Giant Oyster MTG Card
1995-10-01 - Number 28
2006-10-06 - Number 22
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Oyster |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Giant Oyster offers strategic creature control, potentially locking down key opponent creatures over time.
- Its specific mana cost can be a deck-building challenge, especially in multicolored decks not focused on blue.
- Giant Oyster shines in control decks, disrupting opponents with its unique, long-term board management abilities.
Text of card
You may choose not to untap Giant Oyster during your untap phase. oc T: Target tapped creature does not untap during its controller's untap phase as long as Giant Oyster remains tapped. During your upkeep, put a -1/-1 counter on that creature. If Giant Oyster becomes untapped or leaves play, remove all these counters from the creature.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Giant Oyster definitely brings a tactical edge to the battlefield by effectively tapping and eventually removing an opponent’s crucial creature, thus providing the potential for card advantage as your adversary loses valuable resources.
Resource Acceleration: Though it may not offer direct resource acceleration, the Giant Oyster’s control ability can contribute indirectly by limiting your opponent’s ability to swiftly develop their board, essentially decelerating their resources while yours continue to grow.
Instant Speed: While Giant Oyster itself does not function at instant speed, it creates a long-term impact that may deter opponents from playing their best creatures out of fear that they will be locked down, a strategic advantage that operates on a psychological level akin to instant speed interactions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In the delicate dance of hand management, Giant Oyster doesn’t impose any discard restrictions itself, but its defensive nature may lead players to need cards that better support aggressive strategies or provide card advantage. Holding onto this card might indirectly result in a cramped hand, forcing players to discard other valuable options.
Specific Mana Cost: This creature card comes with a very specific mana cost that includes two blue mana symbols, which can be a stumbling block in multicolored decks not heavily focused on blue resources. This may limit the card’s overall flexibility and ease of casting in a timely manner during gameplay.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost totaling four mana, Giant Oyster could be considered a slow investment for control players. Given that its abilities are more nuanced and its power is modest, there could be tension in using a slot for Giant Oyster when decks might benefit more from lower-cost creatures or spells with immediate board impact.
Reasons to Include Giant Oyster in Your Collection
Versatility: Giant Oyster brings a unique control aspect to blue-hued decks, offering an unusual yet effective way to neutralize opposing creatures. This card can fit well in decks that look to slow down the opponent’s strategy and require tools for long-term board management.
Combo Potential: In combo-centric decks, this card performs a twofold function – not only does it control, but it can be paired with effects that benefit from the tap or destroy mechanics. This synergy creates unexpected interactions and alliances within your deck’s ecosystem.
Meta-Relevance: With a continually evolving battlefield, cards like Giant Oyster can gain prominence as it disrupts commonly encountered creature-based strategies. It’s a choice pick for collectors and players aiming to counter specific creature threats or wanting to experiment with a distinct approach in their gameplay.
How to beat
Giant Oyster may not be the most formidable creature in the vast arsenal of Magic: The Gathering cards, but it has a quirky ability that can catch players off guard. This aquatically themed card stands out by gradually incapacitating an opponent’s creature over time, ultimately destroying it without dealing damage. Hence, the key to outmaneuvering Giant Oyster lies in swift and decisive action.
One effective strategy against Giant Oyster is to employ removal spells that can directly target and eliminate it, such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile, before it gets a chance to latch onto a valuable creature. Alternatively, utilizing abilities or spells that grant hexproof or shroud can ensure your creatures are out of reach from this mollusk’s grasp. It’s also important to consider the speed of your deck; fielding faster, aggressive creatures can pressure your opponent before Giant Oyster becomes a significant threat on the board.
Understanding the tempo of your gameplay and being prepared with the right counters are essential in gaining an advantage over Giant Oyster. With these tactics, this unique card can be effectively managed, allowing players to maintain control of the game. Keeping versatility in your deck can assure preparedness for not only Giant Oyster but various other control cards that could be played against you.
Cards like Giant Oyster
The Giant Oyster stands as a unique creature within the vast sea of Magic: The Gathering cards. Notably akin to cards that incapacitate opposing creatures, Giant Oyster has a rare ability that gradually diminishes a targeted creature. Its closest relatives could be cards like Gideon’s Lawkeeper, which taps a creature for a single white mana, or Icy Manipulator, which shares the ability to tap artifacts, creatures, or lands at the cost of an additional mana.
Another fascinating comparison surfaces with the card Claustrophobia. This blue enchantment locks a creature down, preventing it from untapping during its controller’s untap step—much like the Giant Oyster holds a creature hostage. However, Claustrophobia lacks the gradual destructive capability that is central to Giant Oyster’s charm. Then there’s Pacifism, an enchantment that prevents a creature from attacking or blocking, essentially neutralizing its combat abilities, which echoes the restraining nature of Giant Oyster’s skill set.
When comparing functionality and thematic elements, Giant Oyster indeed has a place among the control cards of Magic: The Gathering. It offers not just a temporary roadblock but a guaranteed elimination of a threat, given time, distinguishing itself with a slow but sure advantage on the board.
Cards similar to Giant Oyster by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Giant Oyster MTG card by a specific set like Homelands and Time Spiral Timeshifted, 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 Giant Oyster and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Giant Oyster Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1995-10-01 and 2006-10-06. Illustrated by Nicola Leonard.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1995-10-01 | Homelands | HML | 28 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Nicola Leonard | |
| 2 | 2006-10-06 | Time Spiral Timeshifted | TSB | 22 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Nicola Leonard |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Giant Oyster has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Giant Oyster card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | If the Oyster untaps during the draw step before its ability to add a -1/-1 counter resolves, the -1/-1 counter effect resolves and adds a -1/-1 counter after the -1/-1 counters are removed due to being untapped. |
| 2006-09-25 | Activating the ability creates a continuous effect that works only as long as Giant Oyster remains tapped, a repeating delayed triggered ability that’s in effect only as long as Giant Oyster remains tapped, and a delayed triggered ability that triggers when Giant Oyster untaps or when it leaves the battlefield. |
| 2006-09-25 | Giant Oyster’s ability can be activated during your upkeep, and the creature will get a -1/-1 counter during the draw step that follows it. |
| 2006-09-25 | The activated ability can target only a tapped creature. |