Whiptongue Frog MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Frog
Released	1998-06-15
Set symbol
Set name	Exodus
Set code	EXO
Power	1
Toughness	3
Number	52
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jeff Miracola

Key Takeaways

Bouncing opposing creatures can strategically disrupt plays and control game tempo to your advantage.
Instant speed enables reactive play, enhancing the element of surprise in your deck’s defense.
High mana cost and color specificity can limit the card’s inclusion across various deck types.

Text of card

oo U Whiptongue Frog gains flying until end of turn.

Their favorite food? Wind dancers.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Whiptongue Frog offers a favorable bounce effect, potentially sending a key creature of an opponent back to their hand. This temporary removal can disrupt your opponent’s board presence and provide you with an upper hand in controlling the game’s pace.

Resource Acceleration: Although the frog itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its bouncing ability can be used strategically to allow for recurring enter-the-battlefield effects from your creatures that produce mana or draw cards, thus indirectly contributing to resource acceleration over time.

Instant Speed: The ability of Whiptongue Frog to leap into action at instant speed should not be underestimated. This timing enables you to disrupt an opponent’s combat strategies or other key plays they might have been setting up for their turn, making it a versatile tool for maintaining the flow of the match in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One notable drawback of Whiptongue Frog is the necessity to remove another card from your hand to unveil it. This can be particularly taxing during pivotal moments when your hand size is dwindling, forcing you to make challenging decisions about resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: Whiptongue Frog’s casting requirement involves both blue and green mana, obligating decks to be tailored around these colors for consistent play. This requirement restricts this amphibian’s inclusion to mostly Simic or multicolored decks, potentially limiting its flexibility across various strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the abilities it offers, Whiptongue Frog comes with a relatively steep cost. It necessitates three mana, including one green and one blue. When assessing the card’s efficiency, players may opt for alternatives that either cost less or bring more impactful effects on the board, especially considering the fast-paced nature of many MTG games.

Reasons to Include Whiptongue Frog in Your Collection

Versatility: Whiptongue Frog offers flexibility in deck building, serving as an unexpected defense against flying creatures. This makes it a useful sideboard option or main-deck consideration in metas with prominent flying threats.

Combo Potential: Its ability to disrupt opponents’ strategies by bouncing flying creatures back to their owner’s hand can be combined with effects that punish returning creatures to the hand or casting the same creature multiple times.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where fliers can dominate the board, Whiptongue Frog can swing the tide in your favor, providing an edge in both casual and tournament play where airborne assailants are common.

How to Beat Whiptongue Frog

If you’re facing off against Whiptongue Frog in Magic: The Gathering, understanding its abilities is key to overcoming this amphibian adversary. This green creature may give your opponent an edge by possibly drawing a card when it enters the battlefield, adding to their hand and strategic options.

To outmaneuver the frog’s leap into the game, instant speed removal spells are a reliable answer. Timing is crucial; eliminate the creature in response to its casting before its enter-the-battlefield ability resolves. This ensures your opponent won’t reap the extra card benefit. Cards like Fatal Push or Lightning Bolt offer efficient solutions without depleting your resources. Alternately, leveraging counterspells such as Counterspell or Mana Leak can prevent the frog from hitting the battlefield altogether, bypassing its ability and keeping the card advantage in your favor.

Consider a well-tailored sideboard to include creature control elements well-suited for local metagames where verdant amphibians thrive. This strategic depth ensures that Whiptongue Frog doesn’t disrupt your tempo and allows you to maintain control of the game, securing victory over your pond-dwelling rival.

Cards like Whiptongue Frog

Whiptongue Frog is an intriguing creature card that finds its kin among other defensive options in the world of Magic: The Gathering. It hails from the category of efficient blockers such as Sporecap Spider and Deadly Recluse, both of which offer the player a means to protect themselves against flying threats. What sets the Whiptongue Frog apart from Sporecap Spider is its flash ability, allowing it to surprise opponents and act as a sneaky deterrent when they least expect it. While Sporecap Spider boasts a stronger defense stat conducive for stalling aerial attackers, it lacks the instantaneity the Frog offers.

Meanwhile, comparing the Frog to Deadly Recluse, we see a slight shift in utility. The Recluse, although it shares the same converted mana cost with the Whiptongue Frog, also brings a deathtouch ability to the table, ensuring it can counter even the most colossal of flying creatures. However, unlike the agile Frog, the Deadly Recluse cannot be summoned at a moment’s notice.

Thus, for those strategizing around defense with an element of surprise, Whiptongue Frog serves as a valuable addition to their MTG arsenal, weaving together the dual benefits of being a solid blocker and a quick reactive play to disrupt the opponent’s actions mid-flight.

Cards similar to Whiptongue Frog by color, type and mana cost

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Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions

Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions

Grazilaxx, Illithid Scholar - MTG Card versions

Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Whiptongue Frog MTG card by a specific set like Exodus, 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 Whiptongue Frog and other MTG cards: