Deep-Sea Kraken MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The suspend ability of Deep-Sea Kraken offers a strategic edge, allowing it to be played without paying its mana cost. Each time an opponent casts a spell while it’s suspended, a time counter is removed. This can lead to significant card advantage, bypassing the need to spend resources from your hand to get a substantial threat onto the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: As a potential benefit of its suspend mechanic, Deep-Sea Kraken can encourage resource acceleration indirectly. While it’s ticking down its suspend counters, players can allocate their mana toward developing the board or setting up other game-winning strategies. Upon entry, the Kraken then becomes a powerful presence without the heavy mana investment typically required.

Instant Speed: Although Deep-Sea Kraken itself is not an instant, its suspend ability interacts favorably with the instant speed dynamics of the game. Every time an opponent plays an instant or any other spell at instant speed, they unwittingly expedite the Kraken’s arrival. This interaction makes Deep-Sea Kraken a subtle threat that looms larger with each passing turn and each spell cast, ready to emerge swiftly from the depths to seize control of the sea—or in this case, the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging with Deep-Sea Kraken can sometimes feel like steering a ship through a tumultuous sea. Players must be prepared to unleash a card from their hand into the watery abyss to suspend the kraken, making it a liability when your hand is already running on empty.

Specific Mana Cost: Summoning this leviathan of the depths isn’t just any sailor’s tale—it requires an exacting tribute of mana. With a cost that includes blue mana, not every deck can navigate its depths, potentially anchoring it exclusively in the domain of blue or blue-centric decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: In the vast ocean of MTG, there are many undersea creatures vying for a spot in your deck. With a high initial mana investment to suspend, this gargantuan creature may be left in the wake of more mana-efficient options that promise quicker impact on the game’s ebb and flow.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Deep-Sea Kraken’s unblockable attribute ensures it can be a persistent threat in various deck builds. Its ability to sneak past defenses makes it a consistent player in game formats where evasion is key.

Combo Potential: This creature works well with strategies that manipulate time counters, as its suspend mechanic can come into play much sooner with the right deck synergy. It can also be a powerful surprise in decks that clear the way with mass bounce or removal spells.

Meta-Relevance: Given its resilience against control decks due to its suspension, the Kraken can shift the tide in a meta dominated by control and removal-heavy strategies. Its ability to dodge board clears and counterspells makes it a strong contender in such environments.

How to beat Deep-Sea Kraken

Deep-Sea Kraken is a formidable creature from the depths, known for its suspend ability, which allows it to enter the battlefield unexpectedly and can often catch players off guard. To overcome this stealthy sea monster, one needs a game plan that can either accelerate the countdown of its suspend or deal with it once it submerges into play.

Exile effects are particularly effective, as they can remove the Kraken permanently from the game without triggering its unsuspend ability. Cards like Path to Exile and Swords to Plowshares offer neat, one-for-one solutions. Players can also opt for board wipes like Damnation or Wrath of God, which can handle the Kraken along with other threats. In the case of the Kraken lurking with suspend counters, counter spells remain a good defense, stopping the creature before it even poses a risk. Lastly, never underestimate the value of good old-fashioned creature control, with options ranging from ensnaring it with a Pacifism enchantment to tapping it down with an Icy Manipulator so it can’t attack.

Understanding and preparing for the Kraken’s unique emergence from the depths can tilt the odds in your favor. A combination of exile, counter strategies, and board control can ensure the Deep-Sea Kraken remains a legend of the sea, rather than a terror of the tabletop.

BurnMana Recommendations

As we’ve dived into the murk of the ocean’s depths to explore the Deep-Sea Kraken’s strengths and weaknesses, we’ve uncovered a myriad of strategies that either bolster this leviathan’s potency or cleverly neutralize its power. Whether you’re looking to leverage its unblockable nature for a surprising victory or scouting for ways to override its disruptive entry, the Kraken is a card that undeniably spices up any MTG collection. Climb aboard our vessel at BurnMana where we continue to chart the waters of possibility, offering insights, strategies, and the lore behind the cards that capture our imagination. Embark on this journey to deepen your knowledge and navigate the ocean of MTG with confidence.