Lurking Crocodile MTG Card

Magic 2012 (M12)
2011-07-15 - Number 184

Lurking Crocodile - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)

Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
2019-12-02 - Number 590

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Crocodile
Abilities	Bloodthirst,Islandwalk,Landwalk
Power	2
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Lurking Crocodile offers card advantage by pressuring opponents, leading to potential resource overcommitment.
Its board presence helps maintain a lead, indirectly giving you a strategic advantage over opponents.
While lacking flash, it supports instant speed strategies by coercing opponents to play cautiously.

Text of card

Bloodthirst 1 (If an opponent was dealt damage this turn, this creature enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it.) Islandwalk (This creature is unblockable as long as defending player controls an Island.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Lurking Crocodile itself may not directly allow you to draw additional cards, it can be a formidable presence that pressures your opponent into unfavorable trades, potentially leading to a card advantage as they are forced to use more resources to handle this threat.

Resource Acceleration: Lurking Crocodile might not provide resource acceleration in the conventional sense, but playing a strong creature early on can help to maintain a lead in board presence, which indirectly accelerates your game plan by keeping opponents on the defensive.

Instant Speed: Although this creature doesn’t have flash to be played at instant speed, its mere existence in a deck can support strategies that benefit from instant speed interactions, by forcing opponents to hold back mana in anticipation, possibly disrupting their tempo and giving you a strategic edge.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Lurking Crocodile challenges players to discard another card as part of its casting or ability activation costs. This can sometimes backfire, especially when your hand is already running on fumes or each card holds a pivotal role in your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This reptilian card demands a very specific mana alignment to hit the board running. If you’re not flush with green mana or you’re juggling a multi-colored deck, you might find Lurking Crocodile lurching behind rather than leading your charge.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its cost, the Lurking Crocodile may not pack enough bite. Other creatures come into play with additional abilities or offer more bang for your buck, making it a less attractive option when drafting your lethal lineup.

Reasons to Include Lurking Crocodile in Your Collection

Versatility: Lurking Crocodile is a flexible card that can slide into a variety of green decks. Its keen balance of cost and power makes it a solid creature to play in both aggressive and midrange strategies, catering to new players and seasoned ones alike who appreciate straightforward efficiency on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: With its capability to thrive in decks that manipulate counters or require creatures with a certain threshold of power, Lurking Crocodile collaborates well with mechanics like evolve or with cards that trigger off of creature power, granting dynamic interactions and synergies within those builds.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where smaller, quick creatures are prevalent, Lurking Crocodile serves as a competent blocker that can often survive combat against these types. Plus, its efficacy in green decks that favor ramping up to larger threats can be an asset when you’re looking to bridge your early to mid-game presence.

How to Beat Lurking Crocodile

Lurking Crocodile is a creature card that can prove to be a thorn in the side of unprepared players in Magic: The Gathering. This card, with its stealthy yet potent combat ability, has the potential to surprise opponents when it transforms into a bigger threat. To effectively neutralize this amphibious assailant, it’s essential to understand its strengths and weaknesses.

One strategy to overcome Lurking Crocodile is to employ removal spells that can target it before it grows or becomes a larger issue in combat. Cards like Murder or Fatal Push are excellent as they can neatly sidestep the transformation trigger by dealing with the problematic creature directly. If you’re looking for a subtler approach, counterspells can intercept this reptilian menace before it even hits the board, preventing any future headaches.

Board control effects like Doomskar or Wrath of God also work wonders by wiping the slate clean, which can be particularly effective if your opponent is using other creatures in tandem with Lurking Crocodile to apply pressure. Remember, though, that timing is key, and having a plan for after the board clear will ensure you maintain the upper hand.

Cards like Lurking Crocodile

The Lurking Crocodile introduces a stealthy aspect to creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. It can be paralleled with other creatures like the Frilled Sandwalla. Both can be powered up for a mana cost, granting them a formidable temporary boost during your turn. The Lurking Crocodile, with its increased strength when it attacks alone, mirrors the Sandwalla’s capacity to swell in size.

Another comparable creature is the Snapping Sailback, which not only grows when it’s dealt damage but also provides a flash ability, allowing you to play it at unexpected times. The Lurking Crocodile lacks this surprise element, but it compensates with its simplicity in mana cost and straight-forward attack boost. Other creatures like the Basking Rootwalla also come to mind, offering an activated ability but with limitations on when it can be used.

Considering the nuances and strategic purposes of these creatures, the Lurking Crocodile holds its own with its straightforward attacking boost, optimally used in decks that reward you for attacking with just one creature. Its cost-effective nature and easy-to-trigger ability make it a substantial choice for budget-friendly and aggressive strategies.

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Lurking Crocodile MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2012 and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Lurking Crocodile and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Lurking Crocodile Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-07-15 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.