Snake Umbra MTG Card


Snake Umbra secures card advantage with each combat hit while preserving key creatures. It promotes strategic gameplay and can dictate the pace through clever turn navigation. Though it may restrict some decks, its benefits make it a versatile collection inclusion.
Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant,Totem armor

Text of card

Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has "Whenever this creature deals damage to an opponent, you may draw a card." Totem armor (If enchanted creature would be destroyed, instead remove all damage from it and destroy this Aura.)


Cards like Snake Umbra

Snake Umbra adds a layer of both protection and card advantage to creature-based strategies in Magic: The Gathering. In essence, it shares a kinship with Keen Sense, as both enchantments allow the creature they’re attached to draw a card upon dealing damage to a player. Snake Umbra, however, offers an additional benefit of totem armor, potentially saving the creature from destruction.

Taking a broader look, we can compare it to Curiosity, an aura that similarly triggers card draw once the enchanted creature deals damage to an opponent. Curiosity is more mana-efficient but lacks the protective shield that Snake Umbra provides. Additionally, Sixth Sense offers the same card drawing trigger, yet it again doesn’t boast the totem armor feature, making it less defensive.

In summary, Snake Umbra stands out in its category with its unique blend of card draw and creature resilience. The ability to safeguard against potential removal makes it a solid choice for players wanting to maintain a presence on the board while continuously drawing cards to fuel their game plan.

Keen Sense - MTG Card versions
Curiosity - MTG Card versions
Sixth Sense - MTG Card versions
Keen Sense - MTG Card versions
Curiosity - MTG Card versions
Sixth Sense - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Snake Umbra provides a reliable way to keep your hand filled with options. Whenever the enchanted creature deals combat damage to a player, you get to draw a card, ensuring ongoing resource flow and keeping the pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: While Snake Umbra itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it protects your valuable creatures with totem armor. This means your creature stays on the board longer, potentially generating more mana through abilities or attacking consistently each turn.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant, this aura attaches at sorcery speed—however, it rewards strategic gameplay. By cleverly navigating your turns, you can protect a key creature and draw cards, ultimately simulating the reactive nature of instant speed spells by dictating the pace of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Snake Umbra provides valuable protection and card draw, it does have a downside. In certain situations, equipping the aura might force a player to choose between keeping it on the battlefield or discarding another useful card from their hand due to discard effects from other cards or abilities in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Snake Umbra has a green mana cost specific to its casting requirements. This can sometimes be restrictive, making it less flexible for multicolored decks that might struggle with green mana consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The aura comes at a cost of three mana, which can be considered high when compared to other enhancements in the game. Players may find this to be a hindrance, particularly in the early game where mana resources are scarce and the need to establish board presence is critical.


Reasons to Include Snake Umbra in Your Collection

Versatility: Snake Umbra is not just a protective enchantment for your creatures; it also unlocks additional card draw on successful hits. This utility allows it to be fitted seamlessly into a wide array of green-based decks, from aggressive builds looking to maintain momentum to control strategies aiming for card advantage.

Combo Potential: Beyond its surface-level benefits, Snake Umbra can synergize with decks that capitalize on casting spells or drawing cards. It can combine with creatures that have tap or combat damage triggers to create powerful interactions, making it a valuable combo piece in the right circumstances.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creatures reign and combat interactions are frequent, Snake Umbra shines by safeguarding key creatures while refilling your hand. Its relevance grows in metas where maintaining a presence on the board is critical, and it helps you stay ahead in the resource game, making it a must-have for adaptive collections.


How to beat

Snake Umbra is a card that offers both protection and a card draw mechanic to creatures in MTG. A creature enchanted with Snake Umbra gains totem armor, which could negate the next time it would be destroyed, and also provides a card draw whenever it deals damage to a player. These features make it a potent choice for creature-based strategies that are looking to outpace and out-resource opponents over time.

To effectively overcome a creature with Snake Umbra attached, consider using board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation which circumvent the totem armor by not destroying but exiling or returning creatures to hand. Targeted removal spells that don’t destroy but instead exile or bounce can also be effective, such as Swords to Plowshares or Unsummon. Additionally, counter spells should be held in preparation for the Umbra, preventing it from hitting the field altogether. By strategically managing removal resources and timing, you can mitigate the value gained from Snake Umbra and maintain control of the game state.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the depths of MTG offers endless opportunities for players to innovate and thrive in their matches. With Snake Umbra providing both a defensive mechanism through totem armor and an offensive edge via card draw, it’s a multifaceted tool that can enhance numerous deck archetypes. Its utility in maintaining board presence and resource advantage illustrates its value in your gameplay arsenal. Ready to empower your MTG strategies and ensure your creatures become formidable adversaries on the battlefield? Dive deeper with us, embrace the strategies that best suit your playstyle, and optimize your deck’s performance with insights on exceptional card choices like Snake Umbra.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Snake Umbra MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi and Planechase 2012, 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 Snake Umbra and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Snake Umbra Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 2010-04-23 and 2023-09-08. Illustrated by Christopher Moeller.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-04-23Rise of the EldraziROE 2072003NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
22012-06-01Planechase 2012PC2 782003NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
32016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 782015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
42018-08-09Commander 2018C18 1622015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
52018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 1822015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
62019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 13362015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
72020-09-26The ListPLST C18-1622015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
82022-02-18Neon Dynasty CommanderNEC 1302015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller
92023-09-08Wilds of Eldraine CommanderWOC 1332015NormalBlackChristopher Moeller

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Snake Umbra has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2010-06-15 Snake Umbra grants the triggered ability to the creature. It triggers whenever the enchanted creature deals damage to an opponent of its controller (who is not necessarily an opponent of the Aura's controller). In other words, if your Snake Umbra winds up enchanting your opponent's creature, that opponent will draw a card whenever that creature damages you.
2010-06-15 The ability triggers when the enchanted creature deals any damage, not just combat damage.
2018-07-13 If a permanent enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor has indestructible, lethal damage and effects that try to destroy it simply have no effect. Totem armor won't do anything because it won't have to.
2018-07-13 If a permanent enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor would be destroyed by multiple state-based actions at the same time (most likely because a creature with deathtouch has dealt damage to that creature greater than or equal to its toughness) totem armor's effect will replace all of them and save the creature.
2018-07-13 If a permanent you control is enchanted with multiple Auras that have totem armor, and the enchanted permanent would be destroyed, one of those Auras is destroyed instead — but only one of them. You choose which one because you control the enchanted permanent.
2018-07-13 If a spell or ability (such as Akroma's Vengeance) would destroy both an Aura with totem armor and the permanent it's enchanting at the same time, totem armor's effect will save the enchanted permanent from being destroyed. Instead, the spell or ability will destroy the Aura in two different ways at the same time, but the result is the same as destroying it once.
2018-07-13 If a spell or ability says that it would "destroy" a permanent enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor, that spell or ability is what causes the Aura to be destroyed instead. Totem armor doesn't destroy the Aura; rather, it changes the effects of the spell or ability. On the other hand, if a spell or ability deals lethal damage to a creature enchanted with an Aura that has totem armor, the game rules regarding lethal damage cause the Aura to be destroyed, not that spell or ability.
2018-07-13 Totem armor has no effect if the enchanted permanent is put into a graveyard for any other reason, such as if it's sacrificed, if the "legend rule" applies to it, or if its toughness is 0 or less.
2018-07-13 Totem armor's effect is applied no matter why the enchanted permanent would be destroyed: because it's been dealt lethal damage, or because it's being affected by an effect that says to "destroy" it (such as Putrefy). In either case, all damage is removed from the permanent and the Aura is destroyed instead.
2018-07-13 Totem armor's effect is mandatory. If the enchanted permanent would be destroyed, you must remove all damage from it (if it has any) and destroy the Aura that has totem armor instead.
2018-07-13 Totem armor's effect is not regeneration. Specifically, if totem armor's effect is applied, the enchanted permanent does not become tapped and is not removed from combat as a result. Effects that say the enchanted permanent can't be regenerated (as Putrefy does) won't prevent totem armor's effect from being applied.