Spiny Starfish MTG Card
1996-06-10 - Number 35
2009-09-07 - Number 50
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Starfish |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
o U: Regenerate At the end of any turn in which Spiny Starfish regenerated, put a Starfish token into play for each time it regenerated that turn. Treat these tokens as 0/1 blue creatures.
Cards like Spiny Starfish
Spiny Starfish maintains a unique position in Magic: The Gathering as a regeneration-focused creature. Its closest relatives in terms of functionality include Drudge Skeletons and Will-o’-the-Wisp. These creatures share the invaluable ability to regenerate, providing a reliable defensive strategy. Unlike its kin, Spiny Starfish taps to not only regenerate but also to foreseeably add 0/1 blue Starfish creature tokens during your next upkeep, subtly expanding your army.
However, when pitted against other regenerating creatures like Thorn Thallid, which can also deal damage to creatures or players, Spiny Starfish may seem less aggressive. Still, the Starfish shines in decks built around defensive tactics and board control. While cards like Mischievous Poltergeist offer regeneration with an evasive ability, they lack the Starfish’s potential for incremental creature generation that can be pivotal in protracted matches.
All things considered, Spiny Starfish presents a compelling blend of durability and board presence, making it a fortifying presence in blue-aligned control decks and an intriguing alternative to its regenerative counterparts in Magic: The Gathering’s vast array of creatures.
Cards similar to Spiny Starfish by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Spiny Starfish has an regeneration ability that can make it a recurring block, potentially frustrating opponents’ attacks and safeguarding your life total. Over the course of a game, this can lead to card advantage as it helps to preserve your board state without losing resources.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing resource acceleration, the Spiny Starfish’s ability to survive combat encounters can indirectly contribute to a form of acceleration by allowing you to commit more resources to other areas of play, confident in the knowledge that your defense is secured by the starfish’s persistence.
Instant Speed: The regeneration ability of Spiny Starfish can be activated at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to respond to threats or combat situations on the fly. This reactive capability lets you navigate your turns with more strategic depth, as you can wait until the most opportune moment to ensure your starfish survives.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Spiny Starfish enables card advantage by regenerating and potentially drawing cards, users must be aware it doesn’t contribute directly to your hand. Unlike other creatures, it requires setup and the right board state to make the most of its abilities.
Specific Mana Cost: Spiny Starfish asks for blue mana in its casting cost. This requirement restricts it to blue or multicolored decks, making it less versatile across the varied MTG formats where color flexibility can be crucial.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its intriguing ability to regenerate and create card advantage, the three mana necessary to cast Spiny Starfish is a steep investment, especially since it offers only a mild defensive presence with its 0/1 body, making it a slower option for fast-paced or mana-efficient strategies.
Reasons to Include Spiny Starfish in Your Collection
Versatility: Spiny Starfish isn’t confined to one strategy; it offers a defensive option for control decks, or a repeatable creature generation mechanism for those that capitalize on sacrificing creatures or building up a wide board presence.
Combo Potential: This card pairs well with enchantments or abilities that trigger whenever a creature enters the battlefield or dies, making it a cog in an engine that can generate value each turn.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where games tend to go longer and board stalls are common, Spiny Starfish can become a key player, deterring attacks and creating blockers that help you establish and maintain control of the game.
How to beat Spiny Starfish
The Spiny Starfish, known for its regenerative abilities in MTG, poses unique challenges on the battlefield. This aquatic ally stands out with its ability to not just block creatures, but also to generate a fresh Starfish token under the right conditions at the end of a turn. However, overcoming this spiky sea dweller requires strategic plays.
Direct removal spells serve as effective tools against the Spiny Starfish. Consider leveraging spells like Doom Blade or Path to Exile that bypass its regeneration trick by not dealing damage, but rather by sending it directly to the graveyard or exiling it. Alternatively, utilize spells that prevent regeneration altogether, such as in the vein of Incinerate or Magma Spray, which inflict damage and include clauses that negate regenerative capabilities. Another angle is to apply board-wide effects through spells like Wrath of God, which can clear away the Starfish regardless of its regenerative prowess.
Dealing with the Spiny Starfish requires a combination of timing and the right spells. By being mindful of when it regenerates and employing precise removal tactics, you can navigate around this creature’s defenses and take control of the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Spiny Starfish MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and Masters Edition III, 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 Spiny Starfish 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 Spiny Starfish Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 2009-09-07. Illustrated by Alan Rabinowitz.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1996-06-10 | Alliances | ALL | 35 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Alan Rabinowitz | |
| 2 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 50 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Alan Rabinowitz |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Spiny Starfish has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Spiny Starfish card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | If Spiny Starfish regenerates during the end step after its second ability has resolved, no tokens will be created as a result. |
| 2009-10-01 | Spiny Starfish’s first ability creates a regeneration shield for it. Spiny Starfish’s second ability checks whether it _used_ any regeneration shields that turn, not whether any regeneration shields were created for it. |
| 2009-10-01 | The second ability doesn’t care where the regeneration shields Spiny Starfish used that turn came from. If it regenerated due to a regeneration shield from Refresh, for example, the ability will still put a Starfish token onto the battlefield. |
| 2009-10-01 | The second ability has an “intervening ‘if’ clause,” so it won’t trigger at all unless Spiny Starfish had regenerated that turn. However, the number of tokens that are created isn’t determined until the ability resolves (in case it regenerates again before that time). |