by Elton Gahr

Created on: November 01, 2009

Being able to increase the power and toughness of a creature is always useful and being able to do so as a surprise greatly increases the value of of that increase. It is because of that surprise factor that giant growth is one of the best removal spells in green, but of very little less importance is the fact that it costs only one green mana. This isn't just important because it can be played early in the game, but because it is far easier to spring that surprise later. There is a flaw though which is that if you use giant growth as a removal spell you generally can't use it to also damage the opponent.

Epic Proportions on the other hand is considerably more expensive, but it can still be used as a surprise late in the game and remain in play to give you an advantage on later attacks. It is a aura from the Lorwyn expansion set of magic the gathering which costs two green and four colorless. For this it has flash, meaning that you can play it any time you could play an instant and gives the enchanted creature +5/+5 and trample.
There is little doubt that when you play this card it is going to have a considerable affect on the game. If played right it should almost guarantee that you kill an attacking creature. This is important because it helps to overcome one of the major weaknesses of an aura which is that it gives your opponent a card advantage. This is mostly due to the addition of flash.

The major weakness is of course also clear. Six mana for any card is expensive and it requires that the card have a pretty major effect on the game to be worth it. This card has the potential either by allowing you to block or to give a creature trample after your opponent has attempted to chump block it, and in the final scenario it could even win the game but only if it is generally already close to an end.

Limited is where this card really shines. Green is very limited in its ability to kill creatures in limited generally it is all about bigger creatures to do so and this lets you do so. In addition creature removal is generally harder to find meaning you are less likely to lose this card and trample will help you over come cards like bitterblossom and other token generators. Sadly this doesn't really allow the card to rise beyond the level of casual play, but then very few auras ever do.

Learn more about this author, Elton Gahr.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.