Slitherwisp MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Elemental Nightmare
Abilities Flash
Power 3
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Enhances flash strategies by providing card advantage and direct damage to opponents with each play.
  2. Necessitates specific mana colors, presenting a deck building challenge and potential constraint.
  3. A versatile asset, Slitherwisp’s inclusion can significantly shape gameplay in flash-focused decks.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

Flash Whenever you cast another spell that has flash, you draw a card and each opponent loses 1 life.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Slitherwisp’s ability to draw a card whenever you cast another black or blue spell at instant speed means that it can continuously supply your hand with new options, bolstering your strategy with a steady flow of resources.

Resource Acceleration: By potentially drawing extra cards each turn, Slitherwisp can fuel your gameplay by providing the necessary resources to deploy threats or answer your opponent’s moves more swiftly than usual.

Instant Speed: Slitherwisp synergizes perfectly with instant-speed spells, allowing you to play on your opponent’s turn while benefiting from its card draw trigger. This can lead to significant gains in both tempo and card advantage, as you efficiently utilize your mana and new cards without skipping a beat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Slitherwisp is part of a synergistic playstyle, mandating that you cast another spell with flash to trigger its ability. This can be daunting if your hand is running dry, severely reducing Slitherwisp’s potential impact on the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Slitherwisp demands a strict color combination of blue and black mana for casting. Such specificity can strain your mana base, particularly if you’re looking to include it in a deck that also utilizes other colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana—one blue and two black—Slitherwisp competes with other powerful three-drops within the format. Given its conditional nature, it may not always present the best value for the mana investment, especially in fast-paced games.


Reasons to Include Slitherwisp in Your Collection

Versatility: Slitherwisp supports various decks with its flash ability, offering an opportunity to play both on your turn and your opponent’s, which can keep them guessing and bolster your defenses or strategy.

Combo Potential: This creature rewards you whenever you cast another spell with flash, by drawing a card and dealing damage to the opponent, making it a key piece in decks that leverage the flash mechanic to create powerful synergies and gain incremental advantages.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where instant-speed interaction is crucial, Slitherwisp fits right in. Its ability to slot into flash and control decks makes it a threat that needs to be answered, and its presence in a match can shape the way both players approach the game.


How to beat Slitherwisp

Slitherwisp presents as a unique challenge on the battlefield with its inherent ability to capitalize on flash spells. Adept at turning each flash play into a card drawing mechanism and a life-draining tool, this creature can quickly escalate the game in favor of your opponent. However, defeating this menace requires a keen understanding of its strengths and weaknesses.

One strategy is to limit its advantage by restricting your opponent’s ability to cast multiple spells on your turn. Utilizing instant-speed removal when Slitherwisp hits the field minimizes the opportunity for your opponent to gain the upper hand. Cards like Murderous Rider or Heartless Act are excellent examples of how to efficiently handle this threat.

Furthermore, countering Slitherwisp before it takes effect is crucial. Counterspells such as Dovin’s Veto or Negate can prevent it from ever becoming an active threat. Denying its activation is a preemptive strike, depriving your adversary of their planned card advantage and life drain. By carefully managing removals and counters, its potential can be significantly dampened, paving the way to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Unlocking the full potential of Slitherwisp in your deck can shift the tide of a match decidedly in your favor. Card draw and damage output are vital, and this MTG card seamlessly marries the two. By understanding the nuances of when to play it and which cards to pair it with, you can create a formidable strategy that leaves opponents struggling to keep up. Whether you’re refining an existing deck or building a new one around instant-speed spells, Slitherwisp can be the cornerstone of a highly reactive and punishing deck archetype. Discover the intricate interplay of this card and others on your path to victory by delving deeper with us.


Cards like Slitherwisp

Slitherwisp is an intriguing creature card within the MTG universe, offering a unique synergy with flash cards. When drawing parallels, Nightpack Ambusher stands out due to its ability to produce Wolf tokens and it also rewards players for casting spells during opponents’ turns, just like Slitherwisp. Both capitalize on the element of surprise, but Slitherwisp takes it further by drawing a card and chipping away at the opponent’s life total for each flash card played.

Another comparable card is Cunning Nightbonder, which, while not as directly impactful as Slitherwisp, reduces the mana cost of flash spells and comes with hexproof from blue, adding a layer of protection to your spells. Each of these similar cards carries the thread of utilizing flash in unique ways, yet Slitherwisp offers a more consistent advantage in terms of card draw and life point manipulation.

Ultimately, in the realm of MTG cards that synergize with flash strategies, Slitherwisp holds a distinctive position. It not only enables faster-paced gameplay but combines card advantage with a consistent damage component, thereby making it a valuable asset in decks tailored around the flash mechanic.

Nightpack Ambusher - MTG Card versions
Cunning Nightbonder - MTG Card versions
Nightpack Ambusher - Core Set 2020 Promos (PM20)
Cunning Nightbonder - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Slitherwisp MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, 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 Slitherwisp and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Slitherwisp Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-04-24 and 2020-04-24. Illustrated by Yigit Koroglu.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 808232015normalblackYigit Koroglu
22020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 3452015normalblackYigit Koroglu
32020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 2082015normalblackYigit Koroglu
42020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths PromosPIKO 208s2015normalblackYigit Koroglu
52020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths PromosPIKO 208p2015normalblackYigit Koroglu

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Slitherwisp has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Slitherwisp card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2020-04-17 An ability that triggers when a player casts a spell resolves before the spell that caused it to trigger. It resolves even if that spell is countered.
2020-04-17 If an effect allows you to cast a spell “as though” it has flash, Slitherwisp’s last ability won’t trigger.
2020-04-17 In a Two-Headed Giant game, Slitherwisp’s last ability causes the opposing team to lose 2 life and you to draw one card.
2020-04-17 Players can cast spells and activate abilities after the triggered ability resolves but before the spell that caused it to trigger does.

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