Tanglewalker MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Dryad
Released	2004-02-06
Set symbol
Set name	Darksteel
Set code	DST
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	86
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Pete Venters

Key Takeaways

Tanglewalker’s unblockability provides a consistent damage avenue in green or artifact-heavy decks.
Flexibly complements strategies that capitalize on instant-speed interactions and evasion tactics.
Demands specific deck composition that might limit its use but shines within its niche.

Text of card

Creatures you control are unblockable as long as defending player controls an artifact land.

In bringing life to Mirrodin, Memnarch was more successful than he knew—for Mirrodin began to take on a life of its own.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tanglewalker has a unique ability that may indirectly contribute to card advantage. When facing opponents utilizing green in their decks, this creature can become unblockable, allowing you consistent combat damage and potential synergies with card draw effects tied to dealing combat damage to players.

Resource Acceleration: As part of a proactive game plan, Tanglewalker can fit into decks that aim to deploy threats rapidly. Though it doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its continuous pressure can pave the way for a quicker victory, effectively reducing the need for long-term resource planning.

Instant Speed: While Tanglewalker itself isn’t an instant, it synergizes well within decks that operate at instant speed. By presenting an unblockable threat, it forces the opponent to react, which pairs exceptionally well with instant-speed interaction. This allows you to dictate the pace of the game, making your opponent play on your terms.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tanglewalker comes without a direct discard tradeoff but still requires careful hand management. In metagames where hand size is pivotal, lacking abilities that manipulate card advantage can place players at a subtle disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The green mana cost of Tanglewalker gears it towards a mono-green or heavily green-centric deck, potentially reducing its versatility in multicolor decks that value flexible mana bases.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Tanglewalker may compete with other three-drop creatures or spells that offer immediate board impact or value. In fast-paced games, its mana cost could be seen as inefficient relative to its abilities.

Reasons to Include Tanglewalker in Your Collection

Versatility: Tanglewalker shines in decks that exploit color-specific mechanics, being able to become unblockable against a wide range of opponents who utilize multicolored lands for their manabase.

Combo Potential: This card enables powerful interactions in artifact-centric decks, as it effortlessly syncs with any strategy that profits from unblocked creatures or artifact synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where multicolored lands are prevalent, Tanglewalker’s naturally evasive quality becomes increasingly significant, allowing it to swing for consistent damage and maintain board presence.

How to beat

Tanglewalker presents an intriguing challenge in Magic: The Gathering gameplay. This card has the distinct ability to be unblockable as long as the defending player controls an artifact. Within the diverse world of MTG decks that involve artifacts, Tanglewalker can slip through defenses with ease, making it a stealthy threat.

To outmaneuver Tanglewalker, players should focus on removing artifacts from the opponent’s battlefield. Card effects that allow you to destroy or exile artifacts can neutralize Tanglewalker’s unblockability. You might also consider utilizing spells that can alter the card’s characteristics or that can bypass the unblockable clause by forcing a sacrifice or dealing damage that doesn’t require the creature to be blocked.

Strategic use of creature removal spells that don’t rely on blocking, like “Doom Blade” or “Path to Exile,” can also remove Tanglewalker from play before it becomes a persistent nuisance. Thus, while Tanglewalker can be a problematic card if left unchecked, a well-prepared strategy and quick response can efficiently handle this crafty creature.

Cards like Tanglewalker

Tanglewalker has its unique place in the array of creatures available in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to be unblockable as long as the defending player controls an artifact gives it a niche advantage in certain matchups. Comparatively, creatures like Thada Adel, Acquisitor share a similarity in interacting with artifacts. Thada Adel can steal artifacts upon dealing combat damage to a player, but it isn’t inherently unblockable unlike Tanglewalker.

Mist-Cloaked Herald is another creature that’s unblockable but lacks the situational condition tied to artifacts. While it’s a great choice for consistent unimpeded attacks, Tanglewalker shines in specific decks that exploit artifact-heavy opponents. Moreover, consider Ghostfire Blade, a non-creature alternative that can make various creatures tougher to block by reducing equipment costs for colorless creatures, playing into a somewhat similar strategy beneficial for artifact-centric gameplay.

When truly dissecting the strengths and strategic plays around creatures like Tanglewalker, it becomes clear that while not universally potent, its specific interaction with artifacts can be a powerful asset in the right deck, making it a considerable option for players facing artifact-based opponents.

Thada Adel, Acquisitor - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Tanglewalker by color, type and mana cost

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Territorial Scythecat - MTG Card versions

Reki, the History of Kamigawa - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tanglewalker MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel, 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 Tanglewalker and other MTG cards: