Slippery Karst MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
RarityCommon
TypeLand
Abilities Cycling

Key Takeaways

  1. Provides card draw through cycling, helping maintain hand resources and options during play.
  2. As a land, accelerates resource availability and supports green mana decks effectively.
  3. Flexibility through instant-speed cycling allows strategic advantage and surprise tactics.

Text of card

Slippery Karst comes into play tapped. oc T: Add o G to your mana pool. Cycling (You may pay and discard this card from your hand to draw a card. Play this ability as an instant.)


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Slippery Karst provides a reliable means to draw a card when cycled, offering players an opportunity to replace it with a more immediate answer or threat from their deck, thus keeping their hand replenished.

Resource Acceleration: As a land card, Slippery Karst contributes to your mana base once on the battlefield. It can be tapped for green mana, aiding in casting more potent spells earlier in the game or enabling multicolor decks.

Instant Speed: The cycling ability of Slippery Karst can be activated at instant speed. This offers flexibility, allowing players to wait until the end of an opponent’s turn to decide whether to cycle the card, thereby maintaining the element of surprise and tactical advantage.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the caveats of using Slippery Karst is its cycling ability, which necessitates the discard of the card itself. This can become a drawback if you are in a situation where every card in your hand is vital for your game plan and discarding even one could disrupt your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Slippery Karst requires a specific mana cost to utilize its cycling feature. This cost is exclusively green, which might not be readily available in multi-colored or colorless decks, thus potentially hindering its inclusion in a wide array of deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When compared to other land cards that provide utility or mana acceleration, Slippery Karst has a comparatively higher mana cost for its cycling ability. In a game where speed and efficiency are crucial, the two mana required to cycle may be seen as a steep price for a single card draw, especially in decks aiming to maximize tempo.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Slippery Karst offers flexibility for decks that require consistent mana sources or benefit from land cycling. Its ability to function as a land drop or a card draw makes it a versatile choice, particularly in formats where land destruction or mana disruption are prevalent. This card easily slots into green-based decks looking for stability in their mana base.

Combo Potential: As a cycle land, Slippery Karst has synergy with cards that care about lands entering the graveyard or being cycled away. This combo potential enables interesting interactions in graveyard-centric strategies, such as triggering landfall abilities or enabling threshold.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where deck speed isn’t the highest priority, the calm pacing of Slippery Karst allows for greater control over draws and mana availability. It’s particularly relevant in commander and other casual formats where the ability to cycle for a new card can subtly shift the game in your favor without sacrificing land plays.


How to beat

Confronting a utility land like Slippery Karst can be a nuanced aspect of Magic: The Gathering gameplay. This card, which acts as both a land and a card draw mechanism, presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. Unlike spell-based card draw, Slippery Karst provides incremental advantage over time, as it requires sacrificing the land to capitalize on its card draw ability.

To effectively counter this card, strategic use of land destruction or graveyard manipulation can be key. Depleting your opponent’s resources can limit the value they reap from Slippery Karst’s cycling ability. Considering that setting up the right conditions for cycling takes a turn and sacrificing the land might not always align with your opponent’s mana needs, timing your disruption can diminish the card’s impact significantly.

Ultimately, while Slippery Karst offers a blend of land utility and cycling for a new card, disrupting your opponent’s mana base or applying pressure at critical moments can ensure that this card doesn’t slip past your defenses and give your opponent the upper hand.


Cards like Slippery Karst

Slippery Karst holds its own within the realm of land cards in Magic: The Gathering. It stands shoulder to shoulder with other cycling lands like Secluded Steppe and Barren Moor. What sets Slippery Karst apart is its ability to tap for green mana, compared to Secluded Steppe which provides white, and Barren Moor which taps for black. All three offer the cycling ability, allowing players to draw a new card for a small fee when the land isn’t needed for mana.

Drifting Meadow is another card that shares a striking resemblance to Slippery Karst. It too can be cycled, yet it’s distinct in its provision of white mana. Comparing these cards, the versatility they offer to a player’s mana base is evident. They are pivotal in decks that need land options yet wish to avoid being stuck with unusable draws later in the game.

Ultimately, Slippery Karst, along with its counterparts, reinforces a deck’s consistency by smoothing out draws and providing essential mana of a specific color. Its place in MTG as a utility land is further cemented by its flexibility and the strategic depth it adds to a player’s game.

Secluded Steppe - MTG Card versions
Barren Moor - MTG Card versions
Drifting Meadow - MTG Card versions
Secluded Steppe - Onslaught (ONS)
Barren Moor - Onslaught (ONS)
Drifting Meadow - Urza's Saga (USG)

Cards similar to Slippery Karst by color, type and mana cost

Forest - MTG Card versions
Havenwood Battleground - MTG Card versions
Snow-Covered Forest - MTG Card versions
Pendelhaven - MTG Card versions
Rushwood Grove - MTG Card versions
Boseiju, Who Endures - MTG Card versions
Wirewood Lodge - MTG Card versions
Mosswort Bridge - MTG Card versions
Tranquil Thicket - MTG Card versions
Khalni Garden - MTG Card versions
Vivid Grove - MTG Card versions
Turntimber Grove - MTG Card versions
Treetop Village - MTG Card versions
Memorial to Unity - MTG Card versions
Blighted Woodland - MTG Card versions
Oran-Rief, the Vastwood - MTG Card versions
Hashep Oasis - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Reborn - MTG Card versions
Thriving Grove - MTG Card versions
Forest - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Havenwood Battleground - Commander Anthology (CMA)
Snow-Covered Forest - Ice Age (ICE)
Pendelhaven - Masters 25 (A25)
Rushwood Grove - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Boseiju, Who Endures - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Wirewood Lodge - Onslaught (ONS)
Mosswort Bridge - Murders at Karlov Manor Commander (MKC)
Tranquil Thicket - Commander 2021 (C21)
Khalni Garden - Planechase 2012 (PC2)
Vivid Grove - Commander Legends (CMR)
Turntimber Grove - Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. Eldrazi (DDP)
Treetop Village - Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob Nixilis (DDR)
Memorial to Unity - Dominaria (DOM)
Blighted Woodland - Commander 2018 (C18)
Oran-Rief, the Vastwood - Neon Dynasty Commander (NEC)
Hashep Oasis - Amonkhet Remastered (AKR)
Llanowar Reborn - Commander 2021 (C21)
Thriving Grove - New Capenna Commander (NCC)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Slippery Karst MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and Battle Royale Box Set, 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 Slippery Karst and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Slippery Karst Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2023-01-13. Illustrated by Stephen Daniele.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11998-10-12Urza's SagaUSG 3271997normalblackStephen Daniele
21999-11-12Battle Royale Box SetBRB 731997normalwhiteStephen Daniele
32000-10-01Beatdown Box SetBTD 761997normalwhiteStephen Daniele
42013-11-01Commander 2013C13 3242003normalblackStephen Daniele
52014-11-07Commander 2014C14 3112015normalblackStephen Daniele
62014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Garruk vs. LilianaGVL 262015normalblackStephen Daniele
72015-11-13Commander 2015C15 3072015normalblackStephen Daniele
82017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 2752015normalblackStephen Daniele
92023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 2562015normalblackStephen Daniele

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Slippery Karst has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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