Skittering Crustacean MTG Card

Skittering Crustacean offers card advantage by morphing into a greater threat without extra card expenditure. Its instant-speed morph ability allows for a flexible and unpredictable play style on the battlefield. Despite a higher mana cost, its ability to alter the game with a single card makes it a formidable choice.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Crab
Abilities Monstrosity
Power 2
Toughness 3

Text of card

: Monstrosity 4. (If this creature isn't monstrous, put four +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.) As long as Skittering Crustacean is monstrous, it has hexproof. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)

Cards like Skittering Crustacean

Skittering Crustacean offers a unique twist on defensive creatures within the world of Magic: The Gathering. Much like the resilient Guardian of the Ages, this crustacean becomes a formidable force once its activated conditions are fulfilled. With Guardian of the Ages turning into a 7/7 creature upon being attacked, Skittering Crustacean follows a similar concept but morphs through the expenditure of mana, scaling up its offensive and defensive capabilities without needing to be a target first.

Then, there’s Dragon’s Eye Savants, sharing the ability to morph and unveil hidden strength, but this time it involves revealing a blue card. In contrast, Skittering Crustacean relies purely on mana investment and does not hinge on the contents of your hand, allowing more consistent access to its upgraded form. Meanwhile, creatures like Hapless Researcher lack the transformative ability entirely but are often used for their utility in different gameplay strategies.

In terms of adaptability and board presence, Skittering Crustacean delivers a unique blend of latent power and surprise, carving out its niche among MTG’s array of defensive creatures. Its simplicity in operation coupled with the possibility of sudden power spikes add an intriguing layer to gameplay that players appreciate.

Guardian of the Ages - MTG Card versions
Dragon's Eye Savants - MTG Card versions
Hapless Researcher - MTG Card versions
Guardian of the Ages - MTG Card versions
Dragon's Eye Savants - MTG Card versions
Hapless Researcher - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Skittering Crustacean brings the benefit of potentially transforming into a more powerful creature without having to use up additional cards from your hand. This morphing capability can catch your opponent off guard, essentially offering two threats within a single card, thereby maintaining or even growing your advantage on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: Although Skittering Crustacean itself doesn’t directly generate resources, by surviving early removal due to its higher toughness, it can contribute to your board presence, indirectly leading to resource acceleration as you can allocate your mana more effectively elsewhere.

Instant Speed: The card’s ability to morph at instant speed means you can end your turn without using all your mana, signaling to your opponent that you have other options. Then, if they don’t present a threat, you can surprise them by morphing Skittering Crustacean into a bigger threat, making it a versatile play at any point in the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Skittering Crustacean requires you to discard a card to transform it into Monstrous Crab, potentially depleting your hand and valuable resources.

Specific Mana Cost: The card demands a specific combination of mana to cast, including blue, which may not be easily integrated into multi-color or colorless decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that is higher than other creatures of similar strength, Skittering Crustacean can be a less efficient play, especially when quicker alternatives are available.

Reasons to Include Skittering Crustacean in Your Collection

Versatility: Skittering Crustacean offers a resilient threat in decks that can consistently meet its monstrosity condition, adapting easily to game states that favor either a more defensive or aggressive stance.

Combo Potential: Once this crustacean becomes monstrous, its substantial power and toughness increase opens up a sea of combo possibilities, especially with effects that capitalize on high-power creatures or those that untap a creature for repeated use.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where smaller creatures dominate, Skittering Crustacean’s sheer size post-monstrosity can radically alter the battlefield, making it a compelling sideboard choice or even a mainboard card in certain decks.

How to Beat Skittering Crustacean

In the vast ocean of creatures inhabiting the world of Magic: The Gathering, Skittering Crustacean may not be the mightiest, but it can be a tough shell to crack, especially once it morphs into a larger threat. This creature starts modestly, but when you pour more mana into it, Skittering Crustacean transforms into a formidable foe with hexproof. Overcoming this evolutionary creature requires strategic planning.

To effectively neutralize Skittering Crustacean without engaging in combat, consider using board wipes like “Wrath of God” or “Damnation” which bypass hexproof. If you’re looking for pinpoint removal, edict effects that force players to sacrifice creatures—such as “Diabolic Edict” or “Liliana of the Veil”—elegantly sidestep hexproof abilities. Alternatively, if the creature hasn’t leveled up, direct damage spells can send it back to the depths before it becomes a bigger issue. Another approach relies on countering the mana-intensive monstrosity activation with cards like “Dissolve” or “Counterspell”, pre-empting its evolution entirely.

Tactics against Skittering Crustacean should focus on timing and leveraging spells that don’t target it directly once it’s grown. With a careful strategy, this crustacean’s reign can be kept in check, allowing you to maintain control of the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Skittering Crustacean MTG card by a specific set like Conspiracy: Take the Crown and Treasure Chest, 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 Skittering Crustacean and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Skittering Crustacean Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-08-26 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Jason Felix.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-08-26Conspiracy: Take the CrownCN2 362015NormalBlackJason Felix
22016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 657772015NormalBlackJason Felix
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 4942015NormalBlackJason Felix
42020-09-26The ListPLST CN2-362015NormalBlackJason Felix

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Skittering Crustacean has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal