Endless Swarm MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 8 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Abilities | Epic |
| Released | 2005-06-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Saviors of Kamigawa |
| Set code | SOK |
| Number | 129 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Jeremy Jarvis |
Text of card
Put a 1/1 green Snake creature token into play for each card in your hand. Epic (For the rest of the game, you can't play spells. At the beginning of each of your upkeeps, copy this spell except for its epic ability.)
Cards like Endless Swarm
Endless Swarm introduces a unique mechanic to the green spell lineup in Magic: The Gathering. Reminiscent of card effects like Squirrel Nest, it leans into prolific token generation, yet distinctively, Endless Swarm continues to create snake tokens every upkeep without requiring a land tap. This self-sustaining quality is a major playstyle advantage over Squirrel Nest’s more static effect.
Parallel Lives is another counterpart worth mentioning, it doesn’t create tokens by itself but doubles the output of any token-creating effects. It synergizes with Endless Swarm, escalating the number of snakes produced exponentially. While not a direct producer of tokens, it enhances the capacity of Endless Swarm and other similar cards.
Comparatively, Serpent Generator, although an artifact, shares the snake generation theme. It demands investment of both mana and its tap ability for token creation, which places it at a slower pace than the continual and cost-effective snake creation presented by Endless Swarm. In evaluating these cards, Endless Swarm marks its territory as a formidable and efficient engine for token generation strategies in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Endless Swarm by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Endless Swarm is a potent engine for generating card advantage. This enchantment allows you to put a creature token onto the battlefield every turn, which can quickly tip the scales in your favor by outnumbering your opponent’s forces.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly producing mana or tokens, the continuous influx of creature tokens can serve as a formidable and escalating board presence, effectively saving mana each turn that would have normally been spent on casting creatures.
Instant Speed: Although Endless Swarm itself is a sorcery-speed enchantment, it allows you to free up mana on subsequent turns. This opens up opportunities to utilize instant-speed spells and abilities during your opponent’s turn, keeping your plays flexible and reactive while your swarm continues to grow.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Players must discard their hand, which can significantly reduce options and leave you vulnerable if you’re unable to refill your hand quickly.
Specific Mana Cost: Endless Swarm has a unique mana cost that requires a large amount of green mana, making it challenging to slot into multicolored decks that may not consistently produce the necessary green resources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its demanding mana investment, it is often a late-game option. In fast-paced games, drawing it early can lead to a dead card in hand, hindering overall deck performance when quicker plays are needed.
Reasons to Include Endless Swarm in Your Collection
Versatility: Endless Swarm brings a dynamic element to any deck that thrives on creature generation. It can seamlessly adapt to various playstyles, offering consistent board presence through its Epic ability which continues to churn out tokens every turn.
Combo Potential: This card’s relentless production of Snake tokens can synergize with numerous strategies that capitalize on creature numbers, enabling powerful combos with effects that trigger upon creatures entering the battlefield or when certain creature counts are reached.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors games with a longer duration or where board states become crowded, Endless Swarm can significantly impact the game’s trajectory, creating an overwhelming tide of creatures that can shift the balance in your favor.
How to Beat
When facing down the continuous creature onslaught presented by the Endless Swarm card, players must strategize effectively to stem the tide of tokens. Key to overcoming this challenge is employing sweepers or board clear cards that can handle multiple creatures at once. Spells such as Wrath of God or Damnation, which remove all creatures from play, can reset the board and give you a respite from the swarm. Having spot removals is often less effective since Endless Swarm is designed to generate a sizable number of creatures over time.
Graveyard disruption can also be efficacious. By using cards that exile or shuffle graveyards into libraries, you interrupt the card’s ability to function, as Endless Swarm relies on an ongoing cycle of creature generation. Strategic counterspells are another route, ideally employed against the epic spell itself or the subsequent tokens being played to prevent their multiplicative effect.
Of paramount importance, maintaining control over the course of the game by limiting token production capabilities or altering the tempo can lead to success against Endless Swarm. The goal should be to manage the board state before it becomes overwhelmed by the gradual yet unremitting flow of creatures.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Endless Swarm MTG card by a specific set like Saviors of Kamigawa, 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 Endless Swarm 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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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Endless Swarm has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |