Coral Fighters MTG Card


Effective in long games, Coral Fighters offers a steady stream of card draw, expanding strategic options. This card’s utility in deck filtering potentially speeds up resource accumulation, complementing mana strategies. Coral Fighters pairs well with instant-speed spells, obfuscating your true game plan from opponents.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Merfolk Soldier
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

If Coral Fighters attacks and is not blocked, look at the top card of defending player's library. You may choose to put that card on the bottom of that player's library.


Cards like Coral Fighters

Coral Fighters is an intriguing creature card in MTG, drawing comparisons with cards like Thieving Magpie. Coral Fighters shares the ability to draw a card upon dealing combat damage to an opponent; however, it distinguishes itself with its synergy with island cards. Thieving Magpie has the sturdiness with higher toughness but lacks the nuanced interaction with specific land types.

Merfolk Spy is another card with similarities, granting an opportunity to peek at the opponent’s hand when it deals combat damage, contributing to the strategic advantage, although it does not draw a card like Coral Fighters. Lastly, considering Cold-Eyed Selkie, with a potent ability that draws a card for each damage dealt, one can see varied levels of utility and power when analyzing Coral Fighters in relation to its aquatic peers in the game.

Delving into the arsenal of MTG creature cards with card draw capabilities reveals Coral Fighters’ unique place, where it can provide a flow of card advantage while potentially benefitting from island-type lands on the battlefield.

Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Merfolk Spy - MTG Card versions
Cold-Eyed Selkie - MTG Card versions
Thieving Magpie - MTG Card versions
Merfolk Spy - MTG Card versions
Cold-Eyed Selkie - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Coral Fighters by color, type and mana cost

Vodalian Soldiers - MTG Card versions
Zephyr Falcon - MTG Card versions
Giant Albatross - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Sphere - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Condor - MTG Card versions
School of Piranha - MTG Card versions
Coral Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Wu Light Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Sea Eagle - MTG Card versions
Overtaker - MTG Card versions
Hazy Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Darting Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Thought Eater - MTG Card versions
Spellstutter Sprite - MTG Card versions
Sneaky Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Coral Eel - MTG Card versions
Storm Crow - MTG Card versions
Aquamoeba - MTG Card versions
Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions
Minamo Sightbender - MTG Card versions
Vodalian Soldiers - MTG Card versions
Zephyr Falcon - MTG Card versions
Giant Albatross - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Sphere - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Condor - MTG Card versions
School of Piranha - MTG Card versions
Coral Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Wu Light Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Sea Eagle - MTG Card versions
Overtaker - MTG Card versions
Hazy Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Darting Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Thought Eater - MTG Card versions
Spellstutter Sprite - MTG Card versions
Sneaky Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Coral Eel - MTG Card versions
Storm Crow - MTG Card versions
Aquamoeba - MTG Card versions
Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions
Minamo Sightbender - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Coral Fighters thrives in long games where drawing extra cards is vital. Each successful hit not only chips away at your opponent’s life total but also digs deeper into your deck for answers or threats, keeping your hand full and options open.

Resource Acceleration: While not a direct ramp tool, the ability to sift through your deck can indirectly lead to resource acceleration. By drawing into land cards or mana-producing spells more consistently, Coral Fighters can help ensure you have the mana you need when you need it.

Instant Speed: Though Coral Fighters operates at sorcery speed, it harmonizes well with instant-speed spells. It demands attention on the board, allowing you to resolve instants with less scrutiny as your opponents focus on mitigating the consecutive damage and card advantage Coral Fighters provides.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To utilize Coral Fighters to its full potential, you must discard a card which can be a setback when your hand is already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: Coral Fighters demands blue mana for casting, which can potentially restrict its integration in multi-colored or colorless decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a two-mana cost, this card may consume valuable early-game resources that could be allocated to more impactful board development.


Reasons to Include Coral Fighters in Your Collection

Versatility: Coral Fighters offers utility across multiple deck types with its potentially endless card draw engine, particularly effective in blue-based decks focused on hand advantage.

Combo Potential: Its synergy with islandwalk and other cards that grant unblockability can become a formidable combo, ensuring consistent damage and card filtration to gain the upper edge.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta teeming with island-based decks, Coral Fighters can exploit opponents’ mana bases while providing consistent card draw, keeping your hand full and ready to respond to threats or to build up your game-winning strategy.


How to Beat Coral Fighters

Coral Fighters, the elusive blue creature from Magic: The Gathering, brings a unique dynamic to the battlefield with its ability to manipulate draw outcomes based on land cards. Players versed in MTG know that understanding an opponent’s deck plays a pivotal role in countering their strategies. Coral Fighters is most vulnerable when its ability is rendered ineffective, essentially when the battlefield is deprived of land-based interactions that trigger its draw effect.

To efficiently counter this card, consider employing strategies that restrict land drops or include cards that manipulate the top deck without triggering Coral Fighters’ ability. Spot removal spells are universally effective in dealing with creatures like Coral Fighters. Since it is a blue creature, having instant-speed removal ensures that you can address the threat before its ability can impact the game significantly. Control decks excel in this regard, keeping the board clear and maintaining card advantage without reliance on land-based triggers.

In conclusion, by disrupting the synergy Coral Fighters relies on and being proactive with removal, you can mitigate the card’s impact on the game. Recognizing the opportune moment to act will preserve your board position and prevent your opponent from leveraging any strategic draws Coral Fighters may attempt.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Coral Fighters MTG card by a specific set like Mirage and Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth, 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 Fighters and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Coral Fighters Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1996-10-08 and 2012-03-30. Illustrated by Steve Luke.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11996-10-08MirageMIR 591997NormalBlackSteve Luke
22012-03-30Duel Decks: Venser vs. KothDDI 42003NormalBlackSteve Luke

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Coral Fighters has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2013-04-15 An ability that triggers when something “attacks and isn’t blocked” triggers in the declare blockers step after blockers are declared if (1) that creature is attacking and (2) no creatures are declared to block it. It will trigger even if that creature was put onto the battlefield attacking rather than having been declared as an attacker in the declare attackers step.