Accelerate MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2002-02-04
Set symbol
Set name	Torment
Set code	TOR
Number	90
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Gary Ruddell

Key Takeaways

Accelerate boosts gameplay speed by untapping lands/creatures for quick mana or card advantages.
While powerful, discarding a card and restricted mana can limit strategic play.
Versatile in combos, Accelerate strategically speeds up creature impacts and deck cycle.

Text of card

Target creature gains haste until end of turn. Draw a card.

"I've seen lightning move slower." —Nomad sentry

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Accelerate MTG card offers a twofold benefit in terms of card advantage. Firstly, it allows you to cycle through your deck faster, enabling you to reach the cards you need more quickly. Secondly, by potentially untapping lands or creatures, it can indirectly lead to additional card plays, keeping your hand full and your options open.

Resource Acceleration: Accelerate shines in its ability to quickly ramp up your available resources. By untapping lands, it can lead to a significant boost in available mana within a single turn, propelling you ahead of your opponents in terms of resource development and increasing the speed at which you can play high-cost cards.

Instant Speed: The true power of Accelerate lies in its instant speed capability. This allows for unexpected plays and a dynamic response to your opponent’s actions. It enables strategic timing for when you need that extra mana boost or card draw, enhancing your ability to adapt to the flow of the game and outpace your opponent’s strategy.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Accelerate card demands that players discard another card, possibly depleting valuable hand assets which could detract from game momentum and strategy execution.

Specific Mana Cost: Enabling Accelerate in a deck necessitates a commitment to red mana. This specificity can constrict deck-building options, making it less versatile for players who favor a multicolored approach.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although Accelerate provides a burst of speed, its mana cost is significant when compared to other options. This can delay critical plays, leaving players behind in the fast-paced dynamic of modern MTG games.

Reasons to Include Accelerate in Your Collection

Versatility: Accelerate offers the advantage of giving creatures haste, allowing for instant impact on the board. It’s a valuable addition to decks that rely on speed and surprise to outmaneuver opponents.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combo setups, enabling a sudden burst of speed that can activate abilities or synergize with multi-card mechanics in a single turn.

Meta-Relevance: Given that it fits well into red aggro or tempo strategies frequently seen across various metas, Accelerate can be an excellent tactical response to slower, developing board states, providing a key advantage when timing is critical.

How to beat

Accelerate, known for its ability to grant haste to any creature and draw a card for a single red mana, is a card that can catch many players off-guard in MTG. However, it is not unstoppable. When facing a strategy that utilizes Accelerate, it’s essential to come prepared with removal or counterplay options that can be activated at instant speed. By keeping mana open and having spells like Lightning Bolt or Path to Exile, you can respond to the casting of Accelerate and remove the creature before it gets a chance to attack.

Consider also the value of preemptive measures such as Duress or Thoughtseize. These cards allow you to look at your opponent’s hand and potentially discard Accelerate before it’s played, disrupting their game plan. Additionally, packing your deck with creature-based control elements, such as Deathtouch or Flash entities, can also serve to neutralize the surprise element that Accelerate brings to the table, letting you block or eliminate the hasty creature as it attacks. With the right preparation and quick reflexes, beating Accelerate becomes manageable, keeping you one step ahead in the game.

BurnMana Recommendations

The interplay between speed and strategy in MTG elevates every match, and cards like Accelerate epitomize this delicate balance. Whether you’re looking to gain an immediate advantage with a burst of speed or you’re crafting a deck with the cunning to outmaneuver opponents, understanding and utilizing cards such as Accelerate can be pivotal. The realm of MTG is vast, with myriad strategies and combos waiting to be unlocked. For those seeking to refine their gameplay and embrace the full potential of their decks, mastering cards like Accelerate could mark the difference between defeat and dominance on the battlefield. Keen to deepen your strategic arsenal? Dive in with us and discover how to optimize your collection for victory.

Cards like Accelerate

Accelerate is a unique card within the realm of card manipulation options available to players in Magic: The Gathering. This card bears resemblance to another one known as Expedite, as both introduce card velocity by allowing a creature to gain haste and also facilitating a draw. Yet, Accelerate stands out by allowing players to cast it without a target, thus moving through their deck faster without the need for a creature on the board.

Comparably, Crimson Wisps is a spell that offers the same instant speed and draws a card, but it’s restricted to only targeting red creatures. Accelerate, by not having this limitation, offers more flexibility. Then there’s Samut’s Sprint, a card that not only gives haste but also boosts a creature’s power and awards it with an advantageous scry. While it edges out in terms of the buff provided, it doesn’t offer the pure card drawing speed of Accelerate.

In essence, while there are many parallels among cards granting haste and card draw in Magic: The Gathering, Accelerate emerges as a versatile tool for players aiming to maintain momentum and adaptability during game play.

Cards similar to Accelerate by color, type and mana cost

Smash to Smithereens - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

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