Serpentine Curve MTG Card

Best in spell-heavy decks, it turns a full graveyard into an asset by summoning strong creatures. While restrictive in mana and speed, the card’s synergy and potential power offer unique advantages. Meta-relevant presence ensures Serpentine Curve remains a competitive choice for spell-focused players.
Serpentine Curve - Strixhaven: School of Mages
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Released2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set nameStrixhaven: School of Mages
Set codeSTX
Number52
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byKekai Kotaki

Text of card

Create a 0/0 green and blue Fractal creature token. Put X +1/+1 counters on it, where X is one plus the total number of instant and sorcery cards you own in exile and in your graveyard.

"Math bites." —Bim, Lorehold mage-student

Cards like Serpentine Curve

Serpentine Curve stands out among Magic: The Gathering spell suite designed to amplify the power of your spells through accrued graveyard content. Much like Crackling Drake, this card’s power relies on the number of instant and sorcery cards dwelling within your own abyss of discarded magic. Yet, Serpentine Curve forges its unique path with the creation of a singular large creature rather than providing a potentially reusable creature with flying like the Drake.

The Curve compares favorably with another deck-enhancer, Enigma Drake, which also calculates its strength based on the graveyard’s instant and sorcery card count. The difference lies in the permanence and potentially higher power of Serpentine Curve’s token creation, versus Enigma Drake’s reliance on its survival on the battlefield. Additionally, weighing in is Aven Wind Guide, which grants flying and vigilance to tokens. While the Guide does not directly increase power, it does make any tokens created, such as those from Serpentine Curve, significantly more threatening.

What sets Serpentine Curve apart in the vast realm of MTG is its relatively low casting cost coupled with the exponential power it can potentially bestow upon a single token, a factor that can swiftly tip the scales of a match if left unchecked.

Crackling Drake - MTG Card versions
Enigma Drake - MTG Card versions
Aven Wind Guide - MTG Card versions
Crackling Drake - MTG Card versions
Enigma Drake - MTG Card versions
Aven Wind Guide - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Serpentine Curve. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Serpentine CurveSerpentine Curve PauperSerpentine CurvePauper Challenge 32 2023-12-09
Izzet SerpentineIzzet Serpentine PauperSerpentine CurveLega Pauper Canavese - Top8 Season Paupergeddon Winter Edition 2024
Izzet ControlIzzet Control HistoricIzzet ControlMTGA Pauper: Historic Pauper Tournament (6 Jan '24)
DecklistDecklist Free form79#CS
Dimir ControlDimir Control HistoricDimir ControlMTGA Pauper: Historic Pauper Tournament (6 Jan '24)
Mono-Blue TerrorMono-Blue Terror PauperSerpentine CurveMonthly Tournament #34
Izzet PhoenixIzzet Phoenix PioneerIzzet PhoenixPeasant Pioneer Showdown - A Josh and Pat's MTG Bazaar Sponsored Event

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Serpentine Curve excels in decks that fill the graveyard with instant and sorcery spells, becoming an efficient way to generate a sizable creature while simultaneously benefiting from the spells you’ve already played.

Resource Acceleration: While Serpentine Curve itself does not directly accelerate resources, it can be a cost-effective creature spell. It harnesses the accumulated value of your graveyard’s instants and sorceries, making it possible to field a strong threat at a low mana investment.

Instant Speed: This spell operates at sorcery speed but its impact on the board can be immediate and substantial. It synergizes with decks aiming to cast numerous instants and sorceries ideally on preceding turns, thereby maximizing its potency the moment it hits the battlefield.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Serpentine Curve may lead you to overcommit to your graveyard, as it requires a substantial number of instants and sorceries in exile and the graveyard to be truly effective. This push could potentially leave you vulnerable if you need these cards for other purposes or effects.

Specific Mana Cost: Serpentine Curve’s cost is strictly in blue mana with an additional generic mana. This can restrict the card’s inclusion to decks that heavily support blue mana sources, potentially excluding it from more varied or multicolor strategies where mana flexibility is key.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of 4, Serpentine Curve competes with other impactful spells at the same cost tier. While it promises a potentially sizable creature, the setup needed to maximize its value can be considered an inefficient use of resources compared to other cards with immediate impact on the game state.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Serpentine Curve can slide seamlessly into a variety of blue-based decks, serving as a scalable threat that only gets stronger as you move through your game plan.

Combo Potential: This card shines in spellslinger and graveyard-centric decks, leveraging the number of instants and sorceries in your graveyard to generate a formidable token that can swiftly close out games.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where spells are abundantly cast, Serpentine Curve thrives, often creating a cost-effective creature that can easily pressure control or combo opponents.

How to beat

Serpentine Curve has become a notable card in the Magic: The Gathering community, especially among decks that heavily rely on instants and sorceries. The power of this card grows as your graveyard gets packed with these spell types, making it potentially overwhelming as the game progresses. Nevertheless, there are strategies that you can employ to minimize the impact of Serpentine Curve.

A key tactic is to maintain graveyard control. Cards like Rest in Peace or Scavenging Ooze can be incredibly effective, as they remove the fuel that Serpentine Curve needs to grow a large Fractal creature. Keeping the graveyard clean reduces the card’s effectiveness, ensuring the summoned creature remains manageable. Another approach is to employ counterspells like Negate or Essence Scatter to prevent Serpentine Curve from resolving in the first place. Deploying efficient removal spells such as Path to Exile or Heartless Act can also swiftly deal with the Fractal token that Serpentine Curve creates, mitigating any immediate threats it poses.

In essence, staying ahead of your opponent’s Serpentine Curve play means actively disrupting their game plan and keeping their graveyard as empty as possible. Successfully doing so can neutralize what might otherwise be a substantial roadblock.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Serpentine Curve MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Serpentine Curve and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Serpentine Curve has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-04-16 If you own face-down cards in exile, they won’t count toward the value of X, even if you’re allowed to look at them and you know they are instant or sorcery cards.
2021-04-16 Serpentine Curve itself is not yet in your graveyard when you determine the value of X.