Deathcoil Wurm MTG Card
1998-06-24 - Number 125
2011-01-10 - Number 149
2020-09-26 - Number P02-125
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 8 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Wurm |
| Power | 7 |
| Toughness | 6 |
Text of card
If Deathcoil Wurm attacks and is blocked, you may choose to have it deal its damage to the defending player instead of to the creatures blocking it.
Cards like Deathcoil Wurm
The Deathcoil Wurm is a powerful creature in Magic: The Gathering, a veritable force on the battlefield with its formidable strength and toughness. This card is akin to other heavy hitters such as the iconic Craw Wurm, which also boasts a considerable body that can dominate the late game. Where the Deathcoil Wurm stands out is in its higher toughness, providing a sturdier blocker against attacks.
Comparatively, Territorial Baloth presents itself as a parallel option. While it starts with less power and toughness, the Baloth’s landfall ability enables it to grow and potentially surpass Deathcoil Wurm under the right conditions. Nonetheless, the Deathcoil Wurm’s raw and consistent stats require no additional setup or synergies, making it a reliable choice for straightforward beatdown strategies.
Another similar creature is the Colossal Dreadmaw, which shares the Wurm’s titanic presence and also introduces trample, allowing it to deal excess damage to a player. Though slightly less robust in its base stats, its trample ability compensates by adding valuable offensive utility. It exemplifies how different abilities can make each creature uniquely useful in a player’s deck-building strategy.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With its strong board presence, Deathcoil Wurm can be a source of card advantage. If left unchecked, it can easily overpower smaller creatures, leading to favorable trades that deplete your opponent’s resources while maintaining your own.
Resource Acceleration: Although Deathcoil Wurm itself doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, it demands an immediate answer. Opponents are often forced to use multiple removal spells or creatures to deal with it, effectively accelerating your resource dominance by depleting their answers.
Instant Speed: While Deathcoil Wurm is not an instant, the threat it imposes can influence opponents to play as though you might have instant-speed interaction. The mere presence of a big creature like the Wurm in your deck can force opponents to make suboptimal plays, aiming to prevent it from ever hitting the board.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Deathcoil Wurm requires a significant green mana investment, which might not seamlessly fit into multi-colored decks or those that require a varied mana base for optimal plays.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is on the higher side, this card often competes for a spot with other high-impact creatures or spells that might offer more immediate board presence or game-winning capabilities.
Discard Requirement: Although Deathcoil Wurm does not have a discard requirement itself, it is worth noting that having high-cost cards like this in your hand could be detrimental when facing strategies that force discards, effectively magnifying the downside of its substantial mana cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Deathcoil Wurm thrives in decks that appreciate a hefty creature on the battlefield. Its substantial power and toughness make it a considerable threat in both offensive and defensive positions.
Combo Potential: While not an inherent combo enabler, this wurm can be paired with cards that capitalize on high power creatures or that work to cheat it onto the battlefield early for a game-ending presence.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where longer, grindier games are common, having a card like Deathcoil Wurm, which can often close out games if left unchecked, provides a deck with a robust win condition.
How to Beat
Defeating a Deathcoil Wurm in MTG requires a well-thought strategy as it’s one of the formidable creatures that can dominate the battlefield with its sheer presence. With a vast 7/6 body, this wurm can be a real threat once it hits the table. It takes more than raw power to overcome such a creature; you need precise tactics.
Consider using removal spells that can bypass its tough exterior. Spells such as Path to Exile or Murder are universally recognized as efficient ways to handle troublesome creatures regardless of their size. Most players find that countering it before it takes the field is also effective — a well-timed Counterspell can save you from the wurm’s wrath. Enchantment-based removals like Pacifism can also neutralize the wurm, preventing it from attacking and essentially rendering it useless.
Lastly, leveraging sacrifice effects can be key against creatures that aren’t protected from such actions. Exploiting cards like Diabolic Edict can force your opponent to sacrifice the worm even if you cannot target it directly. By preparing your deck with these strategies, you stand a solid chance against Deathcoil Wurm and similarly powerful creatures that you may encounter.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Deathcoil Wurm MTG card by a specific set like Portal Second Age and Masters Edition IV, 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 Deathcoil Wurm 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 Deathcoil Wurm Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1998-06-24 and 2011-01-10. Illustrated by Rebecca Guay.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1998-06-24 | Portal Second Age | P02 | 125 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Rebecca Guay | |
| 2 | 2011-01-10 | Masters Edition IV | ME4 | 149 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Rebecca Guay | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | P02-125 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Rebecca Guay |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Deathcoil Wurm has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Deathcoil Wurm card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-04-27 | If blocked by a creature with banding, the defending player decides whether or not the damage is assigned “as though it weren’t blocked”. |
| 2018-04-27 | When assigning combat damage, you choose whether you want to assign all damage to blocking creatures, or if you want to assign all of it to the player or planeswalker this creature is attacking. You can’t split the damage assignment between them. |
| 2018-04-27 | You can decide to assign damage to the defending player or planeswalker even if the blocking creature has protection from green or damage preventing effects on it. |