Viashino Fangtail MTG Card

Viashino Fangtail - Ravnica: City of Guilds

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Viashino Warrior
Released	2005-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica: City of Guilds
Set code	RAV
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	148
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Alex Horley-Orlandelli

Key Takeaways

Viashino Fangtail provides reliable control, forcing opponents to use key removals prematurely.
Instant-speed damage by this card disrupts opponents and tailors to dynamic gameplay.
While potent, high mana costs and specificity in casting can deter its use in diverse decks.

Text of card

: Viashino Fangtail deals 1 damage to target creature or player.

"When the bony terminus gets too large, it's shed from the tail in coinciding periods of heightened aggression and hunger." —Simic research notes

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Viashino Fangtail provides an edge in utility, as the card’s ping ability can be repeatedly used to remove smaller creatures or chip away at an opponent’s life total. This persistent threat often forces opponents to use removal spells on it, potentially leading to a two-for-one situation in your favor if they target it with a spell that could have been directed at a more impactful creature you control.

Resource Acceleration: While this card itself does not promote direct resource acceleration, it effectively conserves resources by demanding an immediate answer. Its ability to deal damage without tapping allows it to stay active as both an attacker and a defender, meaning that every turn it remains on the board, you are gaining incremental value without further investment.

Instant Speed: Viashino Fangtail’s ability to deal damage operates at instant speed, giving it flexibility within various phases of the game. It can disrupt your opponent’s turns and strategies on-the-fly, address threats as they emerge, and even create end-of-turn pressure—all while maintaining the element of surprise and forcing opponents to play around your open mana.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Viashino Fangtail doesn’t require a discard to play, it’s important to take note that any card that limits your hand can impact your game, especially if you’re banking on having a full grip to respond to opponents’ threats.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature requires a precise blend of mana to cast. With a casting requirement that includes both generic and red mana, it may not be the best fit for multi-color decks that might struggle to meet this specific cost efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you consider its ability and impact on the game, the Viashino Fangtail may seem a bit pricey. Its four-mana cost may deter players when other cards in the same slot might offer more bang for the buck, such as immediate board impact or lower cost creatures with similar damage output.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Viashino Fangtail offers a unique blend of aggressive stats and utility. It fits well into red-based decks that favor direct damage and can act as both a creature and a source of recurring damage over time.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes with effects that untap creatures or double activated abilities, allowing you to maximize its ping ability. This makes it a powerful inclusion in decks built around such mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where smaller creatures can dominate the board early, Viashino Fangtail can serve as a way to keep the battlefield in check. In metas where pinging is essential for control, its ability to deal direct damage as a repeatable effect makes it a viable choice.

How to Beat

Viashino Fangtail is a unique creature card that can cause quite a stir on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to ping any target for damage, it’s crucial to have a strategy in place to tackle this fiery threat. The key to outmaneuvering Viashino Fangtail lies in removing it quickly or neutralizing its ability. Instant-speed removal spells such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push can effectively dispose of it before it has the chance to deal significant damage.

Alternatively, countering it upon casting with spells like Counterspell or Mana Leak can prevent it from ever impacting the game. It’s also viable to go over the board with a faster, more aggressive strategy that overwhelms the opposing player before Viashino Fangtail can become a deciding factor. Utilizing creatures with hexproof can also be a deterrent, as they are immune to its targeted ability, making them an ideal choice when building your deck.

Overall, while Viashino Fangtail can be a menace, there are multiple avenues to effectively counteract it. Staying prepared and adaptable is the best way to ensure it doesn’t tip the scales in your opponent’s favor. With the right approach, this creature won’t stand in your way for long.

Cards like Viashino Fangtail

Viashino Fangtail stands as a unique creature in the MTG arena with its direct damage ability. Its closest relatives are cards like Prodigal Pyromancer and Cunning Sparkmage, both of which use tap abilities to deal damage directly to creatures or players. What sets Viashino Fangtail apart is its slightly higher damage output – each tap deals one damage compared to the one-half damage often found in similar creatures.

Another comparable card is Gelectrode, which shares the ability to ping targets but offers a more interactive approach. Gelectrode can untap whenever you cast an instant or sorcery, potentially allowing multiple uses in a single turn. By contrast, Viashino Fangtail becomes more of a steadfast presence on the battlefield without the flexibility provided by instant or sorcery interactions.

Despite the stiff competition, Viashino Fangtail carves out its niche. Its power to consistently deal damage makes it a formidable card, especially in decks that capitalize on damaging abilities to control the board. Hence, it holds its own within MTG as a powerful tool for players who favor direct damage tactics.

Cards similar to Viashino Fangtail by color, type and mana cost

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Shimatsu the Bloodcloaked - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Viashino Fangtail MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Viashino Fangtail and other MTG cards: