Stomping Slabs MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 2008-02-01 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Morningtide |
| Set code | MOR |
| Number | 107 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Alex Horley-Orlandelli |
Text of card
Reveal the top seven cards of your library, then put those cards on the bottom of your library in any order. If a card named Stomping Slabs was revealed this way, Stomping Slabs deals 7 damage to target creature or player.
Cards like Stomping Slabs
Stomping Slabs cruises into the gameplay of Magic: The Gathering as a distinctive element among sorcery cards. It nestles itself among the likes of Light Up the Stage, providing a somewhat similar peek-and-play advantage. While Stomping Slabs requires a reveal of the top seven cards to potentially play one without a mana cost, Light Up the Stage exposes just two cards but with a limited play window until your next turn. Both aim to give players extra card reach but differ in scope and immediacy.
Comparatively, Commune with Lava is another card worth mentioning. It too allows a glance at a number of cards at the top of your deck, forming a link with Stomping Slabs regarding card advantage. However, Commune with Lava offers flexibility, letting you cast those cards until the end of your next turn, albeit at an added cost. It hinges on planning for a future turn rather than an immediate impact.
Drawing to a close, Stomping Slabs fits snugly into the repertoire of card advantage sorceries in MTG. Its unique mechanism of potentially playing a card for free from the top seven cards of your library sets it apart, carving its own niche in strategic deck building options.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Stomping Slabs offers a distinctive approach to card advantage by potentially revealing a creature card from among the top seven cards of your library, which can be a significant boost during the mid to late stages of the game.
Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t provide direct resource acceleration like producing mana, the ability to possibly put a creature card into your hand indirectly accelerates your board state development without spending additional resources.
Instant Speed: As a sorcery, Stomping Slabs doesn’t have the flexibility of instant speed; however, the strategic reveal and potential card advantage can be a game-changer during your main phase, setting you up for powerful plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Stomping Slabs requires a card to be discarded when it’s played. This can deplete your hand, leaving you at a disadvantage, especially if you’re struggling to maintain card advantage over your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Stomping Slabs necessitates a precise combination of mana, including both red and generic. This can make it difficult to cast in multi-color decks that might have trouble producing the right mana at crucial times.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that is on the higher end for its effects, Stomping Slabs might not be as mana-efficient as other options in the same mana range. This can lead to slower gameplay and potentially give your opponents a significant tempo advantage.
Reasons to Include Stomping Slabs in Your Collection
Versatility: Stomping Slabs offers a unique effect that could potentially reveal multiple lands or spells, making it useful in decks that appreciate the pseudo-scry mechanic it provides to either set up future draws or benefit from the reveal itself.
Combo Potential: In synergy with cards that manipulate the top of your library, Stomping Slabs can become a reliable source of direct damage. It fits well in decks focusing on top-deck strategies and can trigger other effects that care about card types or colors being revealed.
Meta-Relevance: This card gains relevance in a meta where longer games are more common and players benefit from selective reveal and direct damage. As the game progresses, Stomping Slabs can be a persistent source of pressure that works alongside your evolving board state.
How to beat
Stomping Slabs is recognizably a unique card within the red spell lineup of Magic: The Gathering, operating with a chance-based mechanic not often seen in the game. In essence, it invites a form of gambling, revealing the top seven cards of one’s library, and then potentially dealing three damage for each card with the same name found within those seven. This can pose a significant threat, especially in decks designed to exploit such mechanics.
Countering this particular strategy requires some finesse, with the key lying in disrupting the deck’s consistency. Hand disruption and counter-spell effects are your allies in ensuring Stomping Slabs never hits its mark. Cards like Thoughtseize can remove the threat before it even manifests, while Dovin’s Veto can halt the spell in its tracks. Additionally, applying graveyard control with spells like Tormod’s Crypt can limit the chances of Stomping Slabs’ repeated use by purging the graveyard, reducing the odds of finding duplications significantly.
Ultimately, keeping the Stomping Slabs player away from their calculated risk-reward scenarios diminishes the card’s effectiveness. Thoughtful planning and proactive disruption will dampen its impact on the game, allowing you to maintain control and potentially turn the tide in your favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Stomping Slabs MTG card by a specific set like Morningtide, 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 Stomping Slabs 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Stomping Slabs has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Stomping Slabs card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-04-01 | If a card named Stomping Slabs wasn’t revealed this way, Stomping Slabs deals no damage to its target. |