Cryptic Serpent MTG Card
2017-04-28 - Number 48
2019-11-15 - Number 18
2020-07-17 - Number 146
2020-08-13 - Number 57
2022-12-02 - Number 285
2023-08-04 - Number 83
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 7 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Serpent |
| Power | 6 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Text of card
Cryptic Serpent costs less to cast for each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard.
It slithers through the senses, constricting consciousness and poisoning perceptions.
Cards like Cryptic Serpent
Cryptic Serpent presents a formidable presence in MTG games, reminiscent of other high-impact creatures. Like the serpent, Gurmag Angler demands attention with its considerable size relative to cost ratio. Gurmag often lands on the battlefield earlier than its mana cost would suggest, thanks to its Delve ability that leverages graveyard resources. Similarly, Cryptic Serpent benefits from spells cast earlier in the game, with its cost reduction for each instant and sorcery in your graveyard, making it highly accessible as the match progresses.
Another parallel can be drawn with Tasigur, the Golden Fang. Tasigur also becomes more castable with the Delve mechanic, but offers an added utility with its ability to recoup cards from the graveyard, providing strategic depth and value over time. While Cryptic Serpent lacks additional abilities, its straightforward bulk for potentially low cost makes it a powerhouse in spell-heavy decks.
Delving into the similarities further, Enigma Drake emerges as a creature that grows with your spell-slinging strategies. Though unlike the static power of Cryptic Serpent, Enigma Drake’s power shifts dynamically with the number of instants and sorceries in the graveyard, creating a different kind of threat. Each of these creatures offers unique facets to deck-building, with Cryptic Serpent standing as a steadfast option for those seeking reliable power on the board.
Cards similar to Cryptic Serpent by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Cryptic Serpent. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Mono-Blue Delver | Pauper | Mono-Blue Delver | Pauper Showcase Challenge 2024-04-20 |
 | UB Terror | Pauper | Dimir Control | AWESOME PAUPER |
 | Mono-Blue Terror | Pauper | Mono-Blue Delver | Monthly Tournament #38 @ Paper Pauper Magic Discord |
| Dimir Control | Pauper | Dimir Control | Pauper Showcase Challenge 2024-04-20 |
| U | Pauper | Pauper League 2024-04-20 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Cryptic Serpent offers significant value in decks that heavily utilize the graveyard with instants and sorceries. By effectively reducing its casting cost with each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard, it rewards players who are able to fill their graveyard quickly, granting them a large creature for potentially less mana than usual.
Resource Acceleration: While the serpent itself doesn’t produce additional resources, it does allow for a form of resource acceleration by potentially freeing up mana that can be used on additional spells or abilities in the same turn. This can lead to a more impactful board presence and stronger turns as you cast a substantial threat alongside other game-changing spells.
Instant Speed: Cryptic Serpent synergizes well with instant speed spells. This encourages a playstyle that keeps mana open for responses, and as you play instants on your opponent’s turn, you’re also reducing the serpent’s cost—making it both a proactive and reactive strategy that fits into decks designed for tempo and control.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While the Cryptic Serpent benefits from having instant and sorcery cards in the graveyard by reducing its casting cost, the initial requirement to play numerous spells before it becomes cost-effective can be a setback. Extracting maximum value necessitates a significant discard strategy which may not always align with your gameplay or deck composition.
Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost for Cryptic Serpent is specific to blue, necessitating a strong blue mana base. This limits the serpent’s inclusion to primarily blue-centric or blue-inclusive decks, reducing its versatility across the broader spectrum of Magic builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite the cost reduction ability of the Cryptic Serpent, the default seven mana is substantial. In the stage of the game where seven mana is available, there are alternative creatures or spells that could have an immediate impact on the game, as opposed to the Serpent which doesn’t provide any onboard abilities or enter-the-battlefield effects.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Cryptic Serpent effortlessly adapts to various deck builds, shining in strategies centered around spell casting. It melds well with blue-based control or tempo decks that stockpile instants and sorceries in the graveyard.
Combo Potential: This creature benefits from spells funneling into the graveyard, making it a natural fit for synergy with cards that benefit from, or contribute to, a healthy graveyard. Cards that allow you to cycle or discard, for instance, can help reduce the Serpent’s casting cost while fuelling other aspects of your strategy.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where longer games and spell-heavy decks prevail, Cryptic Serpent gains value as a low-cost, high-power creature. Its relevance grows in metas saturated with control matchups, becoming a formidable threat that can be cast for a fraction of its initial cost.
How to beat
Cryptic Serpent offers a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering with its cost reduction feature, tempting players with a potentially massive creature for a fraction of the cost. This card rewards the spell-heavy deck, decreasing its mana cost for each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard.
To effectively counter Cryptic Serpent, consider strategies that limit graveyard accumulation or directly exile graveyard contents. Utilize cards like Tormod’s Crypt or Relic of Progenitus to remove instants and sorceries that enable a cheaper cast for the serpent. Another approach is employing creature removal or counterspells like Path to Exile or Counterspell respectively, which can deal with the serpent directly without touching the graveyard. Moreover, cards that impose creature-type restrictions like Cursed Totem can prevent the serpent’s casting by controlling spell-based strategies.
The key lies in disrupting the synergistic spell casting or employing efficient removal tools. In games where Cryptic Serpent poses a significant threat, maintaining control of the graveyard and board state becomes essential to ensuring this high-impact creature doesn’t turn the tides of the game in your opponent’s favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Cryptic Serpent MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Game Night 2019, 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 Cryptic Serpent 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
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Printings
The Cryptic Serpent Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Lius Lasahido.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 48 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lius Lasahido | |
| 2 | 2019-11-15 | Game Night 2019 | GN2 | 18 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lius Lasahido | |
| 3 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart | JMP | 146 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lius Lasahido | |
| 4 | 2020-08-13 | Amonkhet Remastered | AKR | 57 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lius Lasahido | |
| 5 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 285 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lius Lasahido | |
| 6 | 2023-08-04 | Commander Masters | CMM | 83 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lius Lasahido |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Cryptic Serpent has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Cryptic Serpent card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2017-04-18 | A split card only counts once for Cryptic Serpent’s ability, even if it’s both an instant and a sorcery. |
| 2017-04-18 | Cryptic Serpent’s ability can’t reduce its cost to less than . |
| 2017-04-18 | Cryptic Serpent’s ability doesn’t change its mana cost or converted mana cost. It just reduces the cost to cast the spell. |