Yuan-Ti Scaleshield MTG Card


Yuan-Ti Scaleshield - Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeInstant
Abilities Seek
Released2022-07-07
Set symbol
Set nameAlchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate
Set codeHBG
Number71
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byBen Hill

Key Takeaways

  1. Yuan-Ti Scaleshield offers card advantage by adding creature cards to your hand when damaged, enhancing strategic gameplay.
  2. Deathtouch ability aids in controlling the battlefield, paving the way for resource domination and game pacing.
  3. Yuan-Ti Scaleshield’s instant speed summons provide game-turning strategic flexibility and surprise defense or offense.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Yuan-Ti Scaleshield MTG card by a specific set like Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate, 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 Yuan-Ti Scaleshield and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

Permanents you control gain hexproof and indestructible until end of turn. Seek a creature card if an opponent has cast a spell with mana value 3 or less this turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Yuan-Ti Scaleshield is a standout in gameplay thanks to its capacity for card advantage. Upon being dealt damage, you’re permitted to reveal cards from the top of your library until revealing a creature card and add it to your hand. This enriches your stock of cards in a strategic way, aiding in maintaining or even swinging the game’s balance in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Here’s where Yuan-Ti Scaleshield shines a notch brighter. With its Deathtouch ability, you acquire the potential to remove your opponent’s ambitions by taking down any creature it encounters. This releases room on the battlefield, accelerating your control over the game resources and the pacing of your victory strides.

Instant Speed: Let’s not overlook the efficiency of the instant speed capability this card possesses. During the phase where you command all creatures, Yuan-Ti Scaleshield affords you significant strategic flexibility. It can be summoned at the last minute to perform a desired block or attack, allowing the withholding of mana for other spell times, only employing this card if no superior possibilities occur during your adversary’s turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Yuan-Ti Scaleshield card necessitates you to forfeit a card as an extra price. This can tip the scales into disadvantage, specifically when your card resources are strained.

Specific Mana Cost: To employ the Yuan-Ti Scaleshield card, the cost demands a color-specific mana (green). This could potentially narrow its usage to certain decks, bound by color specifications, hindering versatility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The magic it takes to bring Yuan-Ti Scaleshield into play is quite steep. With a requirement of five mana for its effect, other options in the MTG universe might offer efficient card utility or resource proliferation, at a lower price point.


Reasons to Include Yuan-Ti Scaleshield in Your Collection

Versatility: Yuan-Ti Scaleshield is versatile, slotting seamlessly into various deck types. As a well-rounded creature card, it can serve as both an offence and defence player, thanks to its appealing power and toughness statistics.

Combo Potential: This card, featuring an intrinsic ability to protect itself from multi-colored spells, can significantly amplify a deck’s strength. Pairing it with cards that boost single-colored defenses makes it an amazing combo enforcer.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame heavily favoring multi-color spells, Yuan-Ti Scaleshield can be a game-changer. Harnessing its potential can give your deck a considerable edge against prevalent multi-color decks which are common in current metas.


How to beat

The Yuan-Ti Scaleshield presents an exciting challenge for players familiar with the dynamics of Magic: The Gathering. This creature, while formidable, is not utterly invincible.

Similar to other creatures that emphasize tactical defenses, the Yuan-Ti Scaleshield excels in fortifying the battlefield with its solid defensive capabilities. However, there’s a counter to its high toughness: Spells that deal direct damage bypass the creature’s high defensive stat entirely. Lightning Bolt, it can deal three direct damage, enough to take out the Yuan-Ti Scaleshield, as the creature only has two life points.

Alternatively, certain creature cards offer the ability to either exiling or make opponents sacrifice a creature, such as Doom Blade or Diabolic Edict. These capabilities are useful against the Yuan-Ti Scaleshield, given the card’s heavy defensive strategy. Utilizing either of these can counteract the creature’s strategy effectively.

Ultimately, understanding and strategizing around the Yuan-Ti Scaleshield’s strengths and weaknesses can lead to a strategic advantage. While the card is a powerful defensive tool, it isn’t unbeatable. Through targeted direct damage or forceful creature removal, one can effectively disrupt the Yuan-Ti Scaleshield’s battlefield control.


BurnMana Recommendations

As you deepen your understanding of MTG and the nuanced playstyle required, the Yuan-Ti Scaleshield stands out as a noteworthy card worth consideration. Its ability to generate card advantage, accelerate resource control, and react at instant speed offers strategic depth to gameplay. While it does come with certain downsides, such as a discard requirement and a specific mana cost, including it in your collection can enhance your deck’s versatility and provide a significant edge in the meta. Understanding the balance of its pros and cons, as well as strategies to beat it, is crucial for any player looking to refine their deck. If mastering these complex aspects of MTG intrigues you, delve further and unlock your potential as a formidable player with Yuan-Ti Scaleshield in your arsenal.


Cards like Yuan-Ti Scaleshield

The Yuan-Ti Scaleshield is an intriguing card in the world of Magic: The Gathering. Frequently, it’s likened to cards such as Vampire Nighthawk and Baleful Strix. Vampire Nighthawk also carries the capabilities of deathtouch and lifelink, yet Yuan-Ti Scaleshield differentiates itself with its intricately designed defensive features. Baleful Strix, however, lacks such defensive prowess but compensates with its ability to draw a card when it enters the battlefield.

On a related note, another competitor in this classification is the Gifted Aetherborn. Like Yuan-Ti Scaleshield, it features deathtouch and lifelink, but the Gifted Aetherborn carries an edge with an additional +1/+1. The FScaleshield has the advantage because of their defensive traits that affect the entire board, as opposed to Gifted Aetherborn’s focus on individual combat.

In summary, when we break down the qualities and value of Yuan-Ti Scaleshield, it indeed rates highly among similar cards in Magic: The Gathering, largely due to its unique abilities and brilliant defensive capabilities. Its mix of aggression and defense truly sets it apart.

Vampire Nighthawk - MTG Card versions
Baleful Strix - MTG Card versions
Gifted Aetherborn - MTG Card versions
Vampire Nighthawk - MTG Card versions
Baleful Strix - MTG Card versions
Gifted Aetherborn - MTG Card versions

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Yuan-Ti Scaleshield has restrictions

FormatLegality
GladiatorLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
TimelessLegal