Tolarian Serpent MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 7 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Serpent |
| Abilities | Mill |
| Released | 1997-06-09 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Weatherlight |
| Set code | WTH |
| Power | 7 |
| Toughness | 7 |
| Number | 57 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Stuart Griffin |
Text of card
During your upkeep, put the top seven cards of your library into your graveyard.
"When the fishtails' threats of magic didn't move me, they set their pet on us." —Tahngarth of the *Weatherlight*
Cards like Tolarian Serpent
Tolarian Serpent makes waves among high-mana sea creatures in MTG, drawing frequent comparisons to leviathans of the game. It echoes the colossal nature of creatures like Breaching Leviathan, yet sets itself apart with a hefty self-milling ability. Breaching Leviathan offers a board-wide nonland permanents tap down when it enters the battlefield, but without the self-mill feature that can be a strategic tool or a drawback for the controlling player depending on the deck.
Another akin behemoth is Inkwell Leviathan, sporting trample and islandwalk, making it nearly unblockable for decks with islands. While Tolarian Serpent also requires significant mana investment, what it lacks in evasive abilities, it compensates with the potential to drastically transform graveyard dynamics. This could synchronize with reanimation strategies or delve mechanics, contrary to the straight-forward combat prowess of Inkwell Leviathan.
To sum it up, Tolarian Serpent steers into a niche among hefty sea monsters in MTG with its unique self-milling angle, providing a divergent approach to using such creatures in gameplay. Players must weigh its self-mill against the immediate benefits offered by its kin, making it a thought-provoking option in decks focusing on graveyard synergy.
Cards similar to Tolarian Serpent by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Tolarian Serpent provides a hefty body on the battlefield while enabling graveyard strategies. Its unique mechanic, allowing you to discard cards for future plays, can set up powerful turns, creating card advantage over your opponents.
Resource Acceleration: In decks designed to capitalize on the graveyard, the Tolarian Serpent can serve as a catalyst for resource acceleration. By stocking your graveyard, it can bolster strategies that animate creatures or utilize delve and escape mechanics, effectively quickening your game plan.
Instant Speed: While the Tolarian Serpent itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it synergizes well with cards that do. It can be a formidable surprise blocker when reanimated on an opponent’s turn or work in tandem with instant-speed spells that benefit from a stocked graveyard, making it a versatile threat in reactive decks.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One downside of the Tolarian Serpent is the necessity to discard a card each upkeep to keep it on the battlefield. This can rapidly deplete your hand, leaving you at a strategic disadvantage in the long game.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of the Tolarian Serpent involves both blue and generic mana. This specific requirement can be restrictive for decks that run multiple colors or those that cannot reliably produce sufficient amounts of blue mana when needed.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a steep cost to bring to the field, Tolarian Serpent may not be the most mana-efficient creature you could play. When comparing its board impact to other creatures at a similar or lower mana cost, it might not always be the optimal choice for your deck’s curve.
Reasons to Include Tolarian Serpent in Your Collection
Versatility: Tolarian Serpent offers a dynamic role in blue-focused decks. Its capacity to be a formidable late-game threat while also filling the graveyard makes it a versatile pick for decks that capitalize on both graveyard strategies and high-powered creatures.
Combo Potential: For decks that revolve around library and graveyard synergy, Tolarian Serpent synergizes well with cards that manipulate draw or rely on the number of cards in a graveyard, enabling intricate combos and diverse play interactions.
Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating nature of the MTG meta, Tolarian Serpent can be a strategic asset. In environments where larger creatures dominate and graveyard interactions are key, having Tolarian Serpent can offer significant advantage and resilience against opponents.
How to beat
Tolarian Serpent, a creature known for its voracious appetite in the game of Magic: The Gathering, presents a hefty challenge with its potential to become a significant threat on the battlefield. To effectively navigate against this behemoth of the deep, several strategic measures can be taken by players. Understanding the importance of timing, for instance, can play a crucial role. Engaging in combat with the Serpent when it is unaided by counters or support spells can turn the tide in your favor.
Moreover, capitalizing on the window of opportunity before the Serpent spirals out of control is vital. Utilizing removal spells can efficiently disrupt your opponent’s strategy, especially if the Tolarian Serpent is yet to accumulate value through its milling effect. Access to enchantment-based removal or sacrificing mechanisms can also weaken the board presence of this card, mitigating its impact. Keeping a close eye on graveyard interactions is another tactical aspect; hindering any attempts to recur the Serpent from the graveyard restricts its potential to resurface and dominate the game once more.
Ultimately, handling the Tolarian Serpent requires foresight and a proactive approach to prevent it from tipping the scales. A blend of timely aggression and strategic control can be the key to emerging victorious in the shadow of this maritime menace.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Tolarian Serpent MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight, 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 Tolarian Serpent and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Tolarian Serpent has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Tolarian Serpent 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 | If less than seven cards in the library, move all that are there. |