Ichor Explosion MTG Card


Ichor Explosion - New Phyrexia
Mana cost
Converted mana cost7
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery
Released2011-05-13
Set symbol
Set nameNew Phyrexia
Set codeNPH
Number64
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byJames Ryman

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides card advantage when creatures with +1/+1 counters are plentiful.
  2. Instant speed allows for surprise interactions during opponents’ turns.
  3. Demands specific mana and discarding a card, which may limit its play.

Text of card

As an additional cost to cast Ichor Explosion, sacrifice a creature. All creatures get -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the sacrificed creature's power.

The first explosion that didn't excite goblins.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ichor Explosion provides a significant advantage by potentially allowing you to draw multiple cards if numerous creatures on the battlefield have +1/+1 counters.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing resources, this card can decimate opponents’ boards when creatures with counters are present, accelerating your route to victory by clearing the way for your attacks.

Instant Speed: As an instant, Ichor Explosion is a versatile addition to your deck, capable of being cast in response to enemy moves, creating surprise shifts in board state to your benefit.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside to Ichor Explosion is the necessity to discard a card to fully harness its potential. This can disrupt your hand balance, particularly detrimental when your hand size is already on the lower end.

Specific Mana Cost: This card has a strict mana requirement, needing both black and red mana to cast. This specificity can be restrictive, hindering its inclusion in decks that are not tailored to accommodate such a mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Ichor Explosion comes with a high mana cost, which could be inefficient compared to other cards within the same mana range. This can delay your gameplay, as allocating five mana to cast it may not always align with your deck’s tempo and strategic plays.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Ichor Explosion adapts to a variety of strategies, fitting well in decks that manipulate +1/+1 counters or manage to turn potential self-harm to an advantage.

Combo Potential: It pairs adeptly with cards that protect your creatures from negative effects, allowing you to leverage its power while safeguarding your board presence.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta with decks that go wide, Ichor Explosion offers a sweeping solution that can disrupt opponents’ carefully laid plans.


How to beat

Ichor Explosion is an impactful card that can change the dynamics of gameplay swiftly in MTG. When facing this card, one effective strategy is to utilize counter spells to prevent it from resolving. Cards like Negate or Dovin’s Veto can be quite useful as they specifically target spells that aren’t creature spells. For those running creature-centric decks, creatures with indestructible or those that can regenerate provide resilience against Ichor Explosion’s board wipe potential.

Another approach is to take advantage of graveyard recovery spells that can immediately bring back your important creatures after an Ichor Explosion resolves. This is where cards such as Unearth or Back from the Brink become handily relevant. Meanwhile, having a solid draw engine can also help you recover quickly by replenishing your hand and offering alternatives to rebuild your board presence rapidly.

Ultimately, minimizing the damage dealt by Ichor Explosion involves a combination of smart deck building and timely responses. This includes keeping up mana for counter-spells, investing in resilient creatures, and ensuring you have the means to recover your board state swiftly should the explosion set off.


Cards like Ichor Explosion

Ichor Explosion is an intriguing presence in the realm of area-of-effect spells in MTG. Measurement against other cards such as Black Sun’s Zenith reveals distinguishing features. Black Sun’s Zenith is renowned for its scalability and recurrence potential since it can shuffle back into the library. However, Ichor Explosion is unique due to its function of sacrificing a creature to determine the -1/-1 counter distribution scale. This characteristic enables strategic depth and surprise factor, unlike the constant rates of Black Sun’s Zenith.

Comparably, Toxic Deluge poses a streamlined and flexible option with a life payment determining the magnitude of effect, yet does not offer the same potential mana savings or surprise that can come with Ichor Explosion when a large creature is on board. Pernicious Deed is another card to consider, capable of sweeping across multiple card types but it cannot match the instant-impact Ichor Explosion holds when a swift response is needed.

Reviewing the utilities and trade-offs of these spells, it’s apparent that Ichor Explosion assumes a niche yet potentially formidable role within MTG’s board control strategies, particularly for those valuing the art of deception and timing in game play.

Black Sun's Zenith - MTG Card versions
Toxic Deluge - MTG Card versions
Pernicious Deed - MTG Card versions
Black Sun's Zenith - Mirrodin Besieged Promos (PMBS)
Toxic Deluge - Commander 2013 (C13)
Pernicious Deed - Apocalypse (APC)

Cards similar to Ichor Explosion by color, type and mana cost

Vampiric Feast - MTG Card versions
Return of the Nightstalkers - MTG Card versions
Morality Shift - MTG Card versions
Peer into the Abyss - MTG Card versions
Necrotic Hex - MTG Card versions
Reaper of Night // Harvest Fear - MTG Card versions
Cabal Conditioning - MTG Card versions
Wit's End - MTG Card versions
Phthisis - MTG Card versions
Plague of Vermin - MTG Card versions
Absorb Vis - MTG Card versions
Repay in Kind - MTG Card versions
Sorin's Vengeance - MTG Card versions
Covenant of Blood - MTG Card versions
Necromantic Selection - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Conscription - MTG Card versions
Behold the Beyond - MTG Card versions
Cruel Entertainment - MTG Card versions
Kindred Dominance - MTG Card versions
Never // Return - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Feast - The List (PLST)
Return of the Nightstalkers - Portal Second Age (P02)
Morality Shift - Judgment (JUD)
Peer into the Abyss - Core Set 2021 Promos (PM21)
Necrotic Hex - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)
Reaper of Night // Harvest Fear - The List (PLST)
Cabal Conditioning - Scourge (SCG)
Wit's End - Magic 2013 (M13)
Phthisis - Forgotten Realms Commander (AFC)
Plague of Vermin - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Absorb Vis - The List (PLST)
Repay in Kind - The List (PLST)
Sorin's Vengeance - The List (PLST)
Covenant of Blood - The List (PLST)
Necromantic Selection - Starter Commander Decks (SCD)
Ghastly Conscription - Commander 2019 (C19)
Behold the Beyond - Shadows over Innistrad Promos (PSOI)
Cruel Entertainment - Commander 2016 (C16)
Kindred Dominance - Wilds of Eldraine Commander (WOC)
Never // Return - Amonkhet Remastered (AKR)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ichor Explosion MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia, 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 Ichor Explosion and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ichor Explosion has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2011-06-01 X is the power of the sacrificed creature as it last existed on the battlefield.
2013-04-15 Players can only respond once this spell has been cast and all its costs have been paid. No one can try to destroy the creature you sacrificed to prevent you from casting this spell.
2013-04-15 You must sacrifice exactly one creature to cast this spell; you cannot cast it without sacrificing a creature, and you cannot sacrifice additional creatures.

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