Daggerback Basilisk MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Basilisk
Abilities Deathtouch
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Its deathtouch ability offers indirect card advantage by trading favorably on the battlefield.
  2. Low casting cost and efficiency make it a strategic choice for maintaining board presence.
  3. Although lacking speed, it can influence opponents’ tactics like an instant spell would.

Text of card

Deathtouch

"Petrifying gaze, deadly fangs, knifelike dorsal spines, venomous saliva . . . Am I missing anything? . . . Toxic bones? Seriously?" —Samila, Murasa Expeditionary House


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Daggerback Basilisk does not directly allow you to draw cards, but its deathtouch ability ensures that it can trade with virtually any creature your opponent controls. This often leads to favorable exchanges, effectively granting you indirect card advantage as your opponent is forced to commit more resources to deal with it.

Resource Acceleration: While Daggerback Basilisk doesn’t accelerate resources in terms of mana, its low casting cost makes it an efficient addition to your battlefield, helping you maintain a presence without a heavy mana investment and keeping your options open for other plays.

Instant Speed: Although Daggerback Basilisk is a creature and does not operate at instant speed, its impact on the board can deter opponents from attacking, creating a strategic advantage akin to having a spell at the ready. Players often must consider their attack paths carefully, knowing the Basilisk can destroy any attacker regardless of size, which can delay their game plan and give you more time to develop your resources.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Daggerback Basilisk doesn’t directly necessitate discarding cards, having a discard strategy to deal with it can be risky. In situations where your hand is already depleted, facing a creature that requires targeted removal over generic damage can force you further into a disadvantageous position.

Specific Mana Cost: Daggerback Basilisk demands a precise mana cost, requiring two green mana to cast. This can be restrictive for multicolored decks that might struggle to produce the necessary green mana consistently, potentially making the basilisk a cumbersome addition to your roster.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of 2G, its three mana total cost is on the high side for a creature with an ability like deathtouch. Considering other creatures and spells carrying similar abilities at a lower cost, optimally curving your mana might mean overlooking the basilisk for more mana-efficient alternatives.


Reasons to Include Daggerback Basilisk in Your Collection

Versatility: Daggerback Basilisk stands out for its adaptable gameplay, being a suitable addition to limited decks or those needing a robust defender. Its deathtouch ability makes it a credible threat to any size of creature it blocks or that blocks it, deterring opponents from attacking.

Combo Potential: This card shines when combined with cards that allow it to deal damage directly to creatures, such as using fight cards or pingers. The deathtouch ability ensures that any damage dealt by Daggerback Basilisk is lethal, clearing the board of troublesome creatures and gaining strategic advantage.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where large creatures dominate, Daggerback Basilisk can serve as an equalizer. No matter how formidable the opponent’s creatures are, the mere presence of a creature with deathtouch on the battlefield can drastically change the dynamics of combat, making it a card worth considering in your arsenal.


How to Overcome Daggerback Basilisk

Daggerback Basilisk is a deceptively simple creature card in Magic: The Gathering that commands respect on the battlefield. With only a modest casting cost and the deathly keyword ‘deathtouch’, it’s a card that can threaten even the mightiest of creatures. To effectively navigate against this reptilian foe, it’s prudent to consider removal spells that don’t rely on damaging the creature, bypassing its deadly ability. Spells like Oblivion Ring, or exile effects like Path to Exile, can safely manage the Basilisk without risking a valuable creature of your own.

Alternately, using flying creatures can provide a strategic advantage. Since Daggerback Basilisk does not have reach, aerial attackers are untouchable, allowing one to whittle down an opponent’s life total unhindered. Board control cards like Wrath of God or Damnation are also powerful tools, clearing grouped threats, including the ever-lurking Basilisks, without any prejudice. When confronted with this card, consider options that avoid direct combat, and the tables can quickly turn in your favor, keeping your crucial creatures safe and in play.


Cards like Daggerback Basilisk

Daggerback Basilisk stands out in the world of MTG as a creature card with deathtouch, offering a formidable defense mechanism. This card is often compared to other deathtouch creatures such as Typhoid Rats and Deadly Recluse. Typhoid Rats, for instance, is also a low-cost creature with deathtouch, but it’s a 1/1 compared to Daggerback Basilisk’s 2/2. Both present a strong deterrent to attackers. Deadly Recluse ups the ante as a 1/2 creature with not only deathtouch but reach as well, allowing it to block flying creatures effectively.

Another similar beast is Ambush Viper. Like Daggerback Basilisk, it carries deathtouch, but with the added utility of flash, enabling it to surprise opponents by entering the battlefield during their turn. However, this snake’s power and toughness sit at 2/1, slightly lower than our Basilisk’s balanced stats.

Each of these creatures has its own role to play in a game of MTG. While Daggerback Basilisk may not have the surprise factor of Ambush Viper or the flying block capability of Deadly Recluse, its decent power and toughness paired with deathtouch make it a valuable asset in any player’s deck that values board control.

Typhoid Rats - MTG Card versions
Deadly Recluse - MTG Card versions
Ambush Viper - MTG Card versions
Typhoid Rats - Innistrad (ISD)
Deadly Recluse - Magic 2010 (M10)
Ambush Viper - Innistrad (ISD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Daggerback Basilisk MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi and Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. Eldrazi, 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 Daggerback Basilisk and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Daggerback Basilisk Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2010-04-23 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Jesper Ejsing.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-04-23Rise of the EldraziROE 1822003normalblackJesper Ejsing
22015-08-28Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. EldraziDDP 112015normalblackJesper Ejsing
32018-06-08BattlebondBBD 1942015normalblackJesper Ejsing
42018-07-13Core Set 2019M19 1742015normalblackJesper Ejsing
52019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 11772015normalblackJesper Ejsing
62020-09-26The ListPLST M19-1742015normalblackJesper Ejsing

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Daggerback Basilisk has restrictions

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

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