Battlegrowth MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2003-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Mirrodin
Set code	MRD
Number	113
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	John Matson

Key Takeaways

Increases board presence, sets up for future turns, and potentially overpowers opponents with stronger creatures.
Instant speed play allows for flexibility in both offense and defense, enhancing tactical in-game decisions.
Mana specificity and discard requirements may restrict its use, suggesting thoughtful deck integration is essential.

Text of card

Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.

"I would gladly die for the forest, but I'm much better at killing for it."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Battlegrowth, you’re not just bolstering your board presence but effectively preparing for future turns. This growth can translate into overwhelming your opponent with superior creatures.

Resource Acceleration: Enhancing your creature at a critical moment can turn the tide of battle. By investing early into a creature’s potential via Battlegrowth, you’re setting the stage for more efficient plays as your creature becomes a more formidable force.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of Battlegrowth being at instant speed is not to be underestimated. This allows for reactive plays during your opponent’s turn or right before your own combat phase, making it a tactical tool in both defense and offense.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Some players may find the discard requirement of Battlegrowth challenging, especially in long games where hand resources become precious. Discarding can potentially deprive you of critical plays later in the game, introducing a significant risk for its benefits.

Specific Mana Cost: Battlegrowth’s need for specific mana types forces you to play it within certain decks, reducing its universal applicability. If your deck doesn’t have consistent access to the required mana, slotting in this card could disrupt your mana curve and strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment required can be steep relative to other options available for similar effects, making Battlegrowth a less attractive choice for players seeking to optimize their mana usage. In fast-paced games or in a meta that favors low-cost, high-impact plays, it may not be the most efficient card to include in your deck.

Reasons to Include Battlegrowth in Your Collection

Versatility: Battlegrowth is a card that seamlessly slots into a variety of green-centered decks. With its ability to permanently bolster a creature with an additional +1/+1 counter, it can turn even the most unassuming creature into a formidable threat over time.

Combo Potential: In decks that capitalize on +1/+1 counters, Battlegrowth shines by providing instant synergy. It can be the linchpin in combos that proliferate or manipulate counters for powerful effects that can swing the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: As the MTG landscape often fluctuates, cards that contribute to counter strategies maintain relevance. If +1/+1 counters are a prevailing theme, Battlegrowth presents a low-cost inclusion that keeps pace with the competitive environment, making it a smart, adaptable pick for collectors and players alike.

How to beat

Battlegrowth is a card that can bolster your foes’ ranks by placing a +1/+1 counter on a creature when it’s cast. This deceptively simple spell can lead to a spiraling advantage, especially in decks centered around counter manipulation and synergy. To effectively counteract Battlegrowth, one should consider removal spells that can handle creatures regardless of their size. Consider incorporating instant-speed removal that can disrupt the addition of counters, such as “Murder” or “Go for the Throat,” allowing you to react swiftly when an opponent casts Battlegrowth.

An alternative strategy would be to employ counter spells like “Mana Leak” or “Negate” to prevent Battlegrowth from taking effect in the first place. It’s important to maintain control and keep the board clear of creatures that could benefit significantly from those extra counters. Cards such as “Pithing Needle” or “Phyrexian Revoker” can be used to shut down abilities that may proliferate or further exploit the +1/+1 counters, ensuring that your opponent’s attempts at creating a formidable presence on the battlefield are curtailed.

In summation, pacing your removal and counter plays against a card like Battlegrowth is crucial. By disrupting the growth of your opponent’s creatures and proactively managing the stack, you position yourself to mitigate the threat Battlegrowth can pose and keep the playing field level.

Cards like Battlegrowth

Battlegrowth stands out in the realm of combat trick spells in Magic: The Gathering. Akin to Giant Growth, which offers a boost of three power and three toughness to a creature, Battlegrowth pushes this concept further by employing the proliferate mechanic. While Giant Growth is a one-time substantial buff, Battlegrowth offers a more nuanced advantage, allowing players to increase the number of counters on not just one creature, but potentially multiple permanents on the battlefield.

In the same ballpark is Strength of Arms. It grants a creature an increase in power and toughness with an additional edge if you control an Equipment. Even though Strength of Arms provides an instant power/toughness boost, it doesn’t offer the long-term counter accumulation that Battlegrowth does. There’s also Courage in Crisis, which puts a +1/+1 counter on a target creature and then proliferates. While it also enhances multiple permanents, it lacks the inexpensive casting cost of Battlegrowth, making Battlegrowth more versatile in tight mana situations.

Looking across the spectrum of combat trick spells, Battlegrowth is indeed a strategic card for MTG players who aim to build upon and amplify existing board advantages, potentially tilting the scales in their favor with strategic counter placement and proliferation.

Cards similar to Battlegrowth by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

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