The Watcher in the Water MTG Card


Provides card advantage through damage-triggered draws, vital for maintaining a full hand. Resource acceleration via untapped lands enables further plays or defensive readiness. Instant speed allows surprise plays, shifting the tide of the game unexpectedly.
Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityMythic
TypeLegendary Creature — Kraken
Power 9
Toughness 9

Text of card

The Watcher in the Water enters the battlefield tapped with nine stun counters on it. (If a permanent with a stun counter would become untapped, remove one from it instead.) Whenever you draw a card during an opponent's turn, create a 1/1 blue Tentacle creature token. Whenever a Tentacle you control dies, untap up to one target Kraken and put a stun counter on up to one target nonland permanent.


Cards like The Watcher in the Water

The Watcher in the Water stands as a formidable presence within Magic: The Gathering’s array of creature cards. It shares common ground with other monsters like Ice-Fang Coatl, both creatures having flash, giving players the element of surprise. Nevertheless, The Watcher in the Water brandishes an extra layer of power with its potential to lock down an opponent’s creature with its tentacles when it enters the battlefield, unlike the Coatl’s conditional deathtouch.

Comparably, we see Aether Adept, which also offers a form of control over the opponent’s creatures by returning one to their hand upon entry. The Watcher, however, offers a more permanent solution by potentially keeping the creature off the board for multiple turns, provided the player holds enough blue cards in hand. Additionally, Wall of Frost presents a similar deterrent effect, freezing opposing creatures that dare to engage it, yet it lacks the immediate impact and flash capability of The Watcher.

Although various Magic the Gathering cards offer creature control, The Watcher in the Water uniquely blends immediacy with the enduring capacity to influence the battlefield, positioning it as a strong choice for decks centered around control and surprise tactics.

Ice-Fang Coatl - MTG Card versions
Aether Adept - MTG Card versions
Wall of Frost - MTG Card versions
Ice-Fang Coatl - MTG Card versions
Aether Adept - MTG Card versions
Wall of Frost - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to The Watcher in the Water by color, type and mana cost

Vesuvan Doppelganger - MTG Card versions
Water Elemental - MTG Card versions
Air Elemental - MTG Card versions
Sandbar Crocodile - MTG Card versions
Pirate Ship - MTG Card versions
Segovian Leviathan - MTG Card versions
Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - MTG Card versions
Mawcor - MTG Card versions
Timin, Youthful Geist - MTG Card versions
Geology Enthusiast - MTG Card versions
Coastal Hornclaw - MTG Card versions
Meloku the Clouded Mirror - MTG Card versions
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - MTG Card versions
Cloudhoof Kirin - MTG Card versions
Drelnoch - MTG Card versions
Adarkar Windform - MTG Card versions
Infiltrator il-Kor - MTG Card versions
Mulldrifter - MTG Card versions
Chasm Drake - MTG Card versions
Belltower Sphinx - MTG Card versions
Vesuvan Doppelganger - MTG Card versions
Water Elemental - MTG Card versions
Air Elemental - MTG Card versions
Sandbar Crocodile - MTG Card versions
Pirate Ship - MTG Card versions
Segovian Leviathan - MTG Card versions
Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - MTG Card versions
Mawcor - MTG Card versions
Timin, Youthful Geist - MTG Card versions
Geology Enthusiast - MTG Card versions
Coastal Hornclaw - MTG Card versions
Meloku the Clouded Mirror - MTG Card versions
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - MTG Card versions
Cloudhoof Kirin - MTG Card versions
Drelnoch - MTG Card versions
Adarkar Windform - MTG Card versions
Infiltrator il-Kor - MTG Card versions
Mulldrifter - MTG Card versions
Chasm Drake - MTG Card versions
Belltower Sphinx - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Watcher in the Water serves as a significant source of card advantage, offering players the ability to draw a card whenever it deals combat damage to a player. This consistent draw mechanism can be vital for staying ahead of the opposition and keeping your hand stocked with options.

