Giant Shark MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Shark
Released	1994-08-01
Set symbol
Set name	The Dark
Set code	DRK
Power	4
Toughness	4
Number	29
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Tom Wänerstrand

Key Takeaways

Giant Shark offers card advantage by removing damaged enemy creatures to tilt the battlefield.
The card’s synergy with damage-dealing cards can lead to quicker board control.
Instant speed interactions allow Giant Shark to disrupt opponents’ strategies on their turn.

Text of card

If Giant Shark blocks or is blocked by a creature that has taken damage this turn, Giant Shark gains +2/+0 and trample until end of turn. Giant Shark cannot attack unless opponent controls at least one island. Giant Shark is buried immediately if at any time controller controls no islands.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Playing Giant Shark can potentially disrupt opponent strategies and tilt the battlefield in your favor, effectively giving you an upper hand. This blue creature card offers a niche but potent effect when dealing with creatures damaged by the Shark itself, which can occasionally equate to removing an enemy creature and gaining one on your board, an essential swing in card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While the Giant Shark doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, its synergistic potential with cards that deal damage to opponents’ creatures could enable quicker board control. A clear field can lead to unimpeded attacks and a faster route to your win condition.

Instant Speed: Although Giant Shark doesn’t have the ability to be cast at instant speed itself, its effect could be triggered during the instant speed window by other spells or abilities that deal damage. This aspect allows for strategic plays that can catch an opponent off guard and potentially remove a threat before it can do significant damage to your board state.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Giant Shark card demands a player to discard from their hand upon activation, which can strain your hand size, particularly in the late game when resources are critical.

Specific Mana Cost: This card commands a precise mana arrangement, necessitating blue mana that may not integrate seamlessly into all deck types, potentially limiting its versatility in a multi-colored strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost that could be seen as steep for its abilities, players may find Giant Shark to be less efficient compared to other creatures available, considering the investment required to bring it to the battlefield.

Reasons to Include Giant Shark in Your Collection

Versatility: While Giant Shark may appear to be a niche card, its ability to thwart flying creatures gives it a place in blue decks that need a way to deal with aerial threats.

Combo Potential: This sea dweller can be paired with cards that restrict or penalize flying creatures, enhancing its ability to be a defensive linchpin in ocean-themed or control decks.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where flying creatures are prevalent, having a Giant Shark ready can be a game-changer, serving as a tailored solution to such a meta.

How to beat

Giant Shark may seem like an imposing presence on the battlefield, but there are methods to neutralize this aquatic aggressor. As a card that thrives in decks with a strong water motif, its increasing power based on the number of islands you control can be daunting. However, the trick lies in limiting its influence before it dominates the game.

Consider incorporating land destruction or conversion tactics to reduce the number of islands in your adversary’s control, thereby weakening the Giant Shark’s power and toughness. Utilizing spells that change the battlefield’s terrain type can also be effective. Turning islands into another basic land type not only diminishes the Shark’s potency but may also hinder your opponent’s mana pool, stifling their strategy. Additionally, spells that unsummon or return creatures to the hand can reset the Shark’s increasing threat level.

Strategically, the key is to stay ahead by managing the battlefield and keeping the Giant Shark from ever gaining the upper hand. This ensures that even the most colossal creatures from the depths can be overcome with swift and decisive actions.

Cards like Giant Shark

Giant Shark is a unique creature card offering some very specific abilities for MTG players. It stands out among aquatic creatures with its ability to devour damaged creatures in the waters. With a mechanic akin to Aether Storm, which counters creatures unless their controllers pay an additional cost, Giant Shark capitalizes on weakened prey. However, unlike Aether Storm, which affects all creatures, Giant Shark’s prowess is limited to the aquatic battlefield.

If we draw parallels with Air Elemental, another blue creature, we notice that Giant Shark sacrifices flying for its predator-like skill. Although both cards are creatures, the Air Elemental has a consistent presence in the sky, while Giant Shark thrives in a more conditional environment, reflecting the theme of risk versus reward in blue strategies. Engulf the Shore is another powerful card that interacts greatly with the number of Islands you control, offering a potential combo with Giant Shark by clearing the path for its attack on weakened creatures.

Considering these comparisons, Giant Shark has the potential to be a situational power player in decks that can create the proper conditions for its survival and predation skills, fitting well into MTG’s ecosystem of sea-themed decks.

Cards similar to Giant Shark by color, type and mana cost

Sun Quan, Lord of Wu - MTG Card versions

Arcanis the Omnipotent - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Giant Shark 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 Giant Shark and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Giant Shark has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2004-10-04	Giant Shark gets the bonus once for each creature it blocks or is blocked by that meets the criteria.
2004-10-04	Giant Shark only gains its bonus if the blocking creature was damaged before blocking was declared. Damaging the creature later will not give the Shark the bonus.
2004-10-04	If a creature enters a blocking situation with the Giant Shark due to being part of a banded group of attackers, the Shark will get the bonus if that creature is damaged at that time.
2004-10-04	The bonus happens when a previously damaged creature becomes a blocker and the bonus is not removed if that creature is removed from the blocking situation by any means.