Skyreach Manta MTG Card
2004-06-04 - Number 152
2013-06-07 - Number 215
2015-05-22 - Number 229
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Fish |
| Abilities | Flying,Sunburst |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 0 |
Text of card
Sunburst (This comes into play with a +1/+1 counter on it for each color of mana used to pay its cost.) Flying
As the dawns break, the manta soars.
Cards like Skyreach Manta
Skyreach Manta flies into the world of Magic: The Gathering as an adaptable creature with a unique mana payment strategy. Standing tall in the landscape of creatures with Sunburst, it shares the stage with others like Serrated Arrows and Clearwater Goblet. What makes Skyreach Manta shine among these is its ability to enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter for each color of mana spent to cast it, potentially making it an immense threat in any multicolor deck.
Serrated Arrows, while also benefiting from Sunburst, serves a different role, offering a utility for controlling opponent’s creatures rather than enhancing your battlefield presence. Clearwater Goblet, on the other hand, brings a sustained life gain advantage to your side, but it lacks the immediate board impact of a creature like Skyreach Manta. Each Sunburst card has its merits, but when it comes to presenting an evasive and customizable threat, Skyreach Manta stands out in its class.
In summary, Skyreach Manta holds a valuable position in the array of multicolored strategies in Magic: The Gathering, balancing flexibility with powerful potential board presence.
Cards similar to Skyreach Manta by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Skyreach Manta arrives on the battlefield with charge counters that can be paid for with any color of mana, which allows it to fit into any deck easily. Once in play, it can be a formidable creature due to its potential size, effectively offering you an advantage as you may have a larger creature than your opponent for a smaller investment.
Resource Acceleration: While Skyreach Manta itself doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, its flexibility in mana costs offers an indirect benefit. The Manta can utilize excess mana of any color efficiently, effectively ensuring that mana from all sources can be put to use, thus accelerating your board presence.
Instant Speed: Although Skyreach Manta does not have flash and cannot be cast at instant speed, its modular nature means it can be a surprise blocker when played on your turn right before passing to your opponent. This ability to quickly put a sizeable creature on the board can sway the tempo of the game in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: A downside for Skyreach Manta is the need to discard cards, especially when you’re playing a tight game and every card in hand is vital for your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires at least one mana of a specific type for its sunburst ability to have an effect, which could be restrictive for decks that don’t focus on color diversity.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Skyreach Manta’s mana cost can be hefty, considering it starts as a 0/0. While its sunburst ability potentially makes it stronger, there are alternatives with guaranteed power and toughness that don’t demand such a varied mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Skyreach Manta is a card that seamlessly adapts to a variety of deck types thanks to its Sunburst ability, allowing it to potentially enter the battlefield with a significant number of +1/+1 counters in multicolored decks.
Combo Potential: This creature offers robust opportunities for synergy within decks that capitalize on counters, such as proliferate strategies or modular abilities, making it a solid contributor to potential combo executions.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors diverse mana bases or counter-heavy decks, Skyreach Manta stands out as a valuable asset. Its scalability ensures it remains relevant, regardless of the stage of the game, providing a substantial presence on the board that adapplies well to shifting game conditions.
How to beat
Skyreach Manta emerges as an adaptable force on the battlefield with its Sunburst ability, gaining a +1/+1 counter for each color of mana used to cast it. Its reliance on a diverse mana base can make it a sizeable threat in formats that nurture multicolored decks. However, its strength can also become its weakness. Cards that can remove counters, such as Vampire Hexmage or Aether Snap, can reduce Skyreach Manta to a mere 0/0 creature, effectively neutralizing it.
Targeted removal spells are particularly effective against the Manta. Since it relies on counters for its power and toughness, once it’s in play, efficiently costed spot removal like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can take it out regardless of its size. Additionally, the benefit of instant-speed interaction cannot be overstated; being able to react to the Manta’s entrance onto the battlefield—or in response to an opponent attempting to boost it further—places you in a prime position to control the threat it presents.
It’s also worth noting that enhancing your deck with cards that restrict the types of mana an opponent can produce will inherently limit the Manta’s potential. Blood Moon, for example, turns nonbasic lands into Mountains, which can single-handedly undercut the Manta’s effectiveness and maintain an advantage on the board.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Skyreach Manta MTG card by a specific set like Fifth Dawn and Modern Masters, 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 Skyreach Manta and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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 Skyreach Manta Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2004-06-04 and 2015-05-22. Illustrated by Christopher Moeller.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2004-06-04 | Fifth Dawn | 5DN | 152 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Christopher Moeller | |
| 2 | 2013-06-07 | Modern Masters | MMA | 215 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Christopher Moeller | |
| 3 | 2015-05-22 | Modern Masters 2015 | MM2 | 229 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Christopher Moeller |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Skyreach Manta has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |