Riptide Crab MTG Card
2000-10-02 - Number 266
2018-06-08 - Number 228
2019-11-07 - Number 1475
2020-09-26 - Number BBD-228
Text of card
Attacking doesn't cause Riptide Crab to tap. When Riptide Crab is put into a graveyard from play, draw a card.
It sleeps with its claws open.
Cards like Riptide Crab
Riptide Crab is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, known for its utility in both defensive and card advantage strategies. It’s often compared to Wall of Blossoms, which also allows players to draw a card when it enters the battlefield. What distinguishes Riptide Crab, however, is its vigilance ability coupled with the potential to draw a card upon dying. This makes the Riptide Crab a persistent obstacle for opponents and a recurring source of card advantage.
Coiling Oracle is another card that shares similarities with Riptide Crab by providing card advantage. While Coiling Oracle can potentially put a land into play directly when it comes into play, it lacks the defensive capabilities that Riptide Crab offers. Furthermore, Coiling Oracle doesn’t offer benefits upon leaving the battlefield, which highlights Riptide Crab’s resilience and ongoing threat presence.
In practice, Riptide Crab holds a niche role within MTG decks that profit from both its ability to fortify the battlefield and to replenish the hand upon dying. This balance between defense and card flow grants it a special spot among creatures that can influence board state and card dynamics.
Cards similar to Riptide Crab by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Riptide Crab’s ability to draw a card when it dies ensures that its departure from the battlefield is not in vain, keeping your hand refreshed and maintaining your momentum in the game.
Resource Acceleration: While Riptide Crab itself does not directly accelerate resources, its low casting cost facilitates earlier plays and its defensive capabilities can help to protect your more vital mana-producing creatures.
Instant Speed: Riptide Crab’s value is accented by its capacity to block opponents’ creatures unexpectedly. Its vigilance allows it to be an effective blocker, and its aftermath of drawing a card happens whether it’s your turn or your adversary’s, exemplifying the versatility and strategic depth of instant-speed triggers.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Riptide Crab necessitates a card to be discarded when leveraging certain abilities, potentially diminishing your hand when you might need those resources for future plays.
Specific Mana Cost: This creature card demands blue and white mana, which can restrict its integration in multi-color decks that do not run these particular mana types, thereby limiting its versatility across various strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that may be deemed steep for its base stats, there are alternatives in the same mana range that could yield a greater immediate impact on the game state, leading players to opt for more cost-efficient creatures.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Riptide Crab’s utility spans various deck types, serving as both a deterrent against aggressive strategies and a card advantage engine. Its ability to block and survive, thanks to vigilance and a solid defensive stat line, makes it a reliable inclusion in control decks or any blue-based strategies seeking to establish a strong defense.
Combo Potential: Upon death, Riptide Crab offers card draw, making it an opportune piece in self-sacrifice or recursion combos. This ensures that whether it’s used defensively or as part of a combo engine, the crab provides consistent value.
Meta-Relevance: In game environments where creatures reign supreme, Riptide Crab shines by discouraging attacks and maintaining card flow. As a card that can repeatedly influence the board state, its relevance is maintained against decks that rely on combat damage to secure victory.
How to beat
Riptide Crab is known for being a tenacious defender in the world of Magic: The Gathering, particularly in decks that focus on control strategies. With its ability to draw a card upon death, it can be a recurring nuisance. However, one efficient method to tackle this creature is by utilizing spells that exile instead of destroy, bypassing its card draw effect. For example, cards like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares remove Riptide Crab from the game altogether, preventing any advantage for your opponent.
Moreover, employing creatures with abilities that don’t trigger the Crab’s card draw such as those with “deathtouch” can be an effective countermeasure. Cards that manipulate the battlefield, like board-wipe spells, should be timed to minimize the card advantage Riptide Crab provides. Alternatively, leveraging graveyard disruption tools, like Relic of Progenitus or Tormod’s Crypt, can diminish the value gained from the Crab’s death-triggered ability, ensuring your control on the game stays firm.
All things considered, while Riptide Crab presents a challenge, its effectiveness can be mitigated with strategic planning. Addressing it with the right cards and tactics shifts the tide of the game back into your favor, making your path to victory clearer.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Riptide Crab MTG card by a specific set like Invasion and Battlebond, 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 Crab and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Riptide Crab Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2000-10-02 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by David Martin.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000-10-02 | Invasion | INV | 266 | 1997 | Normal | Black | David Martin | |
| 2 | 2018-06-08 | Battlebond | BBD | 228 | 2015 | Normal | Black | David Martin | |
| 3 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1475 | 2015 | Normal | Black | David Martin | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | BBD-228 | 2015 | Normal | Black | David Martin |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Riptide Crab has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Guide to Vigilance card ability
In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.