Resource Acceleration: Through its ability to untap all lands you control, this card acts as a powerful engine for resource acceleration. Each attack phase not only propels you toward victory but also refreshes your mana reserves, potentially unlocking additional plays or leaving resources available for reactions during your opponent’s turn.

Instant Speed: Boasting instant speed interactions, The Watcher in the Water can flash onto the battlefield unexpectedly. This surprise element can shift the tides of play, offering both a defensive surprise blocker and an aggressive option when the opponent least expects it.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing The Watcher in the Water often requires a card to be discarded, which can put you at a disadvantage, especially when your hand is already limited.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of The Watcher in the Water includes blue mana, making it somewhat restrictive since this requires a deck tailored around blue mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The Watcher in the Water has a high mana cost that can be prohibitive early in the game, delaying crucial board development in faster-paced matches.


Reasons to Include The Watcher in the Water in Your Collection

Versatility: The Watcher in the Water offers a formidable blockade to deter opponents. Its ability to fit into decks that capitalize on creature control makes it a multifaceted card for various play styles.

Combo Potential: With tentacle-making mechanics, this card pairs well with strategies that trigger on creature summoning or benefit from having multiple creatures on the board for synergy or sacrifice.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where board presence is crucial, The Watcher in the Water can serve as an essential card by providing consistent creature generation and defenses against aggressive decks.


How to Beat The Watcher in the Water

Confronting The Watcher in the Water on the battlefield is a challenge due to its ability to disrupt strategies through forced sacrifice and its potential to become a formidable blocker. Preparing for this encounter involves adapting strategies to handle its presence.

One key tactic is to maintain a diversified field, avoiding an overreliance on a single powerful creature which might be targeted for sacrifice. Spells that grant hexproof or indestructible temporarily can protect your most valuable assets. Cards with the “can’t be sacrificed” clause or abilities that replace sacrifice effects can nullify The Watcher’s intimidating trigger.

Another approach involves using instant-speed removal to deal with The Watcher before it can exert influence over the game state. Cards with exile effects are particularly useful as they bypass any regenerative abilities it may possess. Countermagic is also an effective preventive measure if you can catch The Watcher as it’s being cast.

Ultimately, planning for The Watcher in the Water necessitates a balance between offence and defence. By ensuring your deck can adapt on the fly and deal with unexpected threats, The Watcher’s impact can be minimized. Victory comes from understanding your opponent’s patterns and capitalizing on moments of weakness.


BurnMana Recommendations

Diving deeper into MTG strategy, The Watcher in the Water emerges as a card worth considering. Its blend of advantages, from card advantage to instant battlefield presence, provides players with a multifaceted tool. Careful deck construction can mitigate its cons and maximize its innate strengths. Understanding when to deploy its abilities and leverage its synergy potential can be pivotal in a game. For those looking to expand their blue-based decks or enhance their control or flash strategies, The Watcher in the Water demands attention. Ready to fine-tune your deck with this powerful addition? Explore with us and take your MTG gameplay to new depths.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase The Watcher in the Water MTG card by a specific set like The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, 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 The Watcher in the Water and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The The Watcher in the Water Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 734z2015NormalBorderlessPedro Correa
22023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 5262015NormalBlackChris Cold
32023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth Art SeriesALTR 72015Art seriesBorderlessChris Cold
42023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 7342015NormalBorderlessPedro Correa
52023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 3542015NormalBlackChris Cold
62023-06-23Tales of Middle-earth PromosPLTR 75s2015NormalBlackChris Cold
72023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 7652015NormalBlackChris Cold
82023-06-23The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earthLTR 752015NormalBlackChris Cold

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where The Watcher in the Water has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2023-06-16 For the last ability, the target Kraken can (and probably will) be The Watcher in the Water. If it is, and if it has at least one stun counter on it, you'll remove a stun counter from it instead of untapping it.