Riptide Chimera MTG Card

Riptide Chimera excels by reusing enchantments, granting card advantage and strategic plays. It demands careful planning due to its upkeep requirement, potentially disrupting board presence. Distinct from similar cards, it offers recurring enchantment interactions for tactical value.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment Creature — Chimera
Abilities	Flying
Released	2014-05-02
Set symbol
Set name	Journey into Nyx
Set code	JOU
Power	3
Toughness	4
Number	48
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ryan Barger

Text of card

Flying At the beginning of your upkeep, return an enchantment you control to its owner's hand.

"I want one." —Kiora

Cards like Riptide Chimera

Riptide Chimera stands out in the world of enchantment-focused creatures in MTG. When we draw parallels to alike cards, we might look at Thassa, God of the Sea. Like our Chimera, Thassa has a formidable presence on the board with abilities that shape the game. However, Riptide Chimera demands a return of an enchantment to a player’s hand at the beginning of each upkeep, allowing for repetitive plays and tactical advantages – a nuance not seen in Thassa’s static effects.

Examining Celestial Archon presents another comparison. While the Archon can be cast as an Aura through bestow, providing its benefits in a similar enchantment-related vein, it lacks the recurring utility of Riptide Chimera. Furthermore, the Chimera’s consistent return mechanism can be exploited for value, a strategy the Archon does not inherently support.

Considering these points, Riptide Chimera’s uniqueness in recycling enchantments for continuous effects surfaces as a distinctive feature. It secures its place in decks revolving around enchantment synergies, where it provides recurring strategic advantages each turn, a characteristic setting it apart from its counterparts.

Thassa, God of the Sea - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Riptide Chimera by color, type and mana cost

Threads of Disloyalty - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Riptide Chimera offers a unique form of card advantage by returning an enchantment to your hand at the beginning of each upkeep. This allows you to reuse enchantments with powerful enters-the-battlefield effects or even escape costly upkeep fees on your permanents.

Resource Acceleration: By enabling the strategic replay of enchantments, the Chimera can accelerate your resource development, keeping the pressure on opponents and enabling you to deploy more threats or answers based on the evolving game state.

Instant Speed: While the Riptide Chimera itself is a creature, it indirectly promotes a strategy that can take advantage of instant-speed spells by freeing up your mana each turn. This creature’s reassurance allows a player to manage their resources more effectively, by potentially holding back mana for responses in the form of instants, reflecting a level of strategic flexibility in deck building and in-play decisions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Riptide Chimera demands the return of an enchantment to your hand during your upkeep, which can deplete your board presence over time. This mechanic, while it can be worked around, may disrupt your game plan if you do not have the right setup in play.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes both generic and blue mana, Riptide Chimera’s requirement for blue mana could complicate its inclusion in multi-colored decks that may not always have blue mana at the ready.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana, including two that are color-specific, can be taxing in the early game. While its ability and stats are respectable, there are other creatures or spells within the same or lower cost range that could potentially offer more immediate board impact or versatility without the upkeep condition.

Reasons to Include Riptide Chimera in Your Collection

Versatility: Riptide Chimera offers flexible play options for any collection. This enchantment creature excels in decks that rely on enchantments, being able to repeatedly bounce and replay them for advantages and triggers.

Combo Potential: It pairs wonderfully with enchantments that have enter-the-battlefield effects or enchantments that you want to cast multiple times for value, like those with Constellation abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where enchantments are prominent, Riptide Chimera becomes a key player, providing continuous value each turn and challenging opponents to adapt their removal strategies accordingly.

How to beat

Riptide Chimera stands out in MTG due to its enchantment-returning ability paired with a respectable body in the air. Encountering this on the opposite side of the battlefield can pose a real dilemma due to its recurring value and evasion tactics. However, there are efficient strategies to handle this creature. One method is utilizing removal spells that can bypass its flying trait. Cards like Doom Blade or Murder can cleanly remove the Chimera without the need to engage in aerial combat.

Another angle of attack is to limit the number of enchantments the opponent can play. This cuts off the synergy that Riptide Chimera thrives on. Additionally, enchantment removal like Disenchant disrupts the engine that a deck built around Riptide Chimera likely depends on, causing a significant setback to your opponent’s game plan.

Handling Riptide Chimera often requires a proactive approach. Whether through direct removal or strategically dismantling the components that make it effective, there are various ways to ensure this creature doesn’t overshadow the game. Understanding these key tactics will give players the upper hand in mitigating the impact of Riptide Chimera and maintaining control of the match.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Riptide Chimera MTG card by a specific set like Journey into Nyx, 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 Riptide Chimera and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Riptide Chimera has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Riptide Chimera card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2014-04-26	If Riptide Chimera is the only enchantment you control when its ability resolves, you must return it to its owner's hand.
2014-04-26	If you control no enchantments when Riptide Chimera's ability resolves (perhaps because Riptide Chimera stops being an enchantment for some reason), then nothing happens.