Spire Serpent MTG Card
2011-02-04 - Number 32
2011-05-14 - Number 15
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Serpent |
| Abilities | Defender,Metalcraft |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Text of card
Defender Metalcraft — As long as you control three or more artifacts, Spire Serpent gets +2/+2 and can attack as though it didn't have defender.
A mirror to draw its eye, a rod to rouse its rage, and a sword to break its bonds.
Understanding Spire Serpent
Delving into the aquatic depths of Magic: The Gathering, Spire Serpent emerges as a distinctive creature. Residing in the blue mana realm, this serpent compares favorably to creatures like Wind Drake, which also flies but offers less potential toughness. Spire Serpent, however, boasts a formidable defense with its metalcraft ability, gaining a toughness bonus whenever you control three or more artifacts, turning it into a defensive juggernaut in the right deck.
Cards like Spire Serpent
When examining Spire Serpent’s place among its kin, one may look towards Maritime Guard. Both creatures swim in blue territories, but Maritime Guard stands as a simple and sturdy early blocker without the capacity to grow like the Spire Serpent. It also lacks the evasion that comes with flying.
Reflecting on higher-cost alternatives, Gearseeker Serpent surfaces. It shares the affinity for artifacts with Spire Serpent but instead of gaining toughness, it can become unblockable. This points to a more aggressive strategy, contrasting Spire Serpent’s defensive posture. The Gearseeker Serpent also scales in cost-effectiveness with the number of artifacts you control, offering more dynamic play.
In essence, Spire Serpent holds a unique spot in decks emphasizing defensive stability, especially those saturated with artifacts. Its ability to ascend from a simple blocker to a formidable flying bastion makes it a card that shouldn’t be underestimated in the MTG arena.
Cards similar to Spire Serpent by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Spire Serpent provides an incremental advantage in longer games where the metalcraft condition can be consistently met, enhancing your capacity to sustain pressure on the opponent.
Resource Acceleration: Though not directly impacting resource acceleration, Spire Serpent can influence the board state in a way that your resources are more effectively preserved for critical plays.
Instant Speed: While Spire Serpent itself is not an instant, its defensive potential allows players to effectively time their plays during the combat phase, potentially outmaneuvering the opponent by holding back blockers or feigning weaker defenses.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Spire Serpent demands a substantial card investment. This becomes particularly challenging when your hand is running low on options, as the required discard can be a painful sacrifice, tipping the balance unfavorably during critical game moments.
Specific Mana Cost: Spire Serpent’s mana requirements are stringent. The demand for blue mana not only narrows the array of decks it can seamlessly fit into but also places a considerable strain on mana resources, potentially disrupting the flow of your game plan.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The five mana necessary to cast Spire Serpent can feel excessive, especially when the battlefield is crowded with other creatures that offer more bang for your mana buck. Other creatures in a similar mana range may grant immediate impact or more resilient bodies, making this serpent a less attractive choice for tempo-driven strategies.
Reasons to Include Spire Serpent in Your Collection
Versatility: Spire Serpent offers flexibility in deck-building, particularly in blue-based control or artifact-centric decks. Its ability to gain an edge with defender, until end of turn, means it can be both an offensive threat and a defensive option when needed.
Combo Potential: With its affinity for artifacts, Spire Serpent can be a key piece in synergistic combos. It thrives in environments plentiful with artifacts, potentially becoming a large creature for a reduced mana cost.
Meta-Relevance: In game metas where artifacts play a prominent role, Spire Serpent can quickly become a formidable creature. Its relevance will ebb and flow with the prevalence of artifact strategies, making it a card worth monitoring and including when the time is right.
How to Beat
Confronting the Spire Serpent in the vast world of Magic: The Gathering can be a tactical challenge, thanks to its potential to become a substantial blocker during a match. As a formidable creature card, especially in formats where artifacts populate the battlefield, this serpent can slither its way to dominance with its metalcraft ability; It gets +2/+2 and gains flying as long as you control three or more artifacts.
To effectively neutralize the Spire Serpent, players should consider artifact removal strategies or preventing artifact accumulation altogether. Cards like Shatter or Naturalize provide straightforward solutions to dismantle the artifact synergy that the Serpent thrives on. In addition, employing instant-speed removal spells can catch an opponent off guard, rendering the Spire Serpent’s conditional power boost irrelevant. Control decks could also leverage counter spells to negate the serpent’s initial casting, or use exile effects to bypass the creature’s defenses entirely.
While the Spire Serpent boasts a rewarding payoff for artifact-heavy decks, strategic planning and a well-tuned removal suite in your own deck can ensure that this creature doesn’t tip the scale of the game out of your favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Spire Serpent MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged and Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia, 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 Spire Serpent 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Spire Serpent Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-02-04 and 2011-05-14. Illustrated by Johann Bodin.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2011-02-04 | Mirrodin Besieged | MBS | 32 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Johann Bodin | |
| 2 | 2011-05-14 | Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia | TD2 | 15 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Johann Bodin |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Spire Serpent has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Spire Serpent card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2011-06-01 | If Spire Serpent has been declared as an attacker, and you stop controlling three or more artifacts later in combat, Spire Serpent continues being an attacking creature until combat ends. |
| 2011-06-01 | Spire Serpent still has defender if you control three or more artifacts, although it will be able to attack. |