Eel Umbra MTG Card
2010-04-23 - Number 65
2018-08-09 - Number 89
2018-12-07 - Number 53
2019-11-07 - Number 361
2021-07-23 - Number 83
2022-07-08 - Number 48
2020-09-26 - Number C18-89
Text of card
Flash (You may cast this spell any time you could cast an instant.) Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +1/+1. Totem armor (If enchanted creature would be destroyed, instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Aura.)
Cards like Eel Umbra
Eel Umbra is an intriguing protective Aura in the universe of Magic: The Gathering, sharing similarities with a host of other spells designed to shield creatures. A card like Totem Armor offers a counterpart to Eel Umbra, aiming to save creatures from death by serving as a sacrificial shield during destruction. Unlike Eel Umbra, Totem Armor does not come with the Flash ability, which allows players to cast Eel Umbra at any time, giving it a strategic upper hand for surprise defense.
Another card that draws a parallel is Mizzium Skin, which grants the ability to protect a creature or an entire army with its overload cost. However, Mizzium Skin lacks the recursive protection provided by Totem Armor, found on Eel Umbra. This makes Eel Umbra more durable as it enables creatures to survive situations that would otherwise be lethal. Drake Umbra adds another dimension with its ability to grant flying alongside Totem Armor, but the absence of the Flash ability means it falls short of the instant-speed reaction that Eel Umbra offers.
In assessing various defensive enchantments within Magic: The Gathering, Eel Umbra stands out due to its Flash feature and potential to repeatedly save creatures, making it a highly valued option in decks focused on resilience and surprise tactics.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Eel Umbra provides a significant edge by allowing a creature to avoid destruction through its enchantment aspect. When your creature faces removal, Eel Umbra’s Totem armor can be an unexpected way to keep your key creatures on the board, effectively negating your opponent’s attempt and keeping your hand full of threats.
Resource Acceleration: While Eel Umbra doesn’t directly accelerate resources in terms of mana, it does ensure that your mana investments into creatures are protected. This translates to a sort of indirect resource acceleration as it conserves the resources already invested in the development of your board presence.
Instant Speed: The strength of Eel Umbra lies in its ability to be cast at instant speed. This flexibility allows players to wait until the most opportune moment during the game, such as in response to an opponent’s removal spell or during combat to surprise the opponent, creating advantageous situations and potentially turning the tide of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Eel Umbra requires a card to be in hand to cast, which could be a potential drawback during late-game scenarios where card advantage is crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: Eel Umbra’s casting cost includes colored mana (1 blue), which may not seamlessly fit into decks that don’t have consistent access to blue mana sources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana (1 generic, 1 blue), Eel Umbra’s totem armor benefit may be viewed as less cost-efficient when compared to other protective spells or auras in the same mana range.
Reasons to Include Eel Umbra in Your Collection
Versatility: Eel Umbra is not just a protective aura; its Flash ability allows it to be a surprise element in combat or in response to removal, making it adaptable across defensive and aggressive strategies alike.
Combo Potential: This card acts as both protection and empowerment for key creatures. Its Totem Armor grants a level of insurance, which when paired with creatures possessing potent abilities or enter the battlefield effects, can lead to powerful synergies and game-turning plays.
Meta-Relevance: In metas dominated by spot removals or board wipes, the resilience Eel Umbra provides to your creatures ensures they stick around. Useful within a variety of archetypes, it supports decks aiming to outlast and outmaneuver opponents reliant on single-target solutions.
How to beat
Eel Umbra is a unique aura from Magic: The Gathering, offering creatures not only a power boost but also the coveted totem armor ability. This protective feature shields the enchanted creature from what would normally be a lethal blow by instead destroying the Umbra. The strategy to overcome this resilience lies in multi-layered removal. Single-target removal spells could be baited out by the totem armor, so it’s wise to hold onto a secondary spell to finish the job.
