Skitter Eel MTG Card

Boosted adaptability of Skitter Eel can lead to favorable board states and trades in gameplay. Instant speed adapt gives flexibility and can unexpectedly alter combat dynamics. Mana investment needed for adapt can be drawback as it opens up to removal risks.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Fish Crab
Abilities Adapt
Power 3
Toughness 3

Text of card

: Adapt 2. (If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put two +1/+1 counters on it.)

"Life has no mistakes, only experiments." —Yolov, Simic bioengineer

Cards like Skitter Eel

In the vast pool of creatures in Magic: The Gathering, Skitter Eel brings its own unique flavor to the battlefield. As an adaptable creature, it shares a kinship with many. Take Mist-Cloaked Herald, for instance, a simple yet reliable creature that, like Skitter Eel, excels in evasion. However, the herald makes its mark with unblockable prowess, lacking the versatility of Skitter Eel’s +2/+2 adaptability.

Moving to another aquatic ally, Benthic Biomancer stands out with a similar adapt feature, allowing it to evolve and draw a card. Yet, what it gains in card utility, it sacrifices in sheer size, where Skitter Eel’s potential peak power eclipses the Biomancer’s reach. Contrastingly, the aptly named Sharktocrab also brandishes the adapt mechanic. Though higher in cast cost, its ability to lock down opposing creatures can be invaluable, giving it an edge in control that Skitter Eel does not inherently possess.

Ultimately, Skitter Eel’s blend of cost-efficiency and the chance for a sizeable power boost places it distinctly among its peers. It navigates the subtle balance between cost, combat capabilities, and potential growth, making it a noteworthy player in the realm of evolving creatures within Magic: The Gathering.

Mist-Cloaked Herald - MTG Card versions
Benthic Biomancer - MTG Card versions
Sharktocrab - MTG Card versions
Mist-Cloaked Herald - MTG Card versions
Benthic Biomancer - MTG Card versions
Sharktocrab - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Skitter Eel can give you an edge by boosting itself, potentially leading to better trades and conserving cards in hand for later use, therefore, maintaining card advantage during gameplay.

Resource Acceleration: While Skitter Eel doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its adaptability means it can be a versatile asset, needing less support from other cards to make an impact on the board state.

Instant Speed: The adapt ability of Skitter Eel can be activated at instant speed, offering flexibility to surprise opponents by enhancing it out of turn sequence, often during the combat phase to swing the tide of battle.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The adapt mechanic of Skitter Eel requires players to invest extra mana to make it a significant threat. While it doesn’t discard cards upfront, the steep investment can lead to a card disadvantage if the creature is removed before leveraging its boosted power.

Specific Mana Cost: Skitter Eel demands both colorless and blue mana for casting and adaptation. This can sometimes be restrictive as it necessitates a committed setup towards blue mana resources, possibly impinging on the deck’s color flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At four mana to cast, and an additional cost to adapt, Skitter Eel’s total cost can be taxing. There are creatures at four mana that come with intrinsic abilities or offer immediate impact without additional investment, making them potentially more cost-effective options.

Reasons to Include Skitter Eel in Your Collection

Versatility: Skitter Eel plays a flexible role in blue-based decks, offering both a respectable body for combat and an adaptable threat level with its adaptability mechanic.

Combo Potential: When Skitter Eel’s adapt ability is activated, it not only becomes a larger creature but can also synergize with other cards that care about +1/+1 counters or larger creatures being on the field.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where evolving board states are crucial, Skitter Eel can effectively contend with an array of threats, making it a solid choice for decks needing to stay competitive in various matchups.

How to beat

Skitter Eel emerges as a versatile creature in the MTG universe, boasting the adaptability that can pose a real threat on the battlefield. With its adapt feature, Skitter Eel can become a significant force by evolving into a 5/5 creature. This doesn’t come without its own set of challenges for an opponent, but there are effective strategies to nullify this aquatic adversary.

To effectively counter the Skitter Eel card, consider removal spells that can bypass its ability to grow stronger. Cards like Doom Blade or Go for the Throat can eliminate it before the adapt ability is activated. Moreover, countering it as it hits the stack with spells like Negate ensures it never gets the chance to adapt. It’s also essential to manage your resources well; employing instant-speed interaction like these spells can give you the upper hand against Skitter Eel by disrupting your opponent’s timing and strategy, lending you control of the game’s tempo.

Focusing on these strategies allows players to stay ahead of their opponent and maintain dominance on the board, proving that even a creature with the potential to scale up its power has its vulnerabilities.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Skitter Eel MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance and Mystery Booster, 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 Skitter Eel and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Skitter Eel Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2019-01-25 and 2024-02-23. Illustrated by Mathias Kollros.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-01-25Ravnica AllegianceRNA 532015NormalBlackMathias Kollros
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 4932015NormalBlackMathias Kollros
32020-09-26The ListPLST RNA-532015NormalBlackMathias Kollros
42024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 982015NormalBlackMathias Kollros

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Skitter Eel has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-01-25 If a creature somehow loses all of its +1/+1 counters, it can adapt again and get more +1/+1 counters.
2019-01-25 You can always activate an ability that will cause a creature to adapt. As that ability resolves, if the creature has a +1/+1 counter on it for any reason, you simply won’t put any +1/+1 counters on it.