Incremental GrowthHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Incremental Growth is a sorcery that targets three different creatures. You must designate which creature receives one counter, which receives two counters, and which receives three counters as you cast the spell. This allows you to scale your creatures' power levels according to their roles on the battlefield.

Step-by-Step Resolution

First, you cast the spell and choose three distinct targets, assigning the '1', '2', and '3' counter values to them. When the spell resolves, it checks if the targets are still legal. If a target has gained hexproof or left the battlefield, it receives nothing, but the remaining legal targets still receive their assigned counters. If all three targets become illegal, the spell fails to resolve and is put into the graveyard without any effect.

Common Mistakes

The most frequent error is attempting to cast this spell with fewer than three creatures on the battlefield. You cannot target the same creature multiple times to give it all six counters; you must choose three separate, unique creatures. Additionally, you cannot choose to give zero counters to a target; all three 'slots' must be filled if the spell is to be cast legally.

When to Play It

This card is best played in the mid-to-late game once you have established a board presence. It is particularly effective when you have creatures with abilities that scale with their power or creatures that benefit from having +1/+1 counters placed on them. Because it requires three targets, wait until you have a safe opening where your opponent is unlikely to remove your creatures in response.

Interaction examples

The Power Draw Interaction

Rishkar's Expertise

If you cast Incremental Growth to put three counters on your largest creature, you can then follow up with Rishkar's Expertise. Since the Expertise checks for the greatest power among creatures you control, the three counters from Incremental Growth will directly increase the number of cards you draw. Conversely, if you cast Rishkar's Expertise first, its secondary effect allows you to cast Incremental Growth for free, as its mana value is exactly 5.

Ramping into Growth

Skyshroud Claim

To cast Incremental Growth early, you can use Skyshroud Claim to pull two Forest cards from your library onto the battlefield. Since these lands do not enter the battlefield tapped, they can immediately provide the green mana needed to help pay for the 5-mana cost of Incremental Growth on a subsequent turn, or even the same turn if you have additional mana available.

Targeting Resilience

Imagine you target a 1/1, a 2/2, and a 3/3 creature with Incremental Growth. If an opponent destroys the 3/3 in response to the spell, the spell still resolves for the 1/1 and 2/2 creatures. The 1/1 will still get one counter and the 2/2 will still get two counters, ensuring your mana wasn't entirely wasted despite the opponent's interference.