Carrion Ants MTG Card
1994-06-01 - Number 90
1995-04-01 - Number 125
1995-04-01 - Number 125
1995-08-01 - Number 51
1997-03-24 - Number 150
2009-09-07 - Number 60
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Insect |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
o1: +1/+1 until end of turn.
"'War is no picnic,' my father liked to say. But the Ants seemed to disagree." —*General Chanek Valteroth*
Cards like Carrion Ants
Carrion Ants is an intriguing creature card that offers a unique flexibility within MTG’s vast array of creature cards. Its closest relatives in terms of ability to increase power include the likes of Vampire Hounds and Flowstone Sculpture. Both cards allow players to adjust the creature’s power at the expense of some resources. What makes Carrion Ants stand out is its unlimited use of the power-boosting ability as long as the player has sufficient mana.
Vampire Hounds, while similar with the sacrifice of a card to increase power, specifically requires discarding a creature card, which restricts its adaptability when compared to Carrion Ants. Flowstone Sculpture also offers a power boost, but at the cost of increasing its vulnerability with a decrease in toughness, a trade-off absent in Carrion Ants’ more straightforward ability. Additionally, Carrion Ants maintains its toughness, which allows it to be a more dependable defensive asset on the battlefield.
In essence, when evaluating the scope of on-demand power-boosting creature cards in the game, Carrion Ants is exceptional due to its simple mana-based ability. This card can become an unexpected threat, adapting fluidly to the state of the game without compromising its defenses, a notable ability in MTG.
Cards similar to Carrion Ants by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Carrion Ants may not draw cards directly, but it has the potential to impact the board by gradually growing stronger. Investing mana into its ability can incrementally tip the balance in your favor, effectively making the Ants an ever-larger threat that must be dealt with.
Resource Acceleration: While not a direct accelerant, Carrion Ants can be a mana sink that optimizes your resource allocation. In the late game, unused mana can continuously bolster the Ants, ensuring that your resources are not going to waste and that every bit of mana could spell defeat for your opponent.
Instant Speed: Carrion Ants’ ability to boost its power at instant speed means reactive play is possible. During the combat phase or in response to spells or abilities, you can adjust the Ants’ power to surprise an opponent, save it from damage, or eliminate a threat when most opportune.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Carrion Ants comes with no direct requirement to discard cards, but it implies a notable commitment of resources to maintain and utilize effectively on the battlefield.
Specific Mana Cost: Carrion Ants requires a specific mana combination to be cast, which may pose a challenge in multicolored or mana-tight decks. Its initial casting cost is entirely in black, demanding a solid black mana base to deploy consistently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial casting cost and an activated ability that both require a considerable amount of mana, Carrion Ants may strain your mana resources. In situations where mana efficiency is crucial, other creatures could be a more advantageous choice for your deck’s strategy and curve.
Reasons to Include Carrion Ants in Your Collection
Versatility: Carrion Ants offers a flexible solution for decks that require reliable board presence. Its ability to grow in power makes it a threat that can adapt to various game scenarios and opponents.
Combo Potential: With the right setup, this card’s incremental power-boosting can feed into strategies that synergize with creature size. Whether it’s enabling a lethal assault or activating abilities that key off creature stats, there’s potential for some interesting plays.
Meta-Relevance: Given its adaptability in the face of removal-heavy metas, Carrion Ants can remain a recurring problem for opponents. It’s particularly well-suited for matchups where the ability to invest mana into creature growth can tip the scales in your favor.
How to beat
Carrion Ants is an intriguing creature card in the realm of Magic: The Gathering. What makes it stand out from other creatures is its flexible power-boosting ability. By paying mana, you can temporarily increase its power, making it a versatile threat during combat. However, there are strategies to undermine its effectiveness on the battlefield.
Firstly, removal spells are your best friend. A simple Doom Blade or Path to Exile can handle the Ants before they become too large for manageability. If you prefer to avoid single-target removal, board wipes like Wrath of God do the trick with no regard for how much mana has been invested into the creature’s strength. Additionally, tapping into blue magic, bounce spells offer a temporary reprieve, forcing your opponent to waste mana re-playing the creature, while a card like Essence Scatter can counter it outright before it even hits the board.
Moreover, playing creatures with higher toughness values can also nullify Carrion Ants’ impact, as it costs significant mana to grow beyond the default 0/1 stat line, making it difficult to trade efficiently. Managing your resources wisely and maintaining a responsive hand are keys to ensuring the Carrion Ants’ potential threat is never fully realized.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Carrion Ants MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border, 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 Carrion Ants and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Carrion Ants Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-06-01 | Legends | LEG | 90 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 2 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 125 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 3 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 125 | 1993 | Normal | White | Richard Thomas | |
| 4 | 1995-08-01 | Renaissance | REN | 51 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas | |
| 5 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 150 | 1997 | Normal | White | John Coulthart | |
| 6 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 60 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Richard Thomas |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Carrion Ants has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |