct access to additional land, which boosts your mana pool quickly. This acceleration is key to deploying higher-cost spells earlier than your opponent anticipates.

Instant Speed: The ability to play Explosive Growth at instant speed offers the flexibility to respond during an opponent’s turn, adapt to the evolving game state, and possibly create surprise interactions that can turn the tide of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Explosive Growth is the requirement to discard a card upon casting it. This additional cost can prove to be a setback, especially in game scenarios where your hand is already depleted, or when you’re holding onto key pieces that you cannot afford to lose.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Explosive Growth demands precise mana which includes green. For players running multiple colors or a colorless deck, incorporating this card might pose a challenge, thus reducing its versatility across different deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a relatively high mana cost attached to its potential for a substantial boost, Explosive Growth competes with other pump spell options. In fast-paced games, the four mana required can feel excessive when other spells could provide instant battlefield impact or when mana could be utilized for establishing board presence.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Explosive Growth offers flexibility in deck-building, easily integrating into strategies that require a sudden boost of power to overwhelm opponents or secure a win out of nowhere.

Combo Potential: This card can be a linchpin in combo decks, amplifying the effect of power-based triggers or enabling massive one-turn kills when paired with the right creatures or buffs.

Meta-Relevance: Given the fast-paced nature of many games, Explosive Growth can be pivotal in matches, allowing for swift and unexpected victories that align well with aggressive playstyles dominating current trends.

How to beat

Dealing with Explosive Growth in MTG can be a challenging but manageable task if approached correctly. This card stands out by potentially amplifying a creature’s power to an overwhelming extent for a relatively low mana cost, especially if its kicker cost is paid. Therefore, disrupting this strategy becomes essential when facing a deck that utilizes it.

One effective method is to keep removal spells in hand, ready to target the creature that might become a threat. Counterspells are also a strategic choice, as they can prevent Explosive Growth from ever coming into play. Another tactic involves keeping the battlefield clear of creatures that can be pumped, thus rendering Explosive Growth useless. Additionally, having instant-speed interaction enables you to respond directly to the casting of Explosive Growth, ensuring you maintain control.

The key to overcoming this card lies in anticipation and preparedness. By planning ahead and maintaining resources to counteract it, players can neutralize the potential threat posed by Explosive Growth and maintain an advantage in the game.

Cards like Explosive Growth

The realm of ramp spells in Magic the Gathering is vast, and Explosive Growth fits neatly into this category. When examining cards like Rampant Growth or Harrow, one can see that each serves the similar function of accelerating mana. Explosive Growth, however, offers something quite different with its kicker cost option, enabling a potentially larger boost in your mana pool. Rampant Growth is the straight shooter among the three, consistently increasing your land count by one for a low cost.

Kick in the kicker mechanic, and you find the excitement in Explosive Growth as it can potentially put four additional lands onto the battlefield, eclipsing both the consistent but modest Rampant Growth and the efficient but riskier Harrow. The latter also accelerates your mana but at the cost of sacrificing a land, which can sometimes backfire. In comparison, Explosive Growth keeps your land assets safe and, if played smartly, can springboard you far ahead of your opponents.

While each card has its niche and ideal situation, Explosive Growth’s potential for an explosive turn makes it a notable contender. It gives players a thrilling risk-versus-reward option for powering up their mana base in Magic the Gathering, highlighting the strategic depth and diversity within the game’s ramp spells.

Cards similar to Explosive Growth by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Explosive Growth MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Explosive Growth and other MTG cards: