Electric Eel MTG Card


Electric Eel - The Dark
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Fish
Released1994-08-01
Set symbol
Set nameThe Dark
Set codeDRK
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number25
Frame1993
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byAnson Maddocks

Key Takeaways

  1. Electric Eel can refresh hands and shape your deck’s pace with its draw and discard mechanism.
  2. Supporting resource acceleration, Electric Eel primes graveyards for potent reanimate tactics.
  3. Its synergy with instant speed interactions allows players to subtly manipulate game tempo.

Text of card

o Roo R +2/+0; Electric Eel does 1 damage to you. Electric Eel does 1 damage to you when it is brought into play.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Electric Eel MTG card gives you a sharp advantage by allowing you to potentially discard and draw cards, ensuring that you can refresh your hand and maintain a healthy flow of options.

Resource Acceleration: Electric Eel can be a catalyst for resource acceleration in gameplay, as repeated activation can fill your graveyard quickly, setting the stage for powerful reanimation strategies or enabling mechanics like delve to utilize those resources effectively.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant itself, Electric Eel pairs well with instant speed spells. By threatening to grow in power at any time, it forces your opponents to think twice before engaging in combat or casting their own spells, thereby granting you a subtle form of control over the tempo of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Electric Eel demands that you discard another card whenever you wish to activate its ability. This can result in depleting your hand quickly, leaving you at a disadvantage, especially during the late game when resources are critical.

Specific Mana Cost: Electric Eel has a blue mana requirement in its casting cost, which could potentially limit its inclusion to blue-centric or blue-compatible decks. This restrains deck building flexibility for players not running blue.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a relatively high mana investment needed to both summon and activate the Electric Eel’s abilities, players may find that it offers less value when compared to other creatures with similar or lower casting costs. In a game where efficiency is key, this could affect your tempo substantially.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Electric Eel brings a unique dynamic to diverse deck builds, as it has the potential to quickly increase its power, making it a surprise threat that can adapt to various in-game situations.

Combo Potential: With its ability to gain power each time you cast it, Electric Eel synergizes well with strategies that involve recasting creatures or instants and sorceries that support repeated actions, amplifying your offensive capabilities.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the pace of the current competitive landscape, having an early aggressive creature like Electric Eel can be crucial in setting the tempo against control decks and securing an early lead in the game.


How to beat

Electric Eel, tucked in the depths of MTG’s rich library of cards, is a creature that can deliver unexpected jolts to your life total. The lighter cost associated with its power boost makes it a sneaky threat in the early game. Navigating your strategies around it involves a blend of pinpoint removal and strategic blocking. Efficient removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can swiftly address the eel before the voltage rises. Similarly, creatures with deathtouch, like Baleful Strix, can act as a deterrent, ensuring the eel’s shocks are short-lived.

Warding off an Electric Eel also calls for an awareness of your opponent’s mana pool. Since the Eel’s ability costs a specific amount of mana to activate, keeping its reservoir dry can be key to staving off its electric surge. Counterspells like Negate or Essence Scatter can serve well to prevent the eel from setting foot on the battlefield or curtail its activated abilities. Preventative measures always trump reactive ones, so consider cards that hinder mana generation or restrict creature abilities to keep the Electric Eel’s zaps at bay.


Cards like Electric Eel

Electric Eel finds itself in a unique niche among creatures in the world of Magic: The Gathering. Players often find parallels with cards such as Goblin Fireslinger or Prodigal Pyromancer. These cards share the ability to ping an opponent or creature directly for damage, which Electric Eel also exhibits. However, Electric Eel stands out due to its feature that allows you to boost its power temporarily, albeit at the cost of taking some damage yourself, a trade-off not seen in the aforementioned comparisons.

Another similar card worth mentioning is Rootwater Hunter. Just like Electric Eel, it can deal damage to target creatures or players. Though it doesn’t require self-harm for a power boost, it also lacks the potential to be more than a nuisance without additional support. In addition, Zuran Spellcaster taps into the same direct damage vein but, again, without the risk and reward mechanics of the Eel. It’s these subtle yet impactful differences that set Electric Eel apart and may influence deck strategies significantly.

Contrasting these cards against Electric Eel provides insight into MTG’s diverse approaches to dealing incremental damage. While each has its role depending on the player’s strategy, Electric Eel offers a daring choice for those willing to take risks for greater power.

Goblin Fireslinger - MTG Card versions
Prodigal Pyromancer - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Hunter - MTG Card versions
Zuran Spellcaster - MTG Card versions
Goblin Fireslinger - Magic 2012 (M12)
Prodigal Pyromancer - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Rootwater Hunter - Tempest (TMP)
Zuran Spellcaster - Ice Age (ICE)

Cards similar to Electric Eel by color, type and mana cost

Stream Hopper - MTG Card versions
Blistercoil Weird - MTG Card versions
Nivmagus Elemental - MTG Card versions
Captive Weird // Compleated Conjurer - MTG Card versions
Stream Hopper - Eventide (EVE)
Blistercoil Weird - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Nivmagus Elemental - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Captive Weird // Compleated Conjurer - March of the Machine (MOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Electric Eel MTG card by a specific set like The Dark, 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 Electric Eel and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Electric Eel has restrictions

FormatLegality
OldschoolLegal
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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