Pointed Discussion

Aside from the fact that this card is rather ridiculous (e.g. when compared to Elvish Archers), shouldn't its creature type actually include the type Insect as well? I mean, look at the artwork, look at its name.
If Coiling Oracle manages to be an Snake Elf, this shouldn't have any problems being a Snake Insect, should it?

I'm also wondering how a Hornet Cobra can not have a deathtouch-related ability...

Talking about "power creep" in the early days of Magic, look at Land Leeches.

One of the most obsoleted cards ever, obsolete when printed, and obsoleted in the next set...I'm surprised this card doesn't give out poison counters...

Really should have had a different ability. Deathtouch or similar, or poison. Hmm, Deathtouch and First Strike would be a very nice ability combination. As would Deathtouch and Poisonous.

Terrible card - but great art.

"I have this card in a different language.. Spanish or something"

That would be Italian. Legends' printrun in Italian was almost three times greater than in English.

"Aside from the fact that this card is rather ridiculous"

Well, the name alone...

Wizards should make a set with the theme: "Vertebrate-Invertebrate hybrids"

...Wasp-Dog
...Octophant
...Squid-fish
... Glowworm-Gorilla

etc...

I have this card in a different language..

Spanish or something

Anyways, there are better cards.

Not sure this warrants a half star. It's certainly outdated, but especially for the time there were worse 3 CMC green creatures out there (the 2/2's with landwalk come to mind from Ice Age). But either way, I like to think it's a decent tradeoff compared to Scathe Zombies, rather have the first strike than one toughness.

Of course, that's a black and this is green, so... still, I'd nearly consider this playable, but not quite. Maybe 1 and a half stars or so.

I like the art.. but that's pretty much it :/

Yeah, Elvish Archers are way better and already were in the game, but you can only have 4 elvish archers in a deck. At the time, Elvish Archers were one of the most cost-effective creatures, and I guess they didn't want to simply give the ability to have 8 elvish archers in a deck (while apparently they were fine with Ice Age giving you 8 Llanowar Elves in a deck). It's fairly bad, but not the worst card.

This is definitely underrated. Sure there are better creatures, there were even better creatures then, but this is first strike in green folks. Seach gatherer for current first strikers in green legal in Standard right now. You'll find one, and you have to spend a red mana to activate it. Out-of-color abilities SHOULD be overcosted. In fact, there are only 8 first strikers playable in Mono-green in all of magic. 3 are rare, 1 is only when blocking, 2 require 2 mana to activate, this guy, and another card just like this guy but with +0/+1. People used this guy when he was around. Not a lot, but he got some use.

Why did this need to exist when Elvish Archers was printed in Alpha?

When you combine a hornet with a cobra, you get something that has no poison and can't fly. Makes perfect sense.

Real world flavour text on a non-core set card? Strikes my modern eyes as bizarre.
Still, can't go wrong with Kipling.