Arcbound Slith MTG Card

Grows stronger each turn through combat, becoming a formidable force without extra resource investment. Transfers power upon destruction, maintaining a strong board presence even after leaving the battlefield. Instant-speed interactions enhance its combat potential, unexpectedly altering the state of play.

Darksteel (DST)
2004-02-06 - Number 102

Planechase (HOP)
2009-09-04 - Number 106

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number DST-102

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Artifact Creature — Slith
Abilities	Modular
Power	0
Toughness	0

Text of card

Whenever Arcbound Slith deals combat damage to a player, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Modular 1 (This comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it. When it's put into a graveyard, you may put its +1/+1 counters on target artifact creature.)

Cards like Arcbound Slith

Arcbound Slith’s unique place in the MTG ecosystem is highlighted when compared with its metallic brethren. Similar to other modular creatures, it gains +1/+1 counters as it deals combat damage but stands out for its ability to accumulate power rapidly in artifact-centered decks. Cards such as Arcbound Worker also begin with a +1/+1 counter but don’t share the Slith’s growth potential during combat. Meanwhile, Arcbound Ravager, a notorious player in artifact decks, allows for an immediate power transfer rather than incremental growth, sacrificing other artifacts to bolster its strength on demand.

Looking at other colorless creatures, we find Walking Ballista, which can be both a scalable creature and a removal tool thanks to its ability to remove +1/+1 counters to deal damage. Although it doesn’t grow through combat like Arcbound Slith, the flexibility it offers is invaluable. Steel Overseer presents yet another path for deck synergy, directly enhancing each artifact creature you control and serving as a force multiplier, but it requires activation and doesn’t intrinsically become more formidable itself.

In artifact-laden environments where combat is frequent, Arcbound Slith proves to be a persistent threat. It doesn’t offer the immediate board impact of some counterparts but compensates with the potential for unstoppable growth over time.

Cards similar to Arcbound Slith by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Arcbound Slith’s unique ability to accumulate +1/+1 counters whenever it deals combat damage to a player lets you gradually build a more powerful presence on the board. Over time, this one card becomes a growing threat, translating into significant card advantage without the need for additional resources.

Resource Acceleration: While Arcbound Slith itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its modular ability synergizes with other artifact creatures, allowing you to transfer its power when it leaves the battlefield. This creates opportunities to fortify your position and continue developing your plays without losing momentum.

Instant Speed: Though Arcbound Slith operates at sorcery speed, it pairs well with instant-speed interactions in the MTG artifact-centered decks. For example, using instant-speed spells or abilities to remove blockers or buff Arcbound Slith can surprise opponents during combat, enhancing its damage-dealing capability and, by extension, its counter-accumulating mechanic.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The unique synergy of Arcbound Slith requires you to have other artifact creatures on the battlefield to maximize its potential. This could force you into discarding other potentially valuable cards to maintain board presence or to build around the card, resulting in a dwindling hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Arcbound Slith comes with a mana cost that necessitates at least one colorless mana which could demand a specialized mana base. Decks not heavily investing in artifacts might find this mana requirement restrictive.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the casting cost of two mana does not seem excessive, it is imperative to consider the additional investment needed to make Arcbound Slith a threat. Without other artifacts to interact with, other two-mana creatures might provide more immediate benefits or board impact.

Reasons to Include Arcbound Slith in Your Collection

Versatility: Arcbound Slith’s unique ability to gather +1/+1 counters not only makes it a growing threat but also allows it to perform well across various deck themes. Whether it’s an artifact-centric build or a counter-focused strategy, this card adapts and thrives.

Combo Potential: When paired with modular mechanics or any deck that manipulates +1/+1 counters, Arcbound Slith can become a powerhouse. Its potential to snowball into a huge creature can be exploited with numerous synergies in the game.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where artifact decks are prevalent, Arcbound Slith can be a significant player. Its scaling power level and potential synergy with proliferate effects make it a card that can surprise opponents and sway the board in your favor.

How to beat

Arcbound Slith is a card that can quickly become a menace on the battlefield if left unchecked in MTG play. It possesses the potential to accumulate +1/+1 counters rapidly, especially in artifact-centric decks. To counter this growing threat, it’s essential to remove it from play as early as possible. The key to dismantling the Arcbound Slith is to employ removal spells that can deal with it regardless of its size, such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile, which can exile it before the counters become overwhelming.

In addition, cards that prevent counters from being placed, like Solemnity, can neutralize the Slith’s ability, effectively making it just another creature. Strategies that include sacrificing creatures can also be effective, as the Arcbound Slith’s modular ability allows those counters to move to another artifact creature upon its demise—choosing when to remove it can thus be pivotal. Finally, leverage board sweepers like Wrath of God to handle a developed board that includes an empowered Arcbound Slith, resetting the playing field.

By incorporating these strategies, Arcbound Slith can be managed and controlled, preventing it from becoming an unstoppable force within your MTG matches.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Arcbound Slith MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel and Planechase, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Arcbound Slith and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Arcbound Slith Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2004-02-06 and 2009-09-04. Illustrated by Vance Kovacs.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2004-02-06	Darksteel	DST	102	2003	Normal	Black	Vance Kovacs
2	2009-09-04	Planechase	HOP	106	2003	Normal	Black	Vance Kovacs
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	DST-102	2003	Normal	Black	Vance Kovacs

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Arcbound Slith has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Arcbound Slith card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2006-09-25	If this creature gets enough -1/-1 counters put on it to cause its toughness to be 0 or less (or the damage marked on it to be lethal), modular will put a number of +1/+1 counters on the target artifact creature equal to the number of +1/+1 counters on this creature before it left the battlefield.