Sea Serpent MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 76
1993-10-04 - Number 77
1993-12-01 - Number 77
1993-12-10 - Number 77
1993-12-10 - Number 77
1994-04-01 - Number 78
1994-04-01 - Number 78
1994-06-21 - Number 78
1995-04-01 - Number 98
1995-04-01 - Number 98
1997-03-24 - Number 118
2011-01-10 - Number 60
2022-11-28 - Number 373
2022-11-28 - Number 76
| Card sets | Released in 14 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Serpent |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Text of card
Serpent cannot attack unless opponent has islands in play. Serpent is destroyed immediately if at any time controller has no islands in play.
Legend has it that Serpents used to be bigger, but how could that be?
Cards like Sea Serpent
Sea Serpent has been swimming in Magic: The Gathering’s waters since the game’s inception, featured in the very first set. It’s a massive creature that pays homage to classical mythological beasts. When evaluating Sea Serpent against its brethren, the comparison is intriguing. For example, River Serpent fails to boast the same imposing presence, although it has the advantage of cycling, allowing players to draw a card at a minimal cost.
Considering more recent additions, we can look at Serpent of Yawning Depths, a creature that not only brings bulk to the battlefield but also gives your other sea dwellers free reign to attack unblockable. It’s a mighty shift in your favor, highlighting the evolution of serpent-themed cards as the years go by. Then there’s the renowned Lochmere Serpent, offering a different angle of versatility with its ability to manipulate both graveyard and hand, contrasted against Sea Serpent’s straightforward approach.
Although it may not feature the complexities of its kin, Sea Serpent remains a nostalgic card that finds its charm in simplicity and the memories it evokes for veteran players of Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Sea Serpent by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When you summon the Sea Serpent, its massive presence threatens to disrupt the flow of the game, often causing an opponent to deal with it immediately. This can lead to a one-for-one trade or better, ensuring that you maintain card parity or potentially gain card advantage if the serpent isn’t dealt with immediately.
Resource Acceleration: While the Sea Serpent itself may not directly accelerate your resources, it can pave the way for other sea creatures or synergies within your deck. Tribal support cards that benefit sea creatures often provide additional drawing capabilities or mana generation, indirectly contributing to resource acceleration by keeping the Sea Serpent in play.
Instant Speed: Although the Sea Serpent typically can’t be cast at instant speed, its presence impacts the tempo of the game. It can shape how you and your opponent play spells, conserving mana for that pivotal moment when the tide-turning creature glides onto the battlefield, potentially at a speed that your adversary isn’t prepared for.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Some versions of sea serpent cards in the MTG arena require a player to discard another card, which can deplete your hand and leave you at a disadvantage, especially in the fast-paced matches where each card counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Sea serpent creatures often come with a strict blue mana cost, which means they demand heavy investment in blue mana sources. This can be limiting for players who prefer a more versatile mana base or multicolored decks that require mana of different types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: As iconic as they are, classical sea serpent cards are recognized for their fairly steep mana costs, making them a late-game play. In an environment where efficiency and speed are crucial, the high casting cost can make sea serpents less favorable compared to other creatures that offer similar or greater power and toughness for a lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Sea Serpent card offers flexibility for blue-focused decks, where marine and monstrous themes are prevalent. It can serve as a sizeable creature in a control setup or complement other sea creature synergies.
Combo Potential: As a classic creature, Sea Serpent can work well with cards that benefit from having creatures with specific types, enabling interesting interactions and synergies in aquatic-themed decks.
Meta-Relevance: While not always at the forefront of competitive play, Sea Serpent could find a place in casual metas or as a sideboard option when larger creatures become advantageous or for thematic events.
How to beat
The Sea Serpent card, while not a mainstay in competitive formats, can create a dominant presence in casual games of Magic: The Gathering. This sizable creature often requires a strategy to handle effectively. Primarily, it’s important to manage your resources to deploy removal spells that can deal with large creatures. Cards such as Terminate or Path to Exile can efficiently remove the Sea Serpent from the battlefield without much cost.
Another effective tactic is to make use of creature control abilities or enchantments—think along the lines of Pacifism or Claustrophobia, which can neutralize the Sea Serpent without actually having to destroy it. Moreover, players can use bounce spells to return the creature to its owner’s hand, temporally removing the threat and potentially causing your opponent to lose tempo from spending a large amount of mana on their threat.
Lastly, don’t underestimate the power of blockers. Having creatures with reach or flying can halt the Sea Serpent in its tracks since it traditionally can only attack if the opponent controls an Island. Adjusting your gameplay to monitor these strategies can turn the tide against Sea Serpent and keep you afloat in the waters of MTG.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sea Serpent MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Sea Serpent 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 Sea Serpent Magic the Gathering card was released in 13 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 76 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 77 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 77 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 77 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 77 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 78 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 78 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 78 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 98 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 98 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 11 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 118 | 1997 | Normal | White | Ian Miller | |
| 12 | 2011-01-10 | Masters Edition IV | ME4 | 60 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 13 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 373 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Jeff A. Menges | |
| 14 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 76 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jeff A. Menges |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sea Serpent has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |