some very good ideas here, basically you want the cobra as a machine-gun effect... also look for themes that involve taking another turn and/or another combat phase etc.
and then there are a few cards that will double counters.... know what I mean ;)
The card itself is solid for the gameplay, ties oppnt mana up at the very least, it's 2/2 and real quality artwork.
I think some of the more recent sets missed out on the opportunity to get the poison theme back out there, although you could scrap together a snake theme(snake as the creature type), you'd still have to insert a dominant gameplay along with them.
nammertime
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
Gilder Bairn doesn't work since players are not permanents. You can machine gun more easily than pinging enchantment + Instill Energy + Seeker of Skybreak by using a pinging enchantment, Intruder Alarm and some cheap token generator (Squirrel Nest). Intruder Alarm allows you to semi-lock your opponent, or make him suffer for summoning creatures by pinging him again for another poison counter.
I'd rather use Marsh Viper, but this guy has his uses as a cheaper-cost supporting cast member in a poison deck. He's also strictly better than all the black poison creatures.
merigold
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
I like Quirion Ranger, Emerald Charm, Power of Fire, Seeker of Skybreak, Vitalize and Viridan Longbow, plus Marsh Viper. 8 poison creatures, 10-12 cards that allow them to tap and do damage, 8-12 cards that allow them to untap, plus assorted mana producing walls (Wall of Roots, Tinder Wall, Vine Trellis) to speed up mana and defend. My version is all common!
Do have a question though - does the poisoned opponent have to pay for the counters before his or her next upkeep? The effect is a beginning of upkeep, so when does the payment have to happen?
ddde
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Whispersilk cloak does make a creature unblockable, but there are tons of ways to prevent damage, all of which will work to stop both the damage and the poison counters. There are also a lot fo ways to gain life which will allow you to survive lots of unblockable creatures, but won't help with the poison counters. Conversely,there are a very few ways to get rid of poison counters. Most methods to remove counters remove them from permanents, or creatures, not from players.
yyukichigai
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(2 votes)
@Block-Bastard: I've done the aforementioned combo several times, though with a Thousand-Year Elixir instead of the Seeker of Skybreak. It works really, really well. Especially if you have multiple Cobras out. Especially especially if you also have a Vitalize in hand.
Probably the most messed up thing about this card is the payment, or rather its specifics: not only does the damaged player have to pay {2} for every poison counter they want to stave off, they have to do it before their turn starts. Look closely: the counters are added at the beginning of the upkeep, not during it. That means if you damage your opponent when they're tapped out you're essentially giving two poison counters for each time you damage them.
Goatllama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hey guysh, I'm the shabretooth cobra! HSHHHH
tHeMightyyAK123
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Old school poison for the win. This is blight mambas great-grandfather.
Technetium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Possibly the best of the old-school poison counter creatures. 2G is not a terrible cost for a 2/2. The older poison counter cards (from Legends and The Dark) were much worse.
Three_of_Nineteen
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Or just put an aura or equipment on it that allows it to ping? It doesn't say COMBAT damage.
If you can find a way to do it repeatedly, you could win very fast.
LaserfaceJones
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@yyukichigai
Your untap step is before your upkeep.
chuckitup
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Question: If this card does player damage on successive turns, would the opponent still only get 1 poison counter on the next upkeep if 2 mana weren't paid? Or do they get 1 poison counter for each instance of damage? What about if you have 2 Sabertooth Cobra? If each cobra does damage on the same turn, would the upkeep cost be 4 to prevent 2 poison counters?
Comments (14)
and then there are a few cards that will double counters.... know what I mean ;)
The card itself is solid for the gameplay, ties oppnt mana up at the very least, it's 2/2 and real quality artwork.
I think some of the more recent sets missed out on the opportunity to get the poison theme back out there, although you could scrap together a snake theme(snake as the creature type), you'd still have to insert a dominant gameplay along with them.
I'd rather use Marsh Viper, but this guy has his uses as a cheaper-cost supporting cast member in a poison deck. He's also strictly better than all the black poison creatures.
Do have a question though - does the poisoned opponent have to pay for the counters before his or her next upkeep? The effect is a beginning of upkeep, so when does the payment have to happen?
Probably the most messed up thing about this card is the payment, or rather its specifics: not only does the damaged player have to pay {2} for every poison counter they want to stave off, they have to do it before their turn starts. Look closely: the counters are added at the beginning of the upkeep, not during it. That means if you damage your opponent when they're tapped out you're essentially giving two poison counters for each time you damage them.
If you can find a way to do it repeatedly, you could win very fast.
Your untap step is before your upkeep.