Overgrowth Elemental: Green Ramp vs Playability and Demand

In TCG ·

Overgrowth Elemental by Mathias Kollros — MTG Core Set 2020 card art

Image courtesy of Scryfall.com

Green ramp, resilient board presence, and the quiet math of demand

If you’ve ever brewed a green-focused game plan around ramp, bodies, and resilient board states, Overgrowth Elemental pokes its head into the conversation with a smile. This little green behemoth—costing 2 generic and 1 green mana, a modest three-mana threat at uncommon rarity—asks a simple question: how much does a solid etb (enter-the-battlefield) trigger really move the needle in a crowded match? 🧙‍♂️ In markets where demand can swing wildly between flashy rares and budget staples, a card like this lives in the space where playability and value converge in a predictable, evergreen way. The card’s native home is Core Set 2020 (M20), a set designed to be approachable for players re-entering the scene and for commanders looking to anchor elemental synergies. The green mana symbol in its identity is a quiet invitation to lean into +1/+1 counters and Elemental tribal strategy, where lifegain on death and a friendly ETB buff can snowball into game-changing moments. 🔥

On the battlefield, Overgrowth Elemental is a sturdy 3/2 creature that plays nicely with a theme you already know well: elemental synergy. Its etched line—“When this creature enters, put a +1/+1 counter on another target Elemental you control”—reads like a small, polite nudge toward tempo, not a splashy haymaker. The real spicy sauce arrives in its second line of text: “Whenever another creature you control dies, you gain 1 life. If that creature was an Elemental, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.” That means the Elemental isn’t just a one-off ramp piece; it’s a catalyst for life gain and a self-augmenting engine as Elementals fall to the board. In practice, you’re encouraging a resilient board-state that rewards you for keeping your Elementals alive and for trading into unfavorable board states with a net life swing and a potential power spike as the counters accumulate. It’s a design that rewards careful planning and tempo—an ode to the green mage’s favorite trick: weathering the storm and coming out stronger. 💎⚔️

In deckbuilding terms, Overgrowth Elemental sits at an intersection: it’s not the front-line brute force of a big green behemoth, but it plays the long game with a patient, growth-oriented cadence. You’re crafting a narrative where each elemental creature death nudges you toward a larger, more durable board state, while the ETB trigger keeps your offensive lines fresh. It’s the kind of card that rewards players who value synergy and incremental advantage over immediate, brute-fire reads. 🎨

Market demand for a card like this tends to show up most vividly in Commander/EDH circles, where tribal Elemental strategies can form the backbone of a deck, and lifegain-based playstyles are particularly welcome in longer, multiplayer games. In formats like Modern or Standard, Overgrowth Elemental often rides the line between “cute include” and “solid value pick,” with its actual tournament value influenced by the broader metas, available Elemental-support cards, and the presence of any powerful ETB triggers that can amplify its buff. The data snapshot from its price range—roughly a few cents for non-foil copies and a modest premium for foils—tells a familiar story: it’s accessible, not aggressively sought after, but with spikes in subcultures where Elemental subthemes or green ramp packages are in vogue. In other words, demand is steady but not explosive; it’s the kind of card you reach for when you’re building for consistency and synergy rather than chasing the next hot meta staple. 🔥💎

From a design perspective, Overgrowth Elemental exemplifies the micro-utility approach Wizards often embraces for core-set-era greens: a low initial cost, a flexible ETB trigger, and a self-synergizing death trigger that rewards tempo and board presence across turns. Its beauty emerges when you pair it with other Elementals that can take advantage of the +1/+1 counters, or with token strategies that generate recurring Elemental bodies to sustain lifegain money-flow and repeat buffs. The card’s foil- and non-foil availability means collectors and players alike can find a comfortable entry point into this strategy, while its Uncommon rarity keeps it within reach for casual metas and budget decks. 🎲

Practical deck ideas and playstyle notes

  • Pair with other Elementals to maximize the “counter on this creature” aspect. The more Elementals you control, the more potent the ETB buff and the potential for counters on the lead Elemental. ⚔️
  • Prioritize board states where small losses (sacrifices or chump blocks) turn into life gains, advancing you toward stabilizing finishers or a late-game pump through other +1/+1 effects. 🧙‍♂️
  • In Commander, consider Elemental tribal shells or ramp-focused greens that can leverage multiple ETB and death-trigger synergies. It’s a budget-friendly engine that scales as your board grows. 🎨
  • Foil copies in casual play often show up with more striking value, but even non-foils provide reliable performance in long games where attrition and lifegain edges matter. 💎
  • Be mindful of color identity in multi-color decks; as a green creature with a straightforward color identity, it naturally slots into monogreen or green-heavy splashes that want reliable synergy rather than flashy explosiveness. 🧭

For players shopping around the broader market, this card sits at an interesting cross-section: not a chase mythic, but a dependable engine piece for Elemental cohorts. It’s the kind of card that grows in value as you discover new Elementals to buff and as lifegain and +1/+1 counter mechanics continue to resonate in casual play and Commander circles. If you’re chasing a budget-friendly ramp engine that also respects elemental lore and tribal flavor, Overgrowth Elemental is a solid bet that often flies under the radar until the game unfolds in your favor. 🧙‍♂️💎

Phone Stand for Smartphones - 2 Piece Wobble Free Desk Decor

More from our network


Overgrowth Elemental

Overgrowth Elemental

{2}{G}
Creature — Elemental

When this creature enters, put a +1/+1 counter on another target Elemental you control.

Whenever another creature you control dies, you gain 1 life. If that creature was an Elemental, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.

ID: 7c9a13eb-2daf-43e0-b175-c6ec5b9e191e

Oracle ID: 3271e3b9-1710-4dfe-a381-00a3ee1032b2

Multiverse IDs: 466941

TCGPlayer ID: 192553

Cardmarket ID: 378600

Colors: G

Color Identity: G

Keywords:

Rarity: Uncommon

Released: 2019-07-12

Artist: Mathias Kollros

Frame: 2015

Border: black

EDHRec Rank: 16979

Penny Rank: 10352

Set: Core Set 2020 (m20)

Collector #: 187

Legalities

  • Standard — not_legal
  • Future — not_legal
  • Historic — legal
  • Timeless — legal
  • Gladiator — legal
  • Pioneer — legal
  • Modern — legal
  • Legacy — legal
  • Pauper — not_legal
  • Vintage — legal
  • Penny — not_legal
  • Commander — legal
  • Oathbreaker — legal
  • Standardbrawl — not_legal
  • Brawl — legal
  • Alchemy — not_legal
  • Paupercommander — not_legal
  • Duel — legal
  • Oldschool — not_legal
  • Premodern — not_legal
  • Predh — not_legal

Prices

  • USD: 0.09
  • USD_FOIL: 0.53
  • EUR: 0.13
  • EUR_FOIL: 0.30
  • TIX: 0.03
Last updated: 2025-11-14