Players may also bypass the aura’s protection entirely by leveraging board wipes that do not destroy but perhaps exile or bounce creatures to a player’s hand. Cards like Terminus or Cyclonic Rift can efficiently neutralize creatures adorned with Eel Umbra without triggering its totem armor. Additionally, spells that force sacrifice, such as Diabolic Edict, ignore totem armor since they don’t directly destroy the creature.
Managing expectations and resources is crucial when facing any enchantment with totem armor. Effective sequencing and the element of surprise can be your allies, turning what seems like an impenetrable defense into a mere speed bump on your road to victory.
BurnMana Recommendations
Diving into the depth of MTG strategy brings us to appreciate nuances, such as the flexible defense Eel Umbra offers. Whether you’re countering removals or surprising your opponent mid-combat, investing in this card could bolster your deck’s resilience. Understanding Eel Umbra’s utility within different archetypes can dramatically increase your capacity to withstand single-target threats. We suggest deepening your tactics and collection by considering the unique protective qualities and synergistic potential this enchantment offers. Unearth more insights and optimize your deck’s capability with our valuable resources. Enhance your strategic gameplay and navigate the MTG landscape with confidence.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Eel Umbra MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi and Commander 2018, 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 Eel Umbra and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
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- MTG Mint Card
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Printings
The Eel Umbra Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2010-04-23 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by Howard Lyon.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010-04-23 | Rise of the Eldrazi | ROE | 65 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
| 2 | 2018-08-09 | Commander 2018 | C18 | 89 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
| 3 | 2018-12-07 | Ultimate Masters | UMA | 53 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
| 4 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 361 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
| 5 | The List | PLST | C18-89 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | ||
| 6 | 2021-07-23 | Forgotten Realms Commander | AFC | 83 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon | |
| 7 | 2022-07-08 | Double Masters 2022 | 2X2 | 48 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Howard Lyon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Eel Umbra has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Eel Umbra card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-07-13 | If a permanent enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor has indestructible, lethal damage and effects that try to destroy it simply have no effect. Totem armor won't do anything because it won't have to. |
| 2018-07-13 | If a permanent enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor would be destroyed by multiple state-based actions at the same time (most likely because a creature with deathtouch has dealt damage to that creature greater than or equal to its toughness) totem armor's effect will replace all of them and save the creature. |
| 2018-07-13 | If a permanent you control is enchanted with multiple Auras that have totem armor, and the enchanted permanent would be destroyed, one of those Auras is destroyed instead — but only one of them. You choose which one because you control the enchanted permanent. |
| 2018-07-13 | If a spell or ability (such as Akroma's Vengeance) would destroy both an Aura with totem armor and the permanent it's enchanting at the same time, totem armor's effect will save the enchanted permanent from being destroyed. Instead, the spell or ability will destroy the Aura in two different ways at the same time, but the result is the same as destroying it once. |
| 2018-07-13 | If a spell or ability says that it would “destroy” a permanent enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor, that spell or ability is what causes the Aura to be destroyed instead. Totem armor doesn't destroy the Aura; rather, it changes the effects of the spell or ability. On the other hand, if a spell or ability deals lethal damage to a creature enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor, the game rules regarding lethal damage cause the Aura to be destroyed, not that spell or ability. |
| 2018-07-13 | Totem armor has no effect if the enchanted permanent is put into a graveyard for any other reason, such as if it's sacrificed, if the “legend rule” applies to it, or if its toughness is 0 or less. |
| 2018-07-13 | Totem armor's effect is applied no matter why the enchanted permanent would be destroyed: because it's been dealt lethal damage, or because it's being affected by an effect that says to “destroy” it (such as Putrefy). In either case, all damage is removed from the permanent and the Aura is destroyed instead. |
| 2018-07-13 | Totem armor's effect is mandatory. If the enchanted permanent would be destroyed, you must remove all damage from it (if it has any) and destroy the Aura that has totem armor instead. |
| 2018-07-13 | Totem armor's effect is not regeneration. Specifically, if totem armor's effect is applied, the enchanted permanent does not become tapped and is not removed from combat as a result. Effects that say the enchanted permanent can't be regenerated (as Putrefy does) won't prevent totem armor's effect from being applied. |
Guide to Flash card ability
Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.