Serpent's Gift MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2012-07-13
Set symbol
Set name	Magic 2013
Set code	M13
Number	190
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Steve Argyle

Key Takeaways

Serpent’s Gift provides deathtouch and potential card draw, enriching gameplay with tactical depth.
The instant’s specific mana cost can limit deck diversity, demanding strategic considerations.
Serpent’s Gift’s niche in MTG allows creatures to tackle threats in versatile ways.

Text of card

Target creature gains deathtouch until end of turn. (Any amount of damage it deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.)

Venom is nature's way of redressing the imbalance between weak and mighty.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Serpent’s Gift provides a strategic edge in MTG by allowing a creature not only to gain deathtouch until end of turn but also to draw a card if it’s your turn, leading to an opportunity of hand replenishment or an increase in options.

Resource Acceleration: By utilizing Serpent’s Gift during your turn, you not only buff a creature but also optimize your resources, as drawing a card can potentially lead to more land plays or the ability to cast more spells sooner.

Instant Speed: The card’s instant speed means players can adapt on the fly, either defensively to eliminate an attacking creature or offensively during their turn to surprise an opponent and refresh their hand, keeping momentum on their side.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Utilizing Serpent’s Gift in your strategy comes with a price as it obligates you to discard another card. This trade-off often leads to a depletion of your hand, putting you at a significant disadvantage, especially if you’re already behind in card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Committing to Serpent’s Gift means paying not only three units of mana but also ensuring that one of those is black. This specific mana requirement may restrict your deck-building options and potentially hinder the card’s inclusion in multi-color decks where mana flexibility is key.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that some may consider steep for the effect granted, Serpent’s Gift may not be the most cost-effective choice for your deck. There are alternatives that could offer protection or combat trickery at a lower mana investment, making this card a potential liability when faster tempo plays are vital to winning a match.

Reasons to Include Serpent’s Gift in Your Collection

Versatility: Serpent’s Gift can be a valuable addition to decks that focus on creature protection or are in need of a combat trick. With its ability to give a creature deathtouch until end of turn, it’s adaptable in various board states, ready to turn any blocker or attacker into a potent threat.

Combo Potential: This instant amplifies strategies revolving around creatures with first strike or those that deal damage in ways other than combat. It works seamlessly to create favorable outcomes and surprising eliminations, especially when paired with cards that enable repeated casting or retrieval from the graveyard.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where large, indestructible, or regenerating creatures dominate, Serpent’s Gift offers a low-cost solution to deal with these problematic defenders or attackers. Its inclusion could provide the edge needed in a meta full of towering titans.

How to Beat Serpent’s Gift

Serpent’s Gift might appear deceptively simple, but it can be a turning point in a match by granting a creature the potential to lethally deplete an opponent’s blocker. To effectively counter this green instant, it’s crucial to be prepared. One key strategy is maintaining a hand with instant-speed removal, such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade, which can be used in response to the casting of Serpent’s Gift. This negates the benefit of deathtouch before it becomes a problem.

Another approach is to control the battlefield in such a way that your opponent has no profitable targets for Serpent’s Gift. This can be achieved by using board wipes or by exerting pressure that forces them to use their creatures defensively. Additionally, keeping creatures with hexproof or shroud on the board proves advantageous as Serpent’s Gift must target a creature and these abilities prevent targeting from spells an opponent controls. Lastly, utilizing counterspells such as Counterspell or Mana Leak can stop Serpent’s Gift and other threats in their tracks, promoting a firm grasp over the game’s momentum.

Overall, facing a card like Serpent’s Gift requires foresight and swift reactions. By staying vigilant and controlling the flow of the match with timely responses, the advantage granted by such spells can be mitigated, keeping you on the path to victory.

Cards like Serpent's Gift

Serpent’s Gift is a unique card in MTG that grants a creature you control the ability to deal damage in the form of -1/-1 counters for the turn. This card echoes the functionality of cards like Weakness, which permanently debuffs a creature by reducing its power and toughness. However, Serpent’s Gift offers a temporary yet versatile boost during your turn, which can be strategically used for both attack or defense.

Comparatively looking at Death’s Approach, another enchantment that can weaken creatures, it’s notable that Death’s Approach has the potential to grow stronger as the graveyard fills up, whereas Serpent’s Gift gives you immediate control over a single turn’s combat. Touch of Moonglove is another similar card that provides a creature death-touch for a turn, but also has the added advantage of causing the opponent to lose life if the creature deals damage, offering a more aggressive advantage than Serpent’s Gift.

In examining various buffs and combat tricks available, Serpent’s Gift has its niche in MTG by allowing creatures to handle threats defensively or open up attacking paths by placing -1/-1 counters, as opposed to other cards that either provide a more consistent diminishment or offensive advantage.

Cards similar to Serpent's Gift by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Serpent's Gift MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2013, 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 Serpent's Gift and other MTG cards: