Ribbon Snake MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Snake
Abilities	Flying
Released	2000-06-05
Set symbol
Set name	Prophecy
Set code	PCY
Power	2
Toughness	3
Number	46
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mark Zug

Key Takeaways

Ribbon Snake offers card advantage and synergizes well with instant-speed spells, enhancing strategic depth.
Activation costs and specific mana requirements may limit its inclusion in diverse deck types.
Despite potential downsides, its versatility and meta relevance make it a noteworthy addition.

Text of card

Flying : Ribbon Snake loses flying until end of turn. Any player may play this ability.

All snakes slither. Only this one soars.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ribbon Snake has the potential to continuously generate card advantage. Its ability to let you draw a card each time you cast a noncreature spell maintains your hand size and fuels your strategy.

Resource Acceleration: This creature may not directly ramp your mana, but the frequent card drawing it enables can lead to hitting land drops consistently, keeping you ahead in resources and potentially accelerating your board presence.

Instant Speed: Ribbon Snake itself isn’t an instant, but it synergizes well with instant-speed spells. Being able to play spells on your opponent’s turn enhances the surprise factor and utility of your strategy while benefitting from the snake’s card drawing ability.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Ribbon Snake demands a card discard for its activation, which can deplete your hand, leaving you at a disadvantage during crucial moments of gameplay.

Specific Mana Cost: Its casting requirement includes both blue and green mana, making it less versatile and potentially challenging to play in multi-color decks that don’t focus on these colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Ribbon Snake offers interesting abilities, its combined mana cost is on the higher side. This can slow down your game, especially when compared to other creatures in its mana range that could provide a more immediate board presence or impact.

Reasons to Include Ribbon Snake in Your Collection

Versatility: Ribbon Snake slithers into a variety of deck builds with ease, fitting perfectly in strategies that hinge on creature presence or require efficient mana curve fillers.

Combo Potential: With its subtle synergies, the Ribbon Snake can serve as a catalyst in decks that play off creature types or those aiming to capitalize on certain battlefield states.

Meta-Relevance: Given the ebb and flow of the competitive landscape, Ribbon Snake can emerge as a key player against prevailing deck types that are susceptible to its unique set of abilities.

How to overcome Ribbon Snake

Ribbon Snake presents a tricky challenge on the battlefield with its elusive nature and ability to hinder spells. Fortunately, understanding how to navigate around this slithery creature can turn the tide. Cards that don’t target, such as sweepers or global effects, bypass Ribbon Snake’s protective shield. Look to spells like Wrath of God for clearing the board without having to target. Players might also feature enchantments such as Silent Gravestone, nipping graveyard synergies in the bud and limiting Ribbon Snake’s potency.

Utilizing the stack is another strategic avenue. By casting a spell and then responding to your own spell before Ribbon Snake can react, you can effectively dodge its disrupting ability. Instant speed removal or surprise blockers can catch an opponent off guard. Spells that grant reach or those that create multiple blockers can effectively neutralize the threat posed by this creature without having to invest in targeted removal that falls flat against its abilities.

By adopting these strategies, players can proficiently neutralize the advantage Ribbon Snake offers and maintain control over the game’s pace, ensuring that such threats are addressed before they can coil around your chances of victory.

Cards like Ribbon Snake

Ribbon Snake slithers into the Magic: The Gathering arena as a creature that offers players a unique tactical edge. Its prowess lies in offering flash capability, letting you summon it at lightning speed much like the ever-popular Pestermite, which shares the flash attribute. However, Ribbon Snake stands out with its ability to evade enemy spells and abilities, thanks to its hexproof characteristic, while Pestermite lacks this defensive trait.

When considering cards like Silhana Ledgewalker, we notice a similarity in the hexproof offering, creating a shield against targeted spells. Despite this common ground, Ribbon Snake excels with its broader scope of evasion, not merely on the ground but also in the air through flying capabilities. Bounding Krasis is another card that could be a point of comparison, as it also enters the battlefield with flash. Yet, it doesn’t exhibit the same level of protection or aerial agility that Ribbon Snake provides.

Evaluating the varying attributes of these creatures helps determine the adaptability and defensive prowess Ribbon Snake brings to your deck, positioning it as a compelling choice for players who value swift and secure creature plays in MTG.

Cards similar to Ribbon Snake by color, type and mana cost

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Animating Faerie // Bring to Life - MTG Card versions

Ghost of Ramirez DePietro - MTG Card versions

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Queen of Ice // Rage of Winter - MTG Card versions

Svyelun of Sea and Sky - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ribbon Snake MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy, 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 Ribbon Snake and other MTG cards: