This card is just amazing. Essentially deathtouch, a really good body, low mana cost, and potential card draw.
ALWAYS a 1 for 1 card, at least.
nineyears
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(3 votes)
if you can make this indestructable is a score, or even unblockable and then pump it up.
Gako
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Excellent card, 100% win/win every swing.
jugglingguy
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(6 votes)
I support the "low power, high toughness" decission
John-Bender
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
One of the cards I put four of in my non-humanoid Snake deck. Death-touch plus being a possible card drawer is nice. I like enchanting him with Street Savvy to keep up with STR of other creatures so he won't die as easy.
Zulp
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(4 votes)
Man, there are actually a surprising number of good snakes in Magic. Mire Boa, River Boa, this, Lorescale Coatl, Winged Coatl, Patagia Viper. Time to make a snake deck.
mdakw576
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I like the flavor in this snake. it has effectively deathtouch which makes it less pleasing to block, yet if it goes unblocked you draw a card.
skew
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
One destroyed creature or a free card per round ? Win/win situation, thank you. Mask of memory would fit him, too.
EternalLurker
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(6 votes)
Though this card is indeed extraordinarily powerful, I should mention something that no one seems to be recognizing. This creature-destruction ability is far weaker than Deathtouch, since it can't distribute its combat damage among multiple blockers. "Effectively deathtouch" is simply not accurate. At 1/3, that won't be a noticeable difference, but since this is a mono-Green card, pumping it up will not result in multiple creatures dying to it, and that's important.
death touch is better because of first strike. but I'm pretty sure if it gets pumped it can still kill multiple blockers.
JaxsonBateman
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I can't believe I've never put together a decklist that used this fantastic little guy. One of the things I loved when I first started in Zendikar was Giant Scorpion making things tough for the opponent - do I let him niggle through for 1, or do I trade with him, giving up something of much more significant power?
Ohran Viper does this and then some. Do I trade with him, or do I let him niggle through *and* draw a card? That's your proverbial rock and a hard place right there.
Personally, I've just thrown it in a Mimic Vat deck - the 'deathtouch' style ability makes it pseudo-spot removal, and the card draw makes it something I don't mind paying 3 for each turn.
Blatantly needs 'deathtouch' errata so that Mwonvuli Beast Tracker can tutor it up!
twiddleman12
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Master Of Etherium You Are So Awesome!!!
wholelottalove
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Best green commander card.
Subtle_Kay
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Cool Art Wrap Around Spike Super Cool I Like Go Go Kev.
ThatStunna
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
You can use Broken Fall to keep it alive (or more likely get a free draw per turn).
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Its deathtouch that has no synergy with first strike.
Fantastic card, 4.5/5 Makes me want to build a modern snake deck.
Aquillion
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
So awesome, and solves the normal problem with low-power deathtouch creatures. "Well, I guess I just won't bloc-- oh damn. Well, I can just block it with my-- oh damn."
sweetgab
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I used to play Scryb-Force (Scryb Ranger+ Spectral Force) in FNM, and this was one of the best cards. T1 mana elf, T2 this can win games.
raptorman333
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@JaxsonBateman: It's just raw card advantage. You either kill a card on the other side or you gain a card on your side. Very blue in an available green flavor; oh, snakes.
Equip with infiltration lens and make it a lot easier to guarantee card draw and the probability that this little guy is going to stay around.
Want to make a snake deck? Include Lorescale Coatl. You draw cards, coatl gets bigger. They block the coatl with the lense, he gets bigger. They let the viper through, coatl gets bigger. They block the viper with the lense coatl gets even bigger and they lose a card. Throw rancor and the lense on the coatl and the coatl is likely to get through... and get bigger. Put a snake umbra on any of them and, you guessed it, the coatl gets bigger.
Comments (28)
ALWAYS a 1 for 1 card, at least.
Don't forget Mystic Snake, Ophidian, and Sakura-Tribe Elder (well, before the M10 rule change.)
Sakura-Tribe Elder is still 90% awesome =)
Don't block him? I draw a card.
Thats bad vs bad situation for opponent.
but I'm pretty sure if it gets pumped it can still kill multiple blockers.
Ohran Viper does this and then some. Do I trade with him, or do I let him niggle through *and* draw a card? That's your proverbial rock and a hard place right there.
Personally, I've just thrown it in a Mimic Vat deck - the 'deathtouch' style ability makes it pseudo-spot removal, and the card draw makes it something I don't mind paying 3 for each turn.
Fantastic card, 4.5/5
Makes me want to build a modern snake deck.
Equip with infiltration lens and make it a lot easier to guarantee card draw and the probability that this little guy is going to stay around.
Want to make a snake deck? Include Lorescale Coatl. You draw cards, coatl gets bigger. They block the coatl with the lense, he gets bigger. They let the viper through, coatl gets bigger. They block the viper with the lense coatl gets even bigger and they lose a card. Throw rancor and the lense on the coatl and the coatl is likely to get through... and get bigger. Put a snake umbra on any of them and, you guessed it, the coatl gets bigger.
Screw it you can just build a blue...ehem, i mean control deck
the blue
this
(Seshiro the Anointed)
Plow Under
Stunted Growth
Shisato, Whispering Hunter
Sosuke's Summons
conjurer's closet
snake umbra
Keen Sense
the beef
masticore
rancor
serpent skin
molting skin
vigor
asceticism
whispersilk cloak or lightning greaves or swiftfoot boots or loxodon warhammer
throw in some land grab cards like sakura-tribe elder and yavimaya elder and you've got a deck
all in all 5/5 for this gem