Waterspout Elemental MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Waterspout Elemental can potentially return multiple creatures to their owner’s hand, thereby generating card advantage by undoing your opponent’s plays and setting them back several turns.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Elemental itself does not directly accelerate resources, the act of bouncing creatures can indirectly accelerate your board state in comparison to your opponent’s by clearing the way for your attacks or by reusing your own creatures with beneficial enter-the-battlefield effects when recast.

Instant Speed: The kicker effect of Waterspout Elemental can be activated at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to disrupt your opponent’s strategies during their turn and surprise them with a sudden clearing of the board.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Waterspout Elemental requires a card to be discarded when its kicker cost is paid. This can be detrimental to your hand, particularly in tight situations where every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation requires a mix of both colorless and blue mana. Its specificity can pose a challenge in multicolor decks that might struggle with mana consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a significant casting cost that includes a kicker, Waterspout Elemental asks a lot from your mana pool. In games where speed is essential, investing in this Elemental might set you back, especially when facing more mana-efficient creatures.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Waterspout Elemental boasts a flexible role in decks that capitalize on creature control and tempo plays. Its ability to return other creatures to their owner’s hand can turn the tide in many matchups.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with strategies that profit from casting spells with bounce effects, perfect for setting up powerful turns or exploiting enter-the-battlefield triggers.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where board presence is key, Waterspout Elemental can disrupt opponent setups while establishing card superiority, making it a wise addition in the face of creature-heavy decks.

How to beat

Waterspout Elemental presents an intriguing challenge on the battlefield. This creature card can be a formidable opponent with its bounce effect, capable of resetting the board state significantly in your opponent’s favor. To navigate around this obstacle, it’s crucial to prepare strategies that can minimize its impact or prevent it from triggering at all. Direct removal spells are a reliable countermeasure; cards like Murder or Path to Exile can dispatch the Elemental before its effect comes into play. Another tactic is to utilize counterspells, ensuring that Waterspout Elemental never hits the field to begin with.

It’s also worth noting that keeping a low board presence with fewer creatures limits the bounce effect’s disadvantage. Additionally, take advantage of the Elemental’s return to hand mechanic. Pressure your opponent to either recast it, consuming a significant portion of their mana, or holding it back, giving you a window to strengthen your position. Flexibility and timing are key components in outmaneuvering a Waterspout Elemental. By anticipating this card and having a response ready, you can turn a potential game-ending threat into a manageable hurdle.