Ferropede MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Insect |
| Released | 2004-06-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Fifth Dawn |
| Set code | 5DN |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 122 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Jeff Easley |
Key Takeaways
- Ferropede provides indirect card advantage by neutralizing opponents’ resources with its activated ability.
- Its instant speed counter removal offers tactical flexibility, allowing adaptation during opponents’ turns.
- Despite a higher mana cost, Ferropede’s versatility justifies its inclusion in specific MTG decks.
Text of card
Ferropede is unblockable. Whenever Ferropede deals combat damage to a player, you may remove a counter from target permanent.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ferropede offers utility beyond a typical creature’s attack and defense. With the ability to incrementally remove counters from permanents, this card can help undermine your opponent’s strategy, indirectly leading to card advantage by nullifying their resources.
Resource Acceleration: While Ferropede itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its capacity to strip counters can indirectly speed up your game plan. By removing counters from your permanents with cumulative upkeep costs or time counters, for example, you can hasten the arrival of powerful effects or avoid unwanted sacrifices.
Instant Speed: Ferropede’s activated ability to remove counters can be used at instant speed. This allows for strategic adaptation during your opponent’s turn, potentially disrupting their plans by altering the status of key cards at critical moments.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Ferropede’s presence in your deck could spell trouble if you’re facing a strategy that forces you to discard cards. Without a way to replenish your hand, the card’s potential may not be fully realized, particularly in games that drag on and require extensive resources.
Specific Mana Cost: This artifact creature requires an exact mana investment to cast. Tapping specific types of mana might not always be convenient, especially if your land base is not optimized for it, which could affect your game’s tempo and overall strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the mana cost reflects its ability to remove counters from permanents, the initial investment can be a bit steep. There are other cards in MTG that can fulfill a similar role without the high mana cost, providing options that might better suit fast-paced or mana-efficient decks.
Reasons to Include Ferropede in Your Collection
Versatility: Ferropede is a flexible addition to decks that focus on +1/+1 counters or artifact interactions. Its ability to remove counters from permanents, including itself, makes it adaptable in various in-game scenarios.
Combo Potential: This insect artifact creature pairs well with proliferate mechanics and can be essential in decks built around manipulating the number of counters on the battlefield. With Ferropede, your strategic plays can help dismantle opponent’s strategies that rely on permanents with counters.
Meta-Relevance: Given its capability to interact with an array of counter-based cards, Ferropede can be quite handy when facing decks that utilize counters as a resource. Whether it’s to alter the state of the battlefield or to incrementally pave your way to victory, the card’s relevance tends to rise as more counter-centric cards enter the game.
How to beat
Ferropede, while not the most imposing creature in the MTG universe, can be a subtle thorn in your side with its unique ability to remove counters from permanents. To effectively neutralize this insect artifact creature, it’s important to consider strategic plays that disrupt its counter-removal mechanic. Employing removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can efficiently handle the pesky critter before it starts wreaking havoc on your board state.
Alternatively, utilizing instant-speed interaction can catch your opponent off-guard, preserving your vital counters. Cards with the ability “flash” allow you to wait for the opportune moment before committing to the board, thus potentially avoiding Ferropede’s interference. It’s also worthwhile to consider the timing of your plays; for instance, activating abilities or playing spells during your opponent’s end step minimizes Ferropede’s windows to act.
Keeping a careful eye on the presence of Ferropede in your opponent’s deck can steer your decisions in both deckbuilding and gameplay. Incorporating versatile responses in your deck enhances your resilience against such threats. Overall, quick removal, precise timing, and being one step ahead of your opponent are key to preserving your game plan against the mechanical menace that is Ferropede.
Cards like Ferropede
Ferropede inches into the fray of utility creatures within Magic: The Gathering with its unique attribute of removing counters from target permanents. This function mirrors the abilities of cards like Thriving Ibex, as both can impact the distribution of counters during the game. Ferropede is slightly more flexible, given it doesn’t require any mana to activate this ability, unlike Thriving Ibex that needs an investment of three mana to execute a similar effect.
Comparing further, we see Hex Parasite which also specializes in counter manipulation. While Hex Parasite is more aggressive in its approach, being able to strip multiple counters for a cost, Ferropede provides a consistent, albeit single, counter removal each turn at no additional cost. This difference can be crucial in prolonged games and speaks to Ferropede’s patient dismantling of an opponent’s strategy.
In the realm of counter control, Ferropede presents a persistent threat. Despite lacking the explosive potential of Hex Parasite or the mana-powered adaptability of Thriving Ibex, Ferropede’s unassuming yet steady pace carves its niche within MTG’s intricate ecosystem of strategic counter play.
Cards similar to Ferropede by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ferropede MTG card by a specific set like Fifth Dawn, 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 Ferropede and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ferropede has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ferropede card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-12-01 | Any permanent is a legal target for Ferropede’s last ability, not just one with a counter on it. |
| 2004-12-01 | If there’s more than one type of counter on the targeted permanent, Ferropede’s controller chooses which counter to remove from it. |
