Devouring Deep MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Fish
Abilities	Islandwalk,Landwalk
Released	1994-06-01
Set symbol
Set name	Legends
Set code	LEG
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	50
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Liz Danforth

Key Takeaways

Devouring Deep’s card advantage and token generation offer substantial forward momentum in the game.
Instant speed casting provides strategic flexibility, enhancing reactive and proactive play styles.
Despite its power, players must weigh the balance of card discard and specific mana costs.

Text of card

Islandwalk

"Full fathom five thy father lies;/ Of his bones are coral made;/ Those are pearls that were his eyes;/ Nothing of him that doth fade,/ But doth suffer a sea-change/ Into something rich and strange." —William Shakespeare, *The Tempest*

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Devouring Deep shines by letting you potentially draw multiple cards, setting the stage for a relentless surge forward. Its ability to filter through your deck is a crucial factor that can give you the upper hand by ensuring you have the right answers or threats at the right time.

Resource Acceleration: This card acts as a catalyst for your strategies by generating tokens. These tokens grant you a valuable edge by representing not only creatures on the battlefield but also as an untapped resource that could be used for furthering your board state or ramping into bigger threats ahead of schedule.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Devouring Deep at instant speed provides a tactical advantage. It empowers you with the element of surprise, allowing you to adapt to the ebb and flow of the match without committing your valuable resources prematurely and maintains the pressure on your opponent by having a threat they must always consider.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When deploying Devouring Deep, one downside is the necessity to discard a card. This potentially puts players at a disadvantage, especially in tight situations where card advantage is critical. Maintaining a sufficient hand size becomes a strategic concern when integrating this card into your deck.

Specific Mana Cost: Devouring Deep’s mana cost demands specific color alignment, which could pose a problem for multi-colored decks. The heavy emphasis on blue mana can conflict with a deck’s mana base, particularly if it’s not centered around blue or lacks adequate mana fixing solutions.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that may be deemed steep for the benefits received, players might hesitate to include Devouring Deep in their deck. In a game where efficiency can be the difference between victory and defeat, it’s vital to consider the opportunity cost of playing a card with such a high mana investment over alternative options that can provide similar or better effects at a lower cost.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Devouring Deep can seamlessly adapt to a variety of blue-centric strategies, with its ability to act as a formidable creature on the board. It’s a card that supports both offensive and defensive approaches, making it a versatile pick for any collector.

Combo Potential: Devouring Deep’s capacity to synergize with cards that play off of sea creatures or tap/untap mechanics makes it an intriguing prospect for combo aficionados seeking to explore new interactions.

Meta-Relevance: Given its inherent abilities, Devouring Deep holds its own in a meta that emphasizes tempo play and creature-based tactics. Its presence in a deck can influence opponent decisions and possibly shift the tide of matches.

How to beat

Devouring Deep is a card that can pose quite a challenge for players in the MTG arena due to its potent combination of abilities. What sets this card apart is its Encore ability, which allows you to exile it from your graveyard and create a token copy for each opponent you have. This can quickly overwhelm the board if not addressed swiftly.

To counteract this menacing force, strategies like graveyard disruption become essential. Cards like Tormod’s Crypt can exile a player’s graveyard at no cost, cutting off the Devouring Deep’s Encore ability entirely. Playing instant speed removal spells can also keep the Devouring Deep at bay, ensuring that it doesn’t have the chance to create multiple tokens upon death.

When considering how to stay ahead, including cards that limit opponents from casting spells from anywhere other than their hands, like Drannith Magistrate, can prove invaluable. This provides a preemptive barrier against the Devouring Deep’s Encore mechanic. By integrating proactive disruption and strategic removal in your deck, you’ll be well-equipped to handle the watery threat that Devouring Deep presents.

Cards like Devouring Deep

Devouring Deep in Magic: The Gathering swims amongst other notable sea-themed creatures, but it has unique features that set it apart. It finds its kin in a card like Whelming Wave, which encapsulates the oceanic might by returning all non-Sea creatures to their owner’s hands. Devouring Deep doesn’t manipulate the board to this extent, but it emphasizes individual potency with its synergies in aquatic decks.

Analogously, Lorthos, the Tidemaker, is another leviathan of the deepseas, demanding a considerable mana investment in exchange for its massive effect on the board state. While Devouring Deep doesn’t quite command the battlefield like Lorthos, it compensates with a lower mana cost and the potential to grow through its devour mechanic, providing a scalable threat throughout the game.

Looking at card utility and its appeal to players fond of the depths, Devouring Deep holds its waters among these similar cards. The balance of its mana cost, versatility in merfolk and sea creature-themed decks, alongside its growth potential, make Devouring Deep a competitive choice for players looking to make a splash in their next game.

Lorthos, the Tidemaker - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Devouring Deep MTG card by a specific set like Legends, 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 Devouring Deep and other MTG cards: