Manta Riders MTG Card

Tempest (TMP)
1997-10-14 - Number 74

Manta Riders - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)

Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
1999-11-12 - Number 43

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Merfolk
Power	1
Toughness	1

Key Takeaways

Manta Riders’ flying ability offers a tactical edge, enabling evasion and potential card conservation.
Its specific blue mana cost may restrict deck inclusion, demanding a dedicated color strategy.
While its mana cost is a consideration, its adaptability makes it a valued component in flying-focused decks.

Text of card

o U: Manta Riders gains flying until end of turn.

"Water is firmament to the finned." —Oracle *en*-Vec

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Manta Riders is versatile in creating scenarios for potential card advantage. While it doesn’t draw cards directly, its flying ability often allows it to dodge removal and persist on the battlefield, thus conserving the valuable resources in your hand.

Resource Acceleration: As a low-cost creature, Manta Riders can help you maintain a lean and efficient mana curve. This swift deployment can be crucial in ramping up the pressure on your opponent and can indirectly lead to resource acceleration by forcing them to deal with threats sooner than they’d like.

Instant Speed: While Manta Riders itself is not an instant, its ability to quickly adapt to the battlefield can put your opponent in a tricky position, making them think twice about their moves. This can create instant-speed-like pressure on your opponent, indirectly leading to advantageous plays on your side during crucial moments in a match.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In the case of Manta Riders, you won’t face a discard cost directly. However, if your strategy relies on maintaining card advantage, it’s essential to consider how every creature card plays into that plan. While Manta Riders doesn’t require discarding, it doesn’t help offset other card disadvantages either.

Specific Mana Cost: Manta Riders requires a specific color combination of blue mana to cast. This can limit the card’s inclusion to decks that can reliably produce blue mana, potentially restricting its versatility in multicolored or colorless decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost for Manta Riders may be considered high in relation to its abilities. With so many creatures in the game, players could potentially find more impactful creatures for the same or lower mana investment, especially when considering its rarity and the set it belongs to.

Reasons to Include Manta Riders in Your Collection

Versatility: Manta Riders can seamlessly adapt to various strategies due to its flying ability, making it a valuable addition to decks aiming to circumvent ground blockers or strengthen air-based attacks.

Combo Potential: Its potential to combo with cards that benefit from creature presence, such as those enhancing or relying on flying creatures, increases its utility and impact across different play styles.

Meta-Relevance: As aerial threats often find their place in shifting metagames, Manta Riders’ consistent ability to apply pressure from above can prove invaluable in disrupting opponents unprepared for agile fliers.

How to beat

Manta Riders, a notable card in the realm of MTG, presents a unique challenge with its flying ability and potential for quick offense. To counteract this aerial threat, it’s essential to implement strategies that can neutralize its advantages. Utilizing cards that can ground flying creatures, like those with the reach attribute or ones that deny flying, can effectively diminish the Manta Riders’ impact. Another effective tactic is to deploy cheap removal spells or poke and prod at the Riders with ping effects, ensuring they never truly establish a presence on the battlefield.

Remember, timing is key. Keeping instant-speed removal or board control spells in your hand will allow you to respond swiftly to the casting of Manta Riders. In the event that Manta Riders do manage to equip enhancements or auras, having enchantment removal options is vital to dismantle any compound threats. Carefully managing your resources and anticipating your opponent’s moves can pave the way to ensure Manta Riders’ impact is minimal and your pathway to victory remains clear.

By understanding the synergies and specific interactions within your deck, you can create a robust defense that both mitigates the aerial offense of the Manta Riders and fortifies your position in the game.

Cards like Manta Riders

Manta Riders is an intriguing staple for flying creature decks in Magic: The Gathering. Its closest equivalents include creatures such as Hovermyr, with both having the ability to fly. But Manta Riders provides an edge with its flexibility, allowing the owners to pay for its flying ability only when needed, making it versatile during various phases of the game.

Much like Manta Riders, Skyshroud Falcon also requires two mana and offers the ability to attack as a flying creature. However, the Falcon grants flying without the need for additional mana, yet it doesn’t match the adaptability that Manta Riders presents. Meanwhile, Stormfront Pegasus is another similar card, offering flying at all times but costing more in terms of mana, which highlights Manta Riders’ cost-effectiveness.

Consequently, Manta Riders finds its niche among flying creature cards in Magic: The Gathering by striking a balance between cost efficiency and flexible gameplay, garnering attention from players who value tactical adaptability during matches.

Cards similar to Manta Riders by color, type and mana cost

Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions

Enclave Cryptologist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Manta Riders MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Battle Royale Box Set, 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 Manta Riders and other MTG cards: