Frilled Sandwalla MTG Card
2017-07-14 - Number 116
2019-07-12 - Number 340
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Lizard |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- The Sandwalla’s low cost and instant ability make for strategic early game plays and efficient mana usage.
- While offering quick boost potential, it requires green mana and competes with other hand resources.
- It’s versatile in certain decks but faces competition from similar, sometimes more flexible, creatures.
Text of card
: Frilled Sandwalla gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Activate this ability only once each turn.
It basks atop the rubble of Rhonas's monument, which still pulses with latent power.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While the Frilled Sandwalla itself doesn’t directly provide card advantage, its low mana cost allows players to keep more cards in hand early in the game. It’s also a creature that commands attention, potentially drawing out removal spells from opponents and preserving your more valuable creatures.
Resource Acceleration: The Frilled Sandwalla offers a unique form of resource acceleration. For a single green mana, it can become a 3/3 until end of turn. This efficient use of mana can be critical in the early stages of a match when building a presence on the board is crucial.
Instant Speed: The Sandwalla’s ability to pump its power and toughness can be activated at instant speed. This allows players to surprise opponents during combat, potentially turning the tide of a battle in their favor without the need to telegraph their moves in advance.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Frilled Sandwalla requires a designated green mana to play, tying it specifically to decks that run green mana sources and potentially limiting its flexibility in multi-colored decks.
Discard Requirement: Though not directly linked to a discard mechanic, its activation cost competes with other cards in your hand that may require discarding as part of their costs or effects, which can result in tough decision-making.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Spending one green mana might seem affordable to bolster this creature’s power, but in a fast-paced game, the repeated investment can add up, making its activation cost high relative to the increase in power it provides.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Frilled Sandwalla thrives in decks that capitalize on mana sinks and creature buffs. Due to its low casting cost, it can be played early and still be relevant later as a mana outlet.
Combo Potential: In a deck focused on +1/+1 counters or utilizing the untap mechanic, the Frilled Sandwalla scales in power. Its ability to grow at instant speed allows for unexpected combat tricks and synergy with counter-adding cards.
Meta-Relevance: Against decks that employ a lot of removal, the Frilled Sandwalla provides a recurring threat that can be a consistent nuisance. As an inexpensive creature, it fits snugly into aggressive strategies that aim to keep the pressure on opponents.
How to Beat
Frilled Sandwalla is an intriguing creature card in Magic: The Gathering, offering quick power boosts during combat. Its ability to pump itself can catch opponents off guard, making it a small but mighty presence on the battlefield. However, like all creatures, it has its vulnerabilities.
To effectively manage this reptilian adversary, instant speed removal spells prove to be highly effective. Before the Sandwalla’s ability can be activated, or in response to it, casting a cheap removal like Fatal Push or Shock can dispatch it without much fuss. Additionally, countering it as it’s played using spells like Essence Scatter helps to maintain board control without the need to deal with its ability.
Moreover, since the Sandwalla relies on mana to grow stronger, imposing mana denial strategies or using cards that prevent activated abilities from being used – think Phyrexian Revoker or Pithing Needle – can render it powerless. This ensures that the frilled creature remains a benign presence on the board. Ultimately, understanding and intervening swiftly before this desert dweller bulks up can easily turn the tides of the game in your favor.
Cards like Frilled Sandwalla
In the vast lineup of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, Frilled Sandwalla finds its niche among mana-efficient creatures with growth potential. One could draw parallels between it and the Kird Ape, both being low-cost creatures with the ability to become stronger under certain conditions. Kird Ape starts off as a 1/1 but gains +1/+2 as long as you control a Forest. While not identical, this mechanism of conditional power increase creates an interesting point of comparison.
Moving along the spectrum of similar creatures, we encounter the likes of Basking Rootwalla. At first glance, their abilities seem incredibly similar, both able to pump themselves for additional power. However, Basking Rootwalla has the upper hand with its ‘madness’ cost – allowing it to potentially come into play for free. Comparatively, Frilled Sandwalla requires an investment of mana to activate its ability each turn.
Examining these creatures shows that while Frilled Sandwalla is an appealing choice for decks that can leverage mana in the early game, alternatives like Kird Ape or Basking Rootwalla can offer different levels of synergy and flexibility depending on the deck construction and strategy.
Cards similar to Frilled Sandwalla by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Frilled Sandwalla MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation and Core Set 2020, 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 Frilled Sandwalla 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
Printings
The Frilled Sandwalla Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-07-14 and 2019-07-12. Illustrated by Zezhou Chen.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-07-14 | Hour of Devastation | HOU | 116 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zezhou Chen | |
| 2 | 2019-07-12 | Core Set 2020 | M20 | 340 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zezhou Chen |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Frilled Sandwalla has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
