Squelching Leeches MTG Card
2014-04-26 - Number 84
2014-05-02 - Number 84
2016-09-02 - Number 62
2002-06-24 - Number 52330
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Leech |
| Power | * |
| Toughness | * |
Text of card
Squelching Leeches's power and toughness are each equal to the number of Swamps you control.
Cards like Squelching Leeches
Squelching Leeches holds a unique presence in the realm of power-scaling creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It bears a resemblance to Nightmare, which also gains strength and toughness equal to the number of Swamps you control. While Nightmare sports flying and isn’t bound to the mono-black devotion of Squelching Leeches, the latter thrives in a dedicated black deck, potentially providing immense value for its four mana cost.
Another comparable card is Nantuko Shade, a creature that similarly scales with the amount of black mana you pour into it. Nantuko Shade offers more flexibility with its one-time mana investment to boost power and toughness until end of turn, but Squelching Leeches’ static power increase can consistently apply pressure as long as your Swamp count remains high. Additionally, Lashwrithe stands out as an equipment card that bestows a similar strength to its host creature based on your Swamp count, with the advantage of transferring the power across creatures but at an additional investment.
To sum up, Squelching Leeches meshes well with decks saturated in Swamps, paralleling the power-scaling attributes of similar cards while excelling in mono-black builds, brewing a potential for overwhelming force on the battlefield.
Cards similar to Squelching Leeches by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Squelching Leeches thrives in decks heavily stacked with Swamps, allowing it to potentially become a sizeable threat on the board. Its power and toughness are equal to the number of Swamps you control, meaning the more Swamps in play, the more formidable the Leeches become. It doesn’t provide direct card draw, but its scalability is a form of advantage as it can outsize many other creatures without the need for additional cards.
Resource Acceleration: While Squelching Leeches doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its dependency on Swamps encourages a deck build focused on land ramp. This strategy indirectly supports resource acceleration, as you’d naturally include ways to fetch more Swamps onto the battlefield quickly, thereby enhancing the Leeches’ power at an accelerated pace.
Instant Speed: Although Squelching Leeches is not an instant, its mere presence influences how the game unfolds. With each Swamp played, the Leeches’ threat level rises, forcing opponents to waste removal or play cautiously. This passive pressure often leads to holding back resources or taking suboptimal actions to mitigate the potential growth of your Leeches, granting you a subtle yet potent form of control over the game pace.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Even though Squelching Leeches doesn’t require an actual discard to cast, its power relies on the number of Swamps you control. This effectively acts as a “discard requirement” because you must keep Swamps in play rather than using them for other spells or abilities, which can be restrictive in diverse mana bases.
Specific Mana Cost: Squelching Leeches requires four black mana to cast. This strict color requirement limits deck-building flexibility, making it a less viable option in multicolored decks that may struggle to consistently produce enough black mana early enough for Squelching Leeches to make an impact on the game.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the cost efficiency of Squelching Leeches can be high in a mono-black deck, its base mana cost of four can be prohibitive. For the same mana investment, players could cast other impactful cards that provide immediate value or have built-in protection, potentially offering a better return on investment in many scenarios.
Reasons to Include Squelching Leeches in Your Collection
Versatility: Squelching Leeches is a dynamic addition to decks centered around Swamp lands. Its power and toughness can scale remarkably well, especially in mono-black builds that prioritize land counts.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes perfectly with mechanics that benefit from creatures with high power and toughness. The potential for exponential growth makes it an excellent candidate for exploit within various combo strategies.
Meta-Relevance: Being a card that thrives in resource-rich environments, Squelching Leeches can perform effectively against slower, controlling decks by threatening lethal damage as the land base grows, keeping it relevant in certain meta scenarios.
How to beat Squelching Leeches
When facing Squelching Leeches in Magic: The Gathering, players need to understand its potential for power growth as it’s directly tied to the number of Swamps you control. In mono-black decks, this card can become a substantial threat quickly. However, dealing with Squelching Leeches does have a few straightforward strategies. Card removal is key—spells such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade can efficiently remove it from play before or after it grows in strength. Board wipes like Wrath of God can also reset the playing field, neutralizing the threat posed by the leeches.
Another strategy is to limit the number of Swamps in play or to control your opponent’s land resources, curtailing the Leeches’ power. Cards that force opponents to sacrifice lands or spells that change land types can undermine the Leeches’ effectiveness. This makes land destruction or conversion tools an interesting tactical choice against them.
Lastly, combat tricks and temporary buffs enable creatures to overpower or survive an encounter with Squelching Leeches during battle. Spells that offer instant-speed boosts can turn the tide when facing down this scaling threat, ensuring your creatures come out on top. Allocating the proper responses in your deck will help you surpass the swarm of Squelching Leeches with confidence.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Squelching Leeches MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Journey into Nyx Promos, 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 Squelching Leeches and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Squelching Leeches Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2014-04-26 and 2016-09-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 52330 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | ||
| 2 | 2014-04-26 | Journey into Nyx Promos | PJOU | 84 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 3 | 2014-05-02 | Journey into Nyx | JOU | 84 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov | |
| 4 | 2016-09-02 | Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob Nixilis | DDR | 62 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Svetlin Velinov |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Squelching Leeches has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Squelching Leeches card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2014-04-26 | Squelching Leeches's power and toughness will change as the number of Swamps you control changes. Its ability counts all lands you control with the subtype Swamp, not just those named Swamp. |
| 2014-04-26 | The ability that defines Squelching Leeches's power and toughness works in all zones, not just the battlefield. |