Stonefare Crocodile MTG Card
2012-10-05 - Number 136
2014-03-14 - Number 56
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Crocodile |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
: Stonefare Crocodile gains lifelink until end of turn. (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to gain that much life.)
The Izzet's plans to exploit the undercity ran into a few stubborn obstacles.
Cards like Stonefare Crocodile
Stonefare Crocodile enters the landscape of Magic: The Gathering as a creature well-suited for decks that capitalize on life gain strategies. When assessing creatures of a similar nature, Centaur Healer stands out as a notable comparison. The Centaur Healer restores health upon entry, offering an immediate impact, unlike Stonefare Crocodile’s activated ability, which requires additional mana investment to gain life.
Another creature to consider is Vampire Nighthawk, a card revered for its utility in both offensive and defensive positions. While it doesn’t directly offer life gain, its lifelink attribute passively achieves this during combat, a feature Stonefare Crocodile lacks. Additionally, the Nighthawk comes with flying and deathtouch, granting it a significant edge in battlefield presence.
Furthermore, exploring the broader range of life-centric cards highlights Ajani’s Pridemate, a creature that flourishes alongside life gain effects but does not have such an ability intrinsically. Although it won’t heal you like Stonefare Crocodile can, its potential for growth makes it a powerhouse in the right deck.
In essence, when examining Stonefare Crocodile’s role in Magic: The Gathering, its ability to actively manipulate life totals gives it a unique place among its peers, especially in decks crafted to exploit life gain mechanics.
Cards similar to Stonefare Crocodile by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Stonefare Crocodile may not directly draw cards, its lifelink ability assists in preserving your life total, effectively giving you the upper hand in attrition wars. Protecting your life total is critical in long games, indirectly contributing to card advantage as you draw more cards over time.
Resource Acceleration: Although not a source of acceleration in the traditional sense, the Crocodile’s reasonable mana cost for its power and toughness eases the pressure on your mana resources. Efficiently costing creatures like this can be advantageous as they allow you to deploy more threats or hold mana for other actions.
Instant Speed: While Stonefare Crocodile itself is a creature that must be cast at sorcery speed, its lifelink ability becomes relevant at instant speed during combat. This allows you to make strategic blocks or attacks that can gain you life in the midst of battle, throwing off an opponent’s calculations and potentially disrupting their game plan.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Unlike some cards that offer a pure upside, Stonefare Crocodile requires something in return. Activating its ability necessitates a card to be discarded, which can set you back when your hand is already dwindling. In the heat of the game, when every card in hand counts, this can be a considerable drawback, making you think twice before powering up this reptilian.
Specific Mana Cost: Not just any mana will do to summon the Stonefare Crocodile. Its cost includes black mana, which might not always align with the mana base of your deck, especially if you’re running a multi-colored deck that is light on black sources. This can limit its inclusion to primarily black or black-inclusive decks, potentially reducing its overall versatility in your MTG arsenal.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The crocodile’s mana investment may not always align with its return on the battlefield. With three mana required for a 3/2 creature, it sits at a benchmark where numerous other creatures could potentially offer more bang for your buck, either by having additional abilities or presenting a more favorable power-to-mana-cost ratio. This cost-effectiveness issue could sway deck builders to bypass the crocodile for more efficiently costed creatures.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Stonefare Crocodile is a flexible addition to decks that capitalize on life gain strategies or as an adaptable creature within various Golgari builds. Its adaptability can strategize around the Lifelink ability when needed.
Combo Potential: With the right setup, Stonefare Crocodile can become a key component in combos that benefit from creatures with Lifelink. For instance, coupling it with cards that enhance creature abilities amplifies both its offensive and defensive utility.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggressive decks are prevalent, having creatures like Stonefare Crocodile can offer crucial life stabilization. Its on-demand Lifelink activation shepherds a pivotal edge in creature-on-creature battles, making it a tactical element against fast-paced opponents.
How to Beat Stonefare Crocodile
Stonefare Crocodile is an intriguing common creature card that offers lifelink as an activated ability. This gives it the potential for some sustain in a game of Magic: The Gathering, allowing it to serve as both an attacker and a lifeline to your health pool. However, because the lifelink ability requires mana to activate, its utility is dependent on your mana availability.
To successfully counteract Stonefare Crocodile, consider using removal spells that can target creatures regardless of their size or abilities. Cards with unconditional “destroy” effects are particularly effective as they bypass the need to engage in combat, where Stonefare Crocodile could gain life for your opponent. Efficient removal spells such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade get the job done without the risk of lifelink triggering.
Additionally, cards that restrict activated abilities can completely nullify Stonefare Crocodile’s lifelink, making it a much less formidable foe. Pithing Needle, for example, can shut down its main feature, leaving you to deal with just a vanilla 3/3 creature. By strategically planning your deck to include such answers, Stonefare Crocodile becomes far less of a threat to your victory.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Stonefare Crocodile MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica and Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska, 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 Stonefare Crocodile and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
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- MTG Mint Card
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Printings
The Stonefare Crocodile Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2012-10-05 and 2014-03-14. Illustrated by Tomasz Jedruszek.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012-10-05 | Return to Ravnica | RTR | 136 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 2 | 2014-03-14 | Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska | DDM | 56 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Stonefare Crocodile has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Stonefare Crocodile card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2012-10-01 | multiple instances of lifelink on the same creature are redundant. Activating Stonefare Crocodile’s ability more than once during a single turn won’t cause you to gain more life. |