King Crab MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Crab
Released	1999-02-15
Set symbol
Set name	Urza's Legacy
Set code	ULG
Power	4
Toughness	5
Number	34
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Daniel Gelon

Key Takeaways

King Crab offers a tactical edge by manipulating the battlefield and gaining card advantage.
Despite its utility, King Crab’s discard cost and specific mana needs may limit deck synergy.
The card’s peculiar abilities and potential combos make it a worthy addition to blue control decks.

Text of card

o1o U, oc T: Put target green creature on top of owner's library.

"I'm allergic to shellfish—not only did it kill my entire village, it also gave me this nasty rash." —Olivia, fisher

Card Pros

Card Advantage: King Crab’s ability to manipulate the battlefield can effectively render your opponent’s strategies useless while simultaneously bolstering your own board position. Through its interaction with other cards, you often find yourself in a favorable position, effectively gaining card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although King Crab itself doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, it can strategically clear the way for your mana-generating creatures or artifacts to remain unblocked and active, ensuring a steadier flow of vital resources throughout the match.

Instant Speed: While playing at sorcery speed, King Crab still interacts positively with instant speed spells. By altering creature positions, you can set yourself up for advantageous instant speed interactions on your turn, cutting off your opponent’s options and disrupting their planned plays.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: King Crab’s ability hinges on a discard action, compelling you to sacrifice a card in hand which might be critical to your game strategy or diminish your available options.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of King Crab demands both blue and generic mana, which may not align smoothly with multicolored or color-intensive decks, potentially reducing its versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Allocating four mana to bring King Crab into play can be taxing on your resources, particularly when considering other creatures or spells at similar costs that could advance your board position more effectively.

Reasons to Include King Crab in Your Collection

Versatility: King Crab offers a unique role in blue control decks, allowing players to rearrange their own libraries or disrupt opponents. It works well in various gameplay strategies, whether in casual games or more tuned deck builds.

Combo Potential: This card can be a part of sneaky combos, specifically with cards that capitalize on top-deck manipulation. Its ability to put creatures on top of libraries pairs well with cards meant to exploit or reorder deck contents.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta teeming with creature-based strategies, King Crab stands out as a tool for control players to stave off threats, making it increasingly relevant in certain game periods. Its interaction with the top of the library can occasionally interfere with your opponents’ plans, which is always a boon in competitive play.

How to beat

King Crab can be a real shell game to tackle due to its capacity to redirect targeted spells. Facing off against this crustacean in MTG, it’s crucial to sidestep its ability by opting for spells that don’t target or by employing removals that affect each creature on the board. Board wipes such as Wrath of God come in handy as they eliminate all creatures, negating the King Crab’s defensive mechanism.

Alternatively, using abilities that require no targeting can escape the crab’s redirection. This includes global effects like Doomwake Giant’s constellation ability, which can reduce the crab’s toughness, or Elesh Norn’s static ability, which can lead to the same outcome. Suppressing the crab’s shelled shenanigans requires strategic use of non-targeting solutions or timing your target spells when the crab’s ability is not viable, such as during your opponent’s tapped-out state.

Overcoming this aquatic adversary in MTG does not have to be a tide-turning challenge. With the right strategy, making waves against the King Crab is more than possible. Planning and patience are key for ensuring the King Crab’s reign is short-lived on the battlefield.

Cards like King Crab

King Crab stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a unique aquatic character with its ability to return an opponent’s creature to their hand. Comparable creatures with bounce abilities include Man-o’-War, a creature that also returns a target creature to its owner’s hand upon entering the battlefield. However, King Crab’s capability requires a tactical land sacrifice, distinguishing it from the straightforward playability of Man-o’-War.

Another similar creature is Aether Adept, which has a similar effect without requiring a land sacrifice, yet lacks the robust size of King Crab. Conversely, King Crab’s power and toughness stats provide a more durable game presence and can withstand heavier combat, unlike Aether Adept. Venser, Shaper Savant, also shares the bounce dynamic but as a legendary creature, it has flash and can affect any spell or permanent, delivering greater flexibility at a higher mana cost.

In essence, King Crab may require a higher investment for its bounce effect, but it compensates with its creature size that can impact the board state significantly. Its inclusion in a deck could be strategic, depending on your gameplay style and the build of your deck.

Venser, Shaper Savant - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to King Crab by color, type and mana cost

Sun Quan, Lord of Wu - MTG Card versions

Zahid, Djinn of the Lamp - MTG Card versions

Arcanis the Omnipotent - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase King Crab MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy, 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 King Crab and other MTG cards: