Coral Colony MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Wall |
| Abilities | Defender,Mill |
| Released | 2022-09-09 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Dominaria United |
| Set code | DMU |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 45 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Campbell White |
Text of card
Defender , : Target player mills X cards, where X is the number of creatures you control with defender. (To mill a card, a player puts the top card of their library into their graveyard.)
The seafloor is strewn with the wreckage of Vodalia's would-be conquerors.
Cards like Coral Colony
Coral Colony stands as an intriguing choice among the myriad of creature cards offered in Magic: The Gathering. It’s akin to other merfolk creatures like Merfolk Sovereign, which also serves to empower its kin. However, Coral Colony brings a unique twist with its adapt mechanic, allowing it to grow stronger as the game progresses. Unlike Merfolk Sovereign, it doesn’t grant other merfolk creatures a boost from the get-go, but instead focuses on its own strength and potential.
Considering cards with adapt, we can draw parallels to Sharktocrab. Both creatures benefit from adapt’s flexibility but diverge in how they impact the board. Sharktocrab leverages the adapt ability to tap and freeze opponents’ assets, a tactical advantage Coral Colony doesn’t offer. Instead, Coral Colony is notable for its lower mana cost and the fact that it can become a formidable threat if left unchecked.
In essence, Coral Colony demonstrates its merit within the adapt creature cards in Magic: The Gathering by offering players a cost-effective creature that can scale in power across the duration of the match, aligning with various strategic plays and deck builds centered around this mechanic.
Cards similar to Coral Colony by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Coral Colony enables you to amass an ever-growing threat that also reinvests into your game plan. Each time you meet the condition for growing the Coral Colony, it further solidifies your board presence, acting as a continual source of card advantage and pressure on your opponent. This incrementally expanding threat has to be dealt with, or it will eventually overwhelm the opposition.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting your mana base as a typical resource accelerator would, Coral Colony indirectly speeds up your game by demanding answers. Each turn it grows is a turn your opponent has to react, potentially freeing up other avenues for you to exploit with your resources or providing breathing room for your other strategies to come online.
Instant Speed: The adaptability to grow at instant speed affords you significant strategic flexibility. You have the opportunity to progress your game state on an opponent’s end step if they haven’t presented a threat, or in response to their actions. This reactive nature can lead to advantageous trades and surprise shifts in board power, making it difficult for adversaries to plan against your Coral Colony’s looming presence.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Coral Colony means you’ll have to adhere to its discard clause, which can be taxing on your hand, especially if you’re attempting to maintain card advantage against your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Coral Colony necessitates both blue and green mana which means it’s not as versatile for decks outside those colors, potentially limiting its playability in a broad range of strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a non-negligible mana investment required to summon Coral Colony, it may not always align with the pace you aim to set in the early game, especially when other options could accelerate your board presence more promptly.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Coral Colony finds a home in multiple deck archetypes, particularly those needing a stable early game blocker that scales into a late-game threat.
Combo Potential: This card has synergy with strategies that amplify +1/+1 counters or benefit from creatures with variable power and toughness.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where board states are often cluttered with creatures, Coral Colony’s growth mechanic can turn it into a formidable force that’s hard to ignore.
How to beat Coral Colony
Coral Colony is a unique creature card that dares players to think creatively about their deck building and in-game strategies. When facing Coral Colony, key removal spells can be your best friend. Direct damage spells or targeted removal like Murder or Shock are effective as they can dispatch the creature before it grows too unwieldy. Board wipes such as Wrath of God are also effective, as it clears the field of Coral Colony regardless of how many +1/+1 counters it has accumulated.
Alternatively, countering Coral Colony before it even hits the battlefield with a Counterspell can save you the trouble of dealing with its increasing presence. If it does land on the board, remember it’s all about timing and choosing the right moment. Letting your opponent invest in the growth of Coral Colony and then removing it can set them back significantly. Moreover, keeping an eye out for cards that give your creatures trample or can’t be blocked by creatures with a certain power, can help you bypass the growing threat altogether and focus on your path to victory.
Always be mindful that adapting to the constant shifts in the battlefield is crucial. Keep your deck versatile, and don’t let Coral Colony dictate the pace of the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Coral Colony MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria United, 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 Coral Colony 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Coral Colony has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Coral Colony card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-09-09 | The number of creatures with defender you control is counted when the ability resolves. |