Stone-Cold Basilisk MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Basilisk
Released	2004-11-19
Set symbol
Set name	Unhinged
Set code	UNH
Power	2.5
Toughness	5
Number	112
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Silver
Illustred by	Don Hazeltine
Un-set :-)	This card is part of an Un-set

Key Takeaways

Stone-Cold Basilisk rewards insight into opponents’ hands and enhances gameplay through tactical advantages.
Demands careful hand management due to its discard requirement, posing a strategic deck-building challenge.
Despite its higher mana cost, it offers unique control over flying creatures, elevating its strategic value.

Text of card

Whenever Stone-Cold Basilisk blocks or becomes blocked by a creature with fewer letters in its name, destroy that creature at end of combat. (Punctuation and spaces aren't letters.) Whenever an opponent reads Stone-Cold Basilisk, that player is turned to stone until end of turn. Stoned players can't attack, block, or play spells or abilities.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Stone-Cold Basilisk offers a tactical edge as it prompts a two-card reveal, granting a potential insight into your opponent’s strategy and modifying your playstyle accordingly for advantage.

Resource Acceleration: This particular card synergizes well with decks that benefit from creature presence to amplify their effects, effectively accelerating your on-field resources and bolstering your board state.

Instant Speed: The quick nature of the Stone-Cold Basilisk means it can be played on your opponent’s turn, showcasing its flexibility by disrupting their tactics while keeping your mana allocation dynamic and responsive.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To activate some of Stone-Cold Basilisk’s features, you may need to discard another card. Doing so can set you back, especially if your hand is already running thin. This aspect makes it demanding to have an ample hand size or reliable ways to draw cards.

Specific Mana Cost: Stone-Cold Basilisk requires a mix of specific mana types for casting, which might not seamlessly fit into multi-colored decks. If your mana base isn’t optimized, summoning this creature could be more challenging than expected.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you look at the mana curve of similar cards, the basilisk comes at a higher casting cost. This could be a downside when you’re trying to maintain tempo and efficiency in gameplay, making it less appealing than more cost-effective alternatives.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Stone-Cold Basilisk’s ability to force opponents’ creatures with flying to become grounded adds a strategic dimension to both offensive and defensive plays, making it a smart choice for decks aiming to control the board.

Combo Potential: With its unique characteristics, the Basilisk can be paired with cards that punish tapped creatures or work to lock down an opponent’s aerial threats, thereby enhancing its synergy within certain deck builds.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of flying creatures in various formats, the presence of Stone-Cold Basilisk in your arsenal ensures you have a card that can consistently counter those strategies while maintaining pressure on your opponent.

How to beat

Owning the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering often hinges on knowing how to outmaneuver your opponent’s creatures. The Stone-Cold Basilisk, with its ability to become unblockable, is one such creature that requires strategic planning to overcome. To triumph over it, instant removal spells are your most reliable option. Cards like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can eradicate the Basilisk before it strikes, while Counterspell can prevent it from entering the battlefield altogether.

Apart from targeted removal, board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation can clear the way, setting back your opponent’s board presence significantly. Ensnaring Bridge can also prove invaluable, as it restricts creatures with high power from attacking, which may include the Stone-Cold Basilisk, depending on its power at any given time. Effective sideboard choices such as these can turn the tides in your favor against daunting unblockable creatures.

Taking these measures into account ensures that, despite its sneaky nature, the Stone-Cold Basilisk doesn’t become an insurmountable obstacle in your path to victory. Understanding your removal options and having a plan to deal with such threats is key to mastering the complex dynamics of Magic: The Gathering.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Stone-Cold Basilisk MTG card by a specific set like Unhinged, 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 Stone-Cold Basilisk and other MTG cards: