Talon Sliver MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Sliver
Released	1997-10-14
Set symbol
Set name	Tempest
Set code	TMP
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	50
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mike Raabe

Key Takeaways

Boosts Sliver power, enabling formidable board presence and potential overwhelm of opponents.
Demands strategic hand management due to specific mana costs and discard requirements.
Strengthens Sliver decks’ meta-relevance, a worthwhile addition for tribal strategy enthusiasts.

Text of card

All Slivers gain first strike.

"Keep them at sword's length!" Gerrard's order fell flat as each sliver's talon suddenly grew longer. "Hold on—break out the polearms!"

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Talon Sliver offers a stackable effect that can give you an edge as your Sliver creatures grow increasingly more formidable. This additive power helps you maintain board presence and can deter your opponent from engaging in combat, potentially leading to card advantage as they’re forced to deal with your increasingly daunting Slivers.

Resource Acceleration: By bolstering your Slivers early, Talon Sliver can accelerate your damage output, effectively amplifying the resource of power on the battlefield. This quick build-up of board strength could translate into an accelerated path to victory, as opponents may find it harder to stabilize against a horde of strengthened creatures.

Instant Speed: While Talon Sliver itself is not an instant, its power boost is always active, which means any Slivers you cast at instant speed through other effects will immediately benefit from the enhancement. This not only allows you to be adaptable during both your own turns and your opponent’s but also lets you surprise your adversary with unexpectedly powerful creatures during combat or at the end of their turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Talon Sliver demands a strategic hand management, as leveraging its full potential means you are required to have another Sliver card in hand to discard. This can potentially deplete valuable resources and diminish your ability to respond to threats.

Specific Mana Cost: Tailored for a Sliver-centric deck, Talon Sliver has a specified mana cost that includes both generic and colored mana. This necessitates a mana base that’s equipped to fulfill these requirements, which might not always align with the deck’s mana curve or the player’s mana sources during gameplay.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that may be considered steep for its body and effect, Talon Sliver, for some players, could occupy a slot where a lower-costing or more impactful Sliver could potentially offer a more immediate and substantial influence on the battlefield.

Reasons to Include Talon Sliver in Your Collection

Versatility: Talon Sliver furnishes sliver creatures with an additional combat boost, making it a versatile addition to any sliver-based deck. Its ability to empower your battlefield across the board makes it a significant enhancement in games where creature strength can determine your victory.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes effectively with other slivers, unleashing potential for game-changing combos. The increase in power it offers can turn the tide by enabling your slivers to outclass your opponent’s creatures, especially when combined with slivers that have first strike or other combat-related abilities.

Meta-Relevance: Sliver decks remain a popular and potent archetype in MTG. By incorporating Talon Sliver, you affirm your deck’s relevance in various metas, particularly in formats where tribal strategies are viable and slivers can flourish with their collective might.

How to Beat Talon Sliver

Talon Sliver is a unique creature in Magic: The Gathering, bestowing an additional point of power to each Sliver on the field. When creating a strategy against it, one should prioritize removing Talon Sliver from play swiftly. This can be achieved through direct removal spells or by establishing a board presence that dissuades your opponent from committing more Slivers to the board. Cards like Doom Blade or Unsummon offer straightforward solutions to momentarily or permanently eliminate Talon Sliver from the battlefield.

Board wipes also prove effective, as they can clear multiple creatures including all amassed Slivers, resetting the advantage a Talon Sliver provided. Wrath of God and Damnation are classic examples, wiping the slate clean for a fresh start. For those in the counter spell camp, Essence Scatter allows you to address the threat even before it has the chance to influence the game. By anticipating and neutralizing pivotal plays, you secure a significant edge over Sliver decks that rely heavily on creature synergies.

Remember, in order to efficiently counteract Talon Sliver and similar threats, it’s key to maintain flexibility in your deck’s answers. Integrating a variety of spells capable of handling creatures both on and off the battlefield will keep you one step ahead, ensuring that you’re well-prepared for the tactical game Sliver decks present.

Cards like Talon Sliver

Talon Sliver slides into the renowned Sliver tribe within Magic: The Gathering, offering a straightforward power boost to fellow Slivers by granting them +1/+0. This is an effect that echoes the abilities of other Sliver cards. Muscle Sliver, for example, is a kin, bestowing an identical boost to Sliver creatures you control. Where Talon Sliver distinguishes itself is in its mana cost and color identity, requiring only one red mana and one colorless mana, thus integrating seamlessly into a red-centric Sliver deck.

Predatory Sliver represents another peer in this category. While also conferring a +1/+1 bonus to your Slivers, this card falls within green’s dominion, illustrating the color’s theme of growth and strength. The additional toughness provided by Predatory Sliver versus the purely offensive boost from Talon Sliver could influence strategic deck construction decisions. Lastly, when we consider Sinew Sliver, there’s another layer to the comparison. It delivers a similar +1/+1 incentive as Predatory Sliver, yet it calls upon the plains of white mana. This inclusion invites a broader spectrum of deck-building choices reflective of white’s theme of unity and order.

Throughout these comparisons, Talon Sliver offers a unique blend of aggressive force and color-focused synergy, asserting its position within the Sliver hierarchy and red-imbued strategies in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Talon Sliver by color, type and mana cost

Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions

Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Talon Sliver MTG card by a specific set like Tempest, 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 Talon Sliver and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Talon Sliver has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Talon Sliver card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2013-07-01	Abilities that Slivers grant, as well as power/toughness boosts, are cumulative. However, for some abilities, like flying, having more than one instance of the ability doesn’t provide any additional benefit.
2013-07-01	If the creature type of a Sliver changes so it’s no longer a Sliver, it will no longer be affected by its own ability. Its ability will continue to affect other Sliver creatures.