Harbor Serpent MTG Card

Harbor Serpent benefits decks manipulating Islands, offering unblockability that demands opponent’s attention. Its high mana cost and color specificity restrict its inclusion, highlighting the need for a strong blue mana base. Comparing Harbor Serpent with similar cards can guide players in refining their strategic island-based deck construction.

Magic 2011 (M11)
2010-07-16 - Number 56

Magic 2012 (M12)
2011-07-15 - Number 56

Magic 2013 (M13)
2012-07-13 - Number 53

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Serpent
Abilities	Islandwalk,Landwalk
Power	5
Toughness	5

Text of card

Islandwalk (This creature is unblockable as long as defending player controls an Island.) Harbor Serpent can't attack unless there are five or more Islands on the battlefield.

Like most giant monsters villagers worship as gods, it proves a fickle master.

Cards like Harbor Serpent

Harbor Serpent has carved its niche in the realm of Magic: The Gathering as a thematic inhabitant of Island-centric decks. With its affinity for islands, Harbor Serpent shares traits with cards like Stormtide Leviathan which also thrives in water-themed decks and requires a significant presence of Islands to unleash its full potential. However, the Leviathan offers a grander scale of power and game-altering effects, rendering all non-flying creatures unable to attack as it transforms the board into an aquatic battlefield.

Analogous to the Harbor Serpent, Serpent of the Endless Sea depends on the number of Islands you control, though it comes with flexibility, able to scale its power and toughness depending on your land base. In contrast, Harbor Serpent maintains a constant 5/5 threat regardless of how many Islands are in play. The Harbor Serpent finds its counterpart in the likes of Spire Monitor as well; both creatures share the element of surprise, with the Monitor flying in at instant speed and the Harbor Serpent holding back until a condition is met to strike.

Ultimately, Harbor Serpent situates itself comfortably amid these similar creatures, offering strategic depth to players who seek to capitalize on their mastery of the blue mana and control over the aquatic dominion in their MTG gameplay.

Serpent of the Endless Sea - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Harbor Serpent by color, type and mana cost

Sun Quan, Lord of Wu - MTG Card versions

Zahid, Djinn of the Lamp - MTG Card versions

Arcanis the Omnipotent - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Harbor Serpent itself does not directly enable card draw, its ability to become unblockable in certain scenarios can lead to a consistent presence on the battlefield, indirectly bolstering your card advantage by requiring opponents to deal with it or face recurring damage.

Resource Acceleration: Harbor Serpent might not directly accelerate resources, but its color identity aligns with mana ramp strategies in blue. Playing this creature in a deck with ramp capabilities enhances the chances of casting it earlier than its six-mana cost and potentially activating its unblockable condition sooner.

Instant Speed: Harbor Serpent operates at sorcery speed as a creature; however, its relevance at instant speed comes into play when considering the blue instant-speed spells you might hold up. Having a substantial creature like Harbor Serpent in play allows you to pass the turn with mana open more safely, bluffing counterspells or bounce effects, hence giving your overall strategy greater flexibility and unpredictability.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Harbor Serpent’s utility is closely tied to a specific requirement; having Islands in play. Without controlling Islands, this serpent stays benched, which can be a significant downside in non-blue or multicolored decks that can’t consistently meet this condition.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Harbor Serpent includes a rather heavy blue mana requirement. This can be a hurdle in decks that are not mono-blue, as it demands a strong blue mana base to be played on curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of six, Harbor Serpent is on the expensive side, potentially slowing down your gameplay. In the same mana range, players might find other creatures or spells that provide more immediate impact or utility on the battlefield.

Reasons to Include Harbor Serpent in Your Collection

Versatility: Harbor Serpent presents itself as a game-changer in decks that manipulate the number of Islands you control or the opponent’s land bases.

Combo Potential: This sea monster synergizes well with strategies that focus on land control and benefits from having “islandwalk” as a means to be unblockable as long as the opponent has an Island.

Meta-Relevance: With the ebb and flow of MTG’s meta, the Harbor Serpent can play a crucial role in environments where Island-heavy decks are prevalent, turning it into a potent threat that’s hard to block.

How to beat

Harbor Serpent may be a formidably sized creature when it swims onto the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering, but it does come with its own set of limitations that savvy players can exploit. A key strategy to triumph over Harbor Serpent involves controlling the number of Islands in play. Since Harbor Serpent can’t attack unless there are five or more Islands on the battlefield, keeping this number down can effectively keep the serpent in check.

Removal spells also play a vital role in dismantling Harbor Serpent’s advantage. Utility cards like Unsummon or Rapid Hybridization can send Harbor Serpent back to its owner’s hand or transform it into a less threatening creature. Additionally, cards with exile abilities, such as Path to Exile, provide a permanent solution by removing the serpent from the game altogether.

It’s clear that understanding the mechanics surrounding Harbor Serpent’s strengths and limitations is crucial. By strategically managing the battlefield and using the right removal at opportune moments, players can navigate around this leviathan’s potential and secure a victory even in the wake of its deep-sea dominion.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Harbor Serpent MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2011 and Magic 2012, 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 Harbor Serpent and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Harbor Serpent Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2010-07-16 and 2012-07-13. Illustrated by Daarken.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2010-07-16	Magic 2011	M11	56	2003	Normal	Black	Daarken
2	2011-07-15	Magic 2012	M12	56	2003	Normal	Black	Daarken
3	2012-07-13	Magic 2013	M13	53	2003	Normal	Black	Daarken

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Harbor Serpent 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 Harbor Serpent card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2010-08-15	Harbor Serpent’s abilities care about lands with the land type Island, not necessarily lands named Island.
2010-08-15	The second ability checks how many Islands are on the battlefield (regardless of who controls them) only as attackers are declared. Once Harbor Serpent is declared as an attacker, it will continue to attack even if the number of Islands on the battlefield falls below five.