You know it exists only to be buffed by the Master of the Pearl Trident. Even the flavor text tells you so. They've been around since the earliest days (Alpha), have been variously allied with humans or not (in decks), and now they have a lord that will beef them up!
TomTomat
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
This dude actually has relevance now. Who would have thought.
jsttu
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(2 votes)
A 1/1 vanilla with a tribal creature type is still only a 1/1 vanilla. Yeah, tribal stuff happens but those are extra cards you could be doing other stuff with. To add injury to insult, there have been a number of interesting, strictly better one-drop merfolk that could fill the same niche and more. This guy really doesn't have an excuse to be used in any format, even limited unless you manage to pull multiples of the lord, which is quite obviously unlikely. This hasn't been printed since 7th edition and it should have stayed that way.
SkyknightXi
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
I do wonder why WotC didn't just do a functional reprint of Manta Riders. Pearl Cavaliers?
LordOfTheFlies87
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
wut
Eternal_Blue
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
I have nothing against throwbacks to simpler times, especially when they are accompanied by a reprinting of a Lord that, even after over 15 years, is still as powerful today. This lil' guy by itself my not see much play, but if you can draft a couple of 'em plus the Lord, you could have a fairly decent Blue aggro deck. I know we all like power creep, but sometimes it's nice to remember the days when it took more than a decent bankroll to win.
When will Mons's Goblin Raiders see reprinted though? It's terrible, but there will always be a place in my heart for it as well.
Majinkajisan
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
I lol'd. Is this card good for anything else? Really? Wow. Blue Aggro is on the rise.
GlassJoetheChamp
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Dammit, I thought that after Memnite, we'd be done with crap like this. Yeah, I get that they wanted something to pair with Master of the Pearl Trident, and they didn't want anything seriously powerful like Cursecatcher to go with a functional reprint of one of the most powerful lords in Magic history, but even Merfolk Looter would've been perfectly fine. I love that guy!
SyntheticDreamer
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Hey, he's back! Unfortunately, he still sucks. But his master, on the other hand...
JasonPaul601
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Much like Mons's Goblin Raiders, this guy is a victim of power creep in the worst way. There are so many merfolk that cost U that are strictly better than this that you'd never ever use it.
Not sure why they didn't just reprint Merfolk Spy.
Radagast
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
You know, WotC, you could have created something new "of the Pearl Trident" and quietly kept this silly card in the dustbin, where it belongs. I mean, I get it - "lookie, it has the same name as the Merfolk Lord," but come on now... What's next? Pashalik Mons becoming a Goblin Lord and bringing back the Mons Goblin Raiders?
Salient
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"The merfolk of the Pearl Trident have risen from the waves since the earliest days"
"have risen from the waves since the earliest days"
"since the earliest days"
"the earliest"
Anggul
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Was Merfolk Spy really too good?
DoragonShinzui
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
...*Collapses from laughter*
Lotsofpoopy
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
Pros like me realize that this card is pretty good with some merfolk lords.
TheWrathofShane
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
.5/5
1/1 for 1 is terrible, I dont care if it has a relevant tribe or not.
Shiny_Umbreon
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Merfolk Spy makes no sense in M13 because Master gives islandwalk.
Doaj
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Welcome to Modern! Love the artwork.
ojchahine6
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(2 votes)
"Let's waste some cardboard!"--WoTC
Claytoon
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Proud member of VCWWTMFT (Vanilla Creatures With Way Too Much Flavor Text)
I believe that Merfolk of the Pearl Trident now holds the record for the highest number of different "long" official flavor texts (five lines or more). It has the original one, the seventh edition one, and now it has this one.
Comments (22)
When will Mons's Goblin Raiders see reprinted though? It's terrible, but there will always be a place in my heart for it as well.
Not sure why they didn't just reprint Merfolk Spy.
"have risen from the waves since the earliest days"
"since the earliest days"
"the earliest"
1/1 for 1 is terrible, I dont care if it has a relevant tribe or not.
(Vanilla Creatures With Way Too Much Flavor Text)
Caller of Gales Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Ceta Disciple Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Cosi's Trickster Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Cursecatcher Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Drowner Initiate Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Enclave Cryptologist Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Manta Riders Creature — Merfolk
Merfolk Spy Creature — Merfolk Rogue
Merrow Bonegnawer Creature — Merfolk Rogue
Merrow Witsniper Creature — Merfolk Rogue
Reef Shaman Creature — Merfolk Shaman
Roo***er Diver Creature — Merfolk
Roo***er Mystic Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Sandbar Merfolk Creature — Merfolk
Skywatcher Adept Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Tidal Visionary Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Tidal Warrior Creature — Merfolk Warrior
Tideshaper Mystic Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Triton Shorethief Creature — Merfolk Rogue