Ambush Viper MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Snake
Abilities Deathtouch, Flash
Power 2
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. With flash and deathtouch, Ambush Viper excels as an unexpected blocker, shifting combat dynamics.
  2. The card’s low mana cost and efficiency bolster deck strategies, fitting well on the mana curve.
  3. Its use can be a double-edged sword, requiring careful resource management to avoid depletion.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.) Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)

"Living creatures seldom impress me. But I like this one." —Uta Falkenrath


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ambush Viper may not directly add cards to your hand, but by removing an opposing creature upon entering the battlefield, it acts as a one-for-one trade, potentially disrupting your opponent’s strategy and thus swinging the card advantage in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Ambush Viper doesn’t offer traditional resource acceleration, its low casting cost of two mana aligns with an efficient mana curve, enabling you to keep up with or even get ahead of your opponent in terms of board presence and resource allocation.

Instant Speed: The beauty of Ambush Viper is in its flash ability, equivalent to instant speed for creatures. This allows for tactical plays, including surprising blockers or end-of-turn deployment to keep opponents on their toes and strategically manage your resources during the course of play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Ambush Viper doesn’t require you to discard a card for its basic effect, having to remove another creature or spell from your hand to maximize strategies around it could deplete your resources faster than anticipated.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost for Ambush Viper, which includes one green, necessitates a commitment to green mana in your deck, potentially limiting deck-building options for multi-colored strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana for a 2/1 creature with flash and deathtouch is reasonable, there are scenarios where the viper’s impact is mitigated by larger creatures on the board, making it a less powerful option compared to others that offer greater flexibility or survivability.


Reasons to Include Ambush Viper in Your Collection

Versatility: Ambush Viper’s Flash ability allows it to be played at a moment’s notice, making it an excellent defender and surprise blocker against unsuspecting attackers. This sneaky serpent can slip into multiple deck archetypes, from aggressive green beatdown to control-oriented builds that seek to maintain board stability.

Combo Potential: With its Deathtouch ability, Ambush Viper can be a key component in combos aiming to remove larger threats. It synergizes well with cards that allow multiple creature deployment to keep opponents constantly on edge, fostering a strategy that thrives on tactical creature removal.

Meta-Relevance: Considering its impact and low mana cost, Ambush Viper has its place in a metagame filled with formidable creatures. Its ability to take down any size of attacker helps level the playing field, making it a useful tool in your arsenal in the current creature-centric landscapes of many game formats.


How to beat

Ambush Viper is a versatile creature in the world of Magic: The Gathering that can surprise opponents and turn the tide of battle. What makes this card especially tricky is its flash ability, allowing it to be played at any time you could cast an instant, effectively ambushing an unwary attacker. Moreover, the deathtouch ability ensures that it can kill any creature it deals damage to, regardless of that creature’s toughness.

To navigate around this sly reptile, one effective strategy is to limit its capacity to ambush. Playing around your opponent’s mana and timing your attacks when they’re tapped out can prevent the Viper from catching you off-guard. You could also use spells that give your creatures hexproof or indestructible for a turn, which nullify the deathtouch advantage. Alternatively, removal spells that exile or force your opponent to sacrifice creatures can deal with Ambush Viper without having to engage it in combat at all.

Ultimately, defeating Ambush Viper boils down to anticipation and smart gameplay. By staying one step ahead and using the right tactics, you can ensure this sneaky serpent doesn’t take a bite out of your game plan.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the strengths and subtle strategic uses of Ambush Viper can elevate your MTG gameplay significantly. The card’s seamless blend of low-cost efficiency and reactive play style empowers you to make sharp in-game decisions. Whether you’re aiming to enhance your green deck’s defense or leverage the viper’s tactical prowess for control schemes, weaving this card into your collection could be a game-changer. Dive deeper into deck-building strategies, explore new synergies, and sharpen your combat tricks to outmaneuver your opponents. Ready to weave Ambush Viper into your MTG tactics? Let’s unlock its full potential together. Embark on this strategic journey with us now.


Cards like Ambush Viper

The card Ambush Viper provides a crafty combat trick and creature removal rolled into one. Just like its slithery namesake, this card swiftly interrupts combat by flashing into battle and taking out an attacker with its deathtouch ability. In terms of cards with a similar presence in the game, Deadly Recluse stands out as a parallel. Deadly Recluse also features deathtouch, making it a formidable blocker, but unlike Ambush Viper, it doesn’t have flash, limiting its surprise factor.

Then we have Typhoid Rats, a simple creature that boasts deathtouch and poses a constant deterrent to attackers. The main difference is its lack of the flash ability, meaning it can’t surprise an opponent in the same way Ambush Viper can during combat. Meanwhile, the card Heir of the Wilds presents a conditional deathtouch triggered during combat where it must face a creature with power 3 or greater, unlike the consistent threat offered by Ambush Viper’s unconditional deathtouch.

Evaluating the capabilities of these cards against Ambush Viper, it’s clear that Ambush Viper stands out for its flexibility during combat and ability to shape the flow of the game. Its instantaneous nature makes it uniquely valuable for both defensive and offensive strategies in Magic: The Gathering.

Deadly Recluse - MTG Card versions
Typhoid Rats - MTG Card versions
Heir of the Wilds - MTG Card versions
Deadly Recluse - MTG Card versions
Typhoid Rats - MTG Card versions
Heir of the Wilds - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Ambush Viper by color, type and mana cost

Wyluli Wolf - MTG Card versions
Whirling Dervish - MTG Card versions
River Boa - MTG Card versions
Albino Troll - MTG Card versions
Silverglade Pathfinder - MTG Card versions
Quirion Elves - MTG Card versions
Blurred Mongoose - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Loamspeaker - MTG Card versions
Genesis Hydra - MTG Card versions
Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse - MTG Card versions
Scavenging Ooze - MTG Card versions
Heir of the Wilds - MTG Card versions
Mayor of Avabruck // Howlpack Alpha - MTG Card versions
Wren's Run Vanquisher - MTG Card versions
Muscle Sliver - MTG Card versions
Utopia Tree - MTG Card versions
Bloodline Shaman - MTG Card versions
Sakura-Tribe Elder - MTG Card versions
Stonewood Invoker - MTG Card versions
Oran-Rief Survivalist - MTG Card versions
Wyluli Wolf - MTG Card versions
Whirling Dervish - MTG Card versions
River Boa - MTG Card versions
Albino Troll - MTG Card versions
Silverglade Pathfinder - MTG Card versions
Quirion Elves - MTG Card versions
Blurred Mongoose - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Loamspeaker - MTG Card versions
Genesis Hydra - MTG Card versions
Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse - MTG Card versions
Scavenging Ooze - MTG Card versions
Heir of the Wilds - MTG Card versions
Mayor of Avabruck // Howlpack Alpha - MTG Card versions
Wren's Run Vanquisher - MTG Card versions
Muscle Sliver - MTG Card versions
Utopia Tree - MTG Card versions
Bloodline Shaman - MTG Card versions
Sakura-Tribe Elder - MTG Card versions
Stonewood Invoker - MTG Card versions
Oran-Rief Survivalist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ambush Viper MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Commander Legends, 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 Ambush Viper and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Ambush Viper Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2020-11-20. Illustrated by Alan Pollack.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-09-30InnistradISD 1692003NormalBlackAlan Pollack
22020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 2132015NormalBlackAlan Pollack

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ambush Viper has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PennyLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
See more decks