Unnatural GrowthHow it works & interactions with other cards

Doubling Your Power

Unnatural Growth has a triggered ability that fires at the beginning of each combat phase—this includes your own turn and every opponent's turn. When the ability resolves, it checks the current power and toughness of each creature you control and grants a bonus equal to those values. For example, if you have a 3/3 creature, it gains +3/+3 to become a 6/6. This effect is not a layer-based base power change; it is a temporary buff that lasts until the end of the turn.

Resolution and Timing

The ability triggers during the 'Beginning of Combat' step, which happens before attackers are even declared. This gives you the chance to see your creatures grow before you decide how to swing. If a creature enters the battlefield after this ability has resolved, it will not receive the bonus. Similarly, if a creature's power or toughness changes later in the combat phase, the 'doubling' effect does not update to match the new numbers; it only cares about the values at the moment the trigger resolves.

Layering and Multipliers

A common point of confusion involves how multiple doubling effects interact. If you control two copies of Unnatural Growth, they trigger separately. The first one doubles the creature's original stats, and the second one doubles the new, already-doubled stats. It is also important to note that this effect is an increase in stats, not the placement of +1/+1 counters, so it does not interact with effects that care about counters.

Strategic Implementation

Because this triggers on every combat, it makes you incredibly difficult to attack. Your blockers will be twice as large as they appear during the main phase. To maximize this card, prioritize creatures with Trample or Lifelink, as doubling their power creates massive life swings or lethal damage that can't be fully blocked.

Interaction examples

The Doubling Chain

If you control two copies of Unnatural Growth and a creature with 2 power and 2 toughness, both enchantments trigger at the start of combat. The first trigger resolves, giving the creature +2/+2 (making it a 4/4). Then, the second trigger resolves. Since the creature is now a 4/4, it gains an additional +4/+4, resulting in a massive 8/8 creature for the turn.

Combat Sequence and Card Draw

Guardian Project

If you cast a creature during your main phase, Guardian Project triggers first, allowing you to draw a card. Once you move to the combat phase, Unnatural Growth triggers. It is important to remember that Unnatural Growth only affects creatures currently on the battlefield. If you use a flash creature or an instant-speed effect to bring a creature out after the combat trigger has resolved, that new creature will not be doubled.

Stat Buffs vs Counters

Doubling Season

While both cards involve 'doubling,' they do not interact directly. Unnatural Growth provides a stat bonus until end of turn, but it does not place +1/+1 counters on your creatures. Therefore, Doubling Season's ability to double the number of counters placed will not trigger when Unnatural Growth resolves. However, if your creatures already have counters from another source, Unnatural Growth will double the total power (including the bonus from those counters) for the duration of the combat.