Darting Merfolk MTG Card

Offers card advantage through its return-to-hand ability, optimizing enter-the-battlefield effects. Accelerates resources via landfall synergies, enhancing control of game tempo. Instant-speed return adds flexible defense against removal, bolstering combat tactics.

Darting Merfolk - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)

Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
1999-10-04 - Number 72

Darting Merfolk - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)

World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
2001-08-08 - Number ab72

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Merfolk
Power	1
Toughness	1

Text of card

oo U Return Darting Merfolk to its owner's hand.

You might as well try to catch water with a net.

Cards like Darting Merfolk

Darting Merfolk may at first seem like a run-of-the-mill creature, but for enthusiasts of Magic: The Gathering, it carries its own strategic weight. When thinking about cards in a similar realm, options such as Silvergill Adept come to mind. Silvergill Adept, like Darting Merfolk, offers utility beyond just its creature stats as it allows a card to be drawn upon entry provided you reveal a Merfolk or pay its alternate cost.

If you’re after shenanigans with creature bouncing, then consider Shrieking Drake. It performs a similar function, returning a creature to its owner’s hand upon entry, which could be itself; a clever way to trigger enter-the-battlefield effects repeatedly. Explore further, and Temporal Adept stands out for its control capabilities, granting the power to return not just creatures but other permanents to their owner’s hands at will, albeit at a higher cost.

While Darting Merfolk doesn’t boast card draw or flexible targeting, it is a prime choice when looking to continuously reuse beneficial enter-the-battlefield effects or dodge removal in a game of MTG. Its conservative mana cost positions it as a flexible addition to decks taking advantage of board state dynamics.

Cards similar to Darting Merfolk by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Darting Merfolk exhibits a great capacity for maintaining card advantage by leveraging its return-to-hand ability. This can be particularly potent in decks that benefit from cast or enter-the-battlefield triggers, as it creates repeated opportunities for advantage without losing board presence.

Resource Acceleration: The synergy that Darting Merfolk has with landfall mechanics or any deck strategy that involves lands entering the battlefield can lead to significant resource acceleration. Its repetitive use can potentially trigger multiple landfall abilities in a single turn, ramping up your available resources and setting the pace for game dominance.

Instant Speed: While this creature itself may not be an instant, the ability to return Darting Merfolk to your hand at instant speed affords flexible responses to an opponent’s actions. This speed of reaction can effectively save the creature from removal or be used tactically to surprise your opponent by redeploying it at a crucial moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Darting Merfolk demands a card to be returned to your hand to use its fledgling ability, potentially setting you back on board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Its casting cost demands both blue and generic mana, making it a less flexible option for multi-colored decks that might struggle with color fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With other creatures in the game offering similar or better abilities at a lower mana investment, Darting Merfolk’s cost can be inefficient, especially in faster-paced games.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Darting Merfolk offers flexibility in gameplay, capable of evading removal and being an unexpected blocker when returned to hand and replayed.

Combo Potential: Its ability to return to its owner’s hand can be used in tandem with enter-the-battlefield effects or to save resources for when you need that strategic edge.

Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment where creatures are key, Darting Merfolk can consistently provide presence on the board, countering strategies that rely heavily on targeted removal.

How to beat

Darting Merfolk is a unique creature card that offers MTG players a versatile defense mechanism, with its ability to return to its owner’s hand. While this ability can be advantageous, it also opens up strategies for opponents to exploit. One way to outmaneuver Darting Merfolk is by using removal spells that force the player to make a tough decision, such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push, which provide more permanency than what Darting Merfolk can dodge.

Another tactic is to apply pressure with fast-paced aggro decks, which can overwhelm an opponent before they have the time to make effective use of Darting Merfolk’s evasive action. Additionally, cards that restrict the ability to cast spells or activate abilities, like Cursed Totem or Pithing Needle, can suppress Darting Merfolk’s bounce capability, leaving it vulnerable on the battlefield.

In essence, while Darting Merfolk can be a slippery target to pin down, with the right mixture of speed, control, and disruption, players can navigate around its defenses. Keeping a diverse arsenal of tactics will ensure Darting Merfolk doesn’t get the upper hand in matchups, making it a manageable threat.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Darting Merfolk MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques and World Championship Decks 2001, 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 Darting Merfolk and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Darting Merfolk Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1999-10-04 and 2001-08-08. Illustrated by Sam Wood.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1999-10-04	Mercadian Masques	MMQ		72	1997	Normal	Black	Sam Wood
2	2001-08-08	World Championship Decks 2001	WC01		ab72	1997	Normal	Gold	Sam Wood

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Darting Merfolk has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal