Lotus Cobra MTG Card
2007-02-24 - Number 2012b
2009-10-02 - Number 168
2017-11-17 - Number 174
2020-09-25 - Number 193p
2020-09-25 - Number 193
2020-09-25 - Number 193s
2020-09-25 - Number 307
2002-06-24 - Number 44321
2002-06-24 - Number 83706
2019-12-02 - Number 1223
| Card sets | Released in 10 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Snake |
| Abilities | Landfall |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Landfall — Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, add one mana of any color.
Its scales contain the essence of thousands of lotus blooms.
Cards like Lotus Cobra
The Lotus Cobra is a renowned mana accelerator in MTG. A cue can be taken from the Birds of Paradise, providing mana fixing and ramp. While Birds of Paradise can tap for any color without a landfall trigger, Lotus Cobra offers that extra mana upon each land drop, potentially fueling larger spells earlier.
Another card worthy of comparison is Fyndhorn Elves. These elves also grant an additional green mana each turn but lack the versatility of any mana color the Cobra provides. There’s also the Oracle of Mul Daya, which, similar to the Cobra, appreciates land plays. Rather than giving mana directly, it permits an additional land drop and play from the top of the library — a slower but potentially more consistent value over time.
Assessing these cards, Lotus Cobra has a unique niche, delivering immediate mana boosts in any color, pivotal for multicolored decks craving a fast and efficient start. Its synergies with landfall make it a staple in decks that exploit those mechanics for rapid growth and development.
Cards similar to Lotus Cobra by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Lotus Cobra. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Sultai Control | Pioneer | ReCQ - Pioneer - SCG CON Atlanta - Sunday - 12:30 pm (Bronze) | |
 | Temur Combo | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 15 2024 | |
| Five-color Lands | Gladiator | Sword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 09 2024 | |
| Four-color Lands | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 14 2024 | |
 | 5c Elementals | Pioneer | 5c Elementals | Pioneer League 2024-01-23 |
 | Naya Winota | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 13 2024 | |
 | Golgari Midrange | Gladiator | Gladiator Proving Grounds: Week 13 2024 | |
 | Naya | Free form | Canadian Highlander for Duals - Underground Sea Guaranteed - Proxies Allowed | |
| Gruul Combo | Explorer | Jaffer's Mini Mosh - Explorer | |
 | Saheeli Combo | Modern | Saheeli Combo | Modern Challenge 64 2024-03-02 (1) |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Lotus Cobra’s ability to turn every land drop into potential mana of any color embodied in a creature means it can open the door for multicolored decks to operate smoothly. This snake gives players the flexibility to cast spells ahead of curve, effectively generating a card advantage by accessing more of your deck’s potential earlier in the game.
Resource Acceleration: Upon playing a land, Lotus Cobra’s Landfall ability grants an additional mana. This resource acceleration is crucial for ramping up your board presence, permitting early deployment of high-cost creatures or spells that can dominate the game.
Instant Speed: While Lotus Cobra itself is not an instant, it encourages a playstyle that values instant speed actions. With the extra mana generated, players are empowered to utilize instant-speed spells on their opponent’s turn without falling behind on their own board development, thereby effectively managing their resources and keeping their options open.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Although Lotus Cobra doesn’t directly ask for a discard, its presence can indirectly cause you to sacrifice valuable cards just to ensure it stays on the battlefield. Opponents often target such a powerful mana-producer, which can lead to crucial hand depletion to protect it.
Specific Mana Cost: Lotus Cobra has a specific mana requirement of one green. This can be limiting because it necessitates a commitment to green mana sources, which could potentially narrow down deck-building options and affect the consistency of multi-colored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two mana might not seem high, in the grand scheme of mana accelerants, other one-mana creatures or spells may get your ramp started sooner. When playing competitively, even a one-turn difference in acceleration can be significant.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Lotus Cobra is a powerhouse in land-centric decks, where its ability to generate additional mana from landfall makes it a staple across various formats. Its utility in turning any land drop into a mana advantage allows it to seamlessly integrate into a wide range of strategies.
Combo Potential: With the Lotus Cobra, players unlock the potential for explosive turns by combining it with cards that let you play multiple lands or bounce lands back to your hand. This enables intricate combos and can even lead to winning the game in one grand flourish.
Meta-Relevance: The current meta often revolves around efficient mana usage and the acceleration provided by Lotus Cobra is consistently relevant. Whether you’re speeding out formidable threats ahead of schedule or simply gaining the mana edge to outmaneuver opponents, including this card can give your collection a competitive edge.
How to Beat Lotus Cobra
Lotus Cobra is a powerful asset in MTG, known for its mana acceleration capabilities whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control. Its ability to generate extra mana of any color can significantly advance a player’s board position. However, to counteract the Cobra’s advantage, efficient removal spells are key. Cards like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can swiftly remove the Cobra from the battlefield before it becomes a major threat.
Moreover, timing is crucial when dealing with Lotus Cobra. It is often beneficial to wait for your opponent to play a land, triggering the Cobra’s ability, before proceeding to remove it. This sequencing can lead to a mana loss for your opponent, as they might have banked on the extra mana for their turn. Lastly, keeping a watch on land drops and having instant-speed interaction in your hand can greatly diminish the impact of Lotus Cobra in the game, maintaining balance and preventing opponents from overwhelming you with their board state.
By prioritizing the immediate removal of Lotus Cobra and managing resources wisely, you can effectively neutralize one of the major catalysts for many MTG strategies.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Lotus Cobra MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Magic Online Promos, 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 Lotus Cobra and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Lotus Cobra Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2007-02-24 and 2020-09-25. Illustrated by 5 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 44321 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Terese Nielsen | ||
| 2 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 83706 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Bastien Grivet | ||
| 3 | 2007-02-24 | Grand Prix Promos | PGPX | 2012b | 2003 | Normal | Black | Terese Nielsen | |
| 4 | 2009-10-02 | Zendikar | ZEN | 168 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Chippy | |
| 5 | 2017-11-17 | Iconic Masters | IMA | 174 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chippy | |
| 6 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 1223 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | CROM | ||
| 7 | 2020-09-25 | Zendikar Rising Promos | PZNR | 193p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sam Rowan | |
| 8 | 2020-09-25 | Zendikar Rising | ZNR | 193 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sam Rowan | |
| 9 | 2020-09-25 | Zendikar Rising Promos | PZNR | 193s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Sam Rowan | |
| 10 | 2020-09-25 | Zendikar Rising | ZNR | 307 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Bastien Grivet |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Lotus Cobra has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Lotus Cobra card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | The landfall ability triggers whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control for any reason. It triggers whenever you play a land, as well as whenever a spell or ability (such as Rampant Growth) causes you to put a land onto the battlefield under your control. It will even trigger when a spell or ability causes another player to put a land onto the battlefield under your control (as can happen with Yavimaya Dryad’s ability, for example). |
| 2009-10-01 | When a land enters the battlefield under your control, each landfall ability of the permanents you control will trigger. You can put them on the stack in any order. The last ability you put on the stack will be the first one that resolves. |
| 2017-11-17 | Lotus Cobra’s ability isn’t a mana ability. Opponents may respond to it before you have that mana. |
| 2020-09-25 | A landfall ability doesn’t trigger if a permanent already on the battlefield becomes a land. |
| 2020-09-25 | A landfall ability triggers whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control for any reason. It triggers whenever you play a land, as well as whenever a spell or ability puts a land onto the battlefield under your control. |
| 2020-09-25 | Lotus Cobra’s ability uses the stack and players may respond to it. It isn’t a mana ability because the event that causes it to trigger isn’t a mana ability. |
| 2020-09-25 | Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, each landfall ability of the permanents you control will trigger. You can put them on the stack in any order. The last ability you put on the stack will be the first one to resolve. |