Fang Skulkin MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Artifact Creature — Scarecrow
Released	2008-07-25
Set symbol
Set name	Eventide
Set code	EVE
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	168
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ron Brown

Key Takeaways

Fang Skulkin’s instant speed ability can significantly disrupt strategies and protect creatures efficiently.
Regeneration and synergy with black creatures make it a useful card for specific strategic deck builds.
Mitigating its power requires targeted artifact removal or ability suppression to prevent regeneration.

Text of card

: Target black creature gains wither until end of turn. (It deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters.)

"Everything falls apart. But living things fall apart in the most fascinating ways." —Mowagh the Gwyllion

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Fang Skulkin enhances strategic depth by allowing certain creature types to recycle from the graveyard back to your hand, providing a sustainable source of card advantage that can be pivotal in the late game.

Resource Acceleration: Although Fang Skulkin itself does not directly provide resource acceleration, it synergizes with cards that benefit from creature types or graveyard interactions, potentially expediting your game plan.

Instant Speed: The ability to use Fang Skulkin’s effect at instant speed gives players flexibility to respond to threats or opportunities as they arise. This can effectively protect your key creatures from removal or enable surprise plays that disrupt your opponent’s strategy.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside of Fang Skulkin is manipulating your hand by requiring a card discard to activate its ability. This can be a significant drawback when your hand is already depleted or if you are trying to maintain card advantage on the battlefield.

Specific Mana Cost: This artifact creature demands a specific mana arrangement to cast, which ties it exclusively to decks that can generate or accommodate colorless mana. This need could restrict the card’s versatility across a variety of deck types that may not prioritize the inclusion of colorless sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Fang Skulkin’s abilities may provide value in certain situations, its services come at a relatively high mana investment. There are other creatures or spells in MTG that can offer similar or better effects at a lower cost, potentially undermining Fang Skulkin’s place in a competitive deck structure.

Reasons to Include Fang Skulkin in Your Collection

Versatility: Fang Skulkin offers gameplay flexibility thanks to its ability to grant target creature with a bone counter on it regeneration. This can be a game-changer for decks that rely on key creatures’ survivability.

Combo Potential: As a part of the Skulkin cycle, this card works well with others that benefit from regeneration abilities or those that use bone counters for various effects, opening up interesting synergy options.

Meta-Relevance: Given its low mana cost and utility in protecting creatures, Fang Skulkin can hold its own in environments where board wipes or removal spells are prevalent, ensuring your critical creatures endure.

How to beat

Fang Skulkin is an interesting artifact creature in the MTG universe, recognized for its utility in a Skeleton-themed deck. This card’s key ability allows it to give a regeneration shield to a target Skeleton at a cost. To tactically overcome this pesky creature, it is crucial to employ artifact removal spells or creature abilities in your deck to bypass the regeneration capability altogether. Cards like Disenchant, Naturalize, or targeted removal such as Doom Blade are effective, as they can directly remove Fang Skulkin from the field without resorting to combat damage, which it could potentially regenerate from.

Further improving your approach, consider spells that neutralize abilities or prevent activation. For instance, Pithing Needle can stop the activation of Skulkin’s ability, rendering it a simple creature without its usual defenses. Suppressing artifacts and creatures before they can apply their effects can tilt the battlefield in your favor. Attacks that apply -1/-1 counters or decrease toughness, where regeneration doesn’t help, like Toxic Deluge, can also be pivotal when dealing with regeneration mechanics.

Overall, understanding and preparing for the Fang Skulkin’s strengths can ensure that this card doesn’t become a stumbling block in your path to victory.

Cards like Fang Skulkin

Fang Skulkin offers a unique twist on creature abilities within the world of Magic: The Gathering. Its parallels with other Skulkin tribe members, such as Scuttling Sliver, are apparent. Like the Fang Skulkin, Scuttling Sliver grants an ability to a particular creature type – in this case, Slivers gain the ability to move under certain conditions.

In a closer comparison, we can look at the cycle of Scarecrows which include scarecrow creatures like Rattleblaze Scarecrow. These cards resonate with the theme of providing abilities or benefits to a broader range of creatures, but Fang Skulkin’s focus on black creatures gives it a narrower, yet potentially more strategic, utility. The Skulkin’s ability to regenerate black creatures could be seen as a protective measure that some players might favor, especially those running black-heavy decks that benefit from such resilience.

In sum, while Fang Skulkin may not appear as broad in its utility or as impactful alone compared to other tribal-based creatures, its specialized ability provides valuable support in decks designed around black creatures, emphasizing survival and tactical endurance in MTG.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Fang Skulkin MTG card by a specific set like Eventide, 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 Fang Skulkin and other MTG cards: