Spiketail Hatchling MTG Card
2000-06-05 - Number 49
2003-07-28 - Number 102
2003-07-28 - Number 102★
2007-07-13 - Number 111
2007-07-13 - Number 111★
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Drake |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Flying Sacrifice Spiketail Hatchling: Counter target spell unless its controller pays o1.
It dodges waves of water to prepare for waves of magic.
Cards like Spiketail Hatchling
Spiketail Hatchling serves a special role in the Magic: The Gathering realm of creature spells with disruptive abilities. Resembling the tactics of cards like Spellstutter Sprite, this Hatchling can counter a spell unless its caster pays an additional two mana. Spellstutter Sprite also counters spells based on the number of fairies you control, allowing for scalability.
Dive deeper, and you’ll find cards like Mana Leak in the mix, offering a similar counter unless three mana is paid. While Mana Leak isn’t a creature, it’s a well-known staple with its low mana cost and broad countering reach. Then, there’s the Mystic Snake, delivering a direct counter while leaving a body on the field, presenting a solid choice for control strategies.
Judging its utility among counterparts, Spiketail Hatchling stands out in decks where creatures double as control mechanisms. Its ability to fly and enact control at the same time positions it uniquely for players who relish maintaining board presence while dictating the pace of the game.
Cards similar to Spiketail Hatchling by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Spiketail Hatchling, though modest in power, can be a significant contributor to card advantage in the right deck. By forcing your opponent to play around its ability or risk having their spell countered, it can indirectly net you card advantage by keeping their threats and solutions at bay.
Resource Acceleration: While Spiketail Hatchling itself does not directly accelerate resources, its low casting cost allows you to maintain other mana resources to utilize more of your deck’s capabilities. It supports a strategy where saving mana for other spells is crucial.
Instant Speed: The Hatchling’s ability to counter spells at instant speed makes it a strategic asset during gameplay. It encourages opponents to play spells on their terms, often leading them to overcommit mana to avoid the Hatchling’s counter, thus giving you a chance to react with other instant-speed interactions on your turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Spiketail Hatchling doesn’t require a discard per se, but using its ability means you’re sacrificing the creature itself. This cost can be steep, particularly when you’re sacrificing a creature for a onetime effect with no guarantee of payback.
Specific Mana Cost: While costing only two mana, Spiketail Hatchling commands a specific color combination, one blue and one generic mana. This could potentially restrict its inclusion to blue-centric or two-color decks, limiting its versatility compared to colorless options.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the Hatchling’s mana cost is low, its ability to counter a spell unless its controller pays an additional two mana might not always be impactful, especially in the later stages of the game when opponents generally have more resources at their disposal.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Spiketail Hatchling offers a flexible play style by providing a counter spell option while simultaneously putting a creature on the board. This 1/1 flyer fits well in decks that capitalize on flying creatures or need early game defenses.
Combo Potential: This little Drake can serve as a useful piece in strategies that require sacrifices or whenever you need to disrupt an opponent’s spell. It brings strategic depth to the table by enabling you to negotiate its counter ability for beneficial trades.
Meta-Relevance: In game environments where instant and sorcery spells are prevalent, Spiketail Hatchling shines by providing a deterrent against these spells early on. Given how it can influence an opponent’s play simply by being on the field, it maintains relevance in various metas.
How to Beat
The Spiketail Hatchling is a versatile creature card that can be a thorn in the side of any MTG player looking to cast vital spells. This creature comes with a special ability that can counter an opponent’s spell unless they pay an additional cost. Understanding the situational counterplay against the Hatchling can be crucial to turning games in your favor.
To successfully navigate around the Hatchling’s ability, you may want to bait it out with less critical spells, forcing your opponent to decide between letting a mild threat resolve or holding back to counter something bigger. Another tactic is to flush out the Hatchling by casting spells when your opponent’s mana is tapped out, thereby guaranteeing your spell’s success. Additionally, employing instant-speed removal after they have committed mana elsewhere in their turn can remove the Hatchling and clear the path for your more imperative spells.
Ultimately, the key to usurping the Spiketail Hatchling lies in strategic spell sequencing and holding removal for the right moment. Keeping a close watch on your opponent’s mana and planning your moves accordingly can neutralize the Hatchling’s influence on the game, thereby enhancing your position and paving the way for your spells to land unopposed.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Spiketail Hatchling MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy and Eighth Edition, 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 Spiketail Hatchling and other MTG cards:
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- 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
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Printings
The Spiketail Hatchling Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2000-06-05 and 2007-07-13. Illustrated by Greg Staples.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2000-06-05 | Prophecy | PCY | 49 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | |
| 2 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 102 | 2003 | Normal | White | Greg Staples | |
| 3 | 2003-07-28 | Eighth Edition | 8ED | 102★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | |
| 4 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 111 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples | |
| 5 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 111★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Greg Staples |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Spiketail Hatchling has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Spiketail Hatchling card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | The spell’s controller gets the option to pay when this ability resolves. |