Cold-Water Snapper MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Turtle |
| Abilities | Hexproof |
| Released | 2018-04-27 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Dominaria |
| Set code | DOM |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 5 |
| Number | 48 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Jason Kang |
Key Takeaways
- Cold-Water Snapper ensures staying power on the board with hexproof, frustrating opponent’s targeted removal strategies.
- The card’s specific mana cost and hexproof pair well with defensive decks, but may limit multicolor deck inclusion.
- Incorporating it into your collection boosts late-game strategies and combo potential in MTG’s evolving metagame.
Text of card
Hexproof (This creature can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)
For generations, the inhabitants of Orvada have hungered for turtle soup. For generations, the turtles have frustrated their ambitions.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Casting Cold-Water Snapper can set you up for some serious defensive plays. With its hexproof ability, it evades targeted removals, essentially letting you retain card advantage since opponents will be unable to easily dispose of it. Utilizing cards that draw upon entering the battlefield alongside it can maximize your card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly generate resources, playing Cold-Water Snapper can stabilize your board, allowing your resource acceleration tactics to go unchecked. Protecting key pieces that contribute to your mana ramp or resource generation becomes easier when you have a resilient blocker on the field.
Instant Speed: Although Cold-Water Snapper itself isn’t an instant, it synergizes well with cards that operate at instant speed. Having a formidable looming threat can force your opponent to play around, leaving them vulnerable to your instant speed interactions. Combine it with instant speed enchantments or auras for a surprise boost during an unsuspecting opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While this creature offers inherent protection with hexproof, it doesn’t mitigate the potential downside of being forced to discard another card. If you have a limited hand size or crucial spells, tossing a card away to play Cold-Water Snapper might not always be your best move.
Specific Mana Cost: Cold-Water Snapper demands a specific mana investment—four blue and two of any color. This cost can be restrictive for multicolored decks that may struggle with generating the required blue mana consistently, especially early on when establishing a board presence is critical.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at six mana total, Cold-Water Snapper’s casting cost is quite steep for its 4/5 stats. While the hexproof ability is valuable, there are alternative creatures and spells that might provide greater impact and flexibility for the same or lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Cold-Water Snapper’s resilience with its innate hexproof makes it a formidable inclusion in decks geared towards late-game dominance. Its ability to evade common removal spells allows it to adapt to various defensive strategies.
Combo Potential: As a creature with substantial toughness, this card offers superb synergy with aura and equipment cards. Its hexproof ensures that any investments in buffing it are less likely to be wasted, making it a key player in enhancing combo-centric decks.
Meta-Relevance: In a metagame teeming with targeted spells and abilities, Cold-Water Snapper excels. Its natural protection against such interactions provides a persistent threat that is difficult for opponents to handle, making it a valuable contender in an evolving battlefield landscape.
How to beat
Cold-Water Snapper is a creature card that can often turn into an imposing defensive barrier in Magic: The Gathering due to its hexproof ability, making it immune to targeted spells or abilities your opponents control. This sea turtle’s resilience makes it a formidable blocker for ground units, though it’s not as effective against flying creatures.
To effectively counter Cold-Water Snapper, consider using board wipes or global effects that don’t specifically target single creatures, as hexproof will not protect it in those cases. Another strategy is to use cards that force the owner to sacrifice a creature, as this gets around its hexproof defense. Alternatively, outracing the opponent with an aggressive deck that pressures life totals before the Snapper can stabilize the board could be a viable tactic. It’s essential to balance your approach by incorporating these strategies into your deck to ensure you have answers to threats like Cold-Water Snapper.
Understanding the mechanics and capabilities of cards like Cold-Water Snapper is crucial. Players who anticipate such obstacles and prepare accordingly will maintain a competitive edge, turning potential defensive strongholds into surmountable challenges in the dynamic environment of Magic: The Gathering.
Cards like Cold-Water Snapper
In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Cold-Water Snapper stands out for its sturdy shell among creature cards. Its hexproof ability shields it from spells or abilities your opponents control, reminiscent of the protective aspects found in cards like Benthic Biomancer. While Biomancer offers adaptability and card filtering, Cold-Water Snapper offers resilience, making it challenging for opponents to remove it from the battlefield once it’s in play.
Similarly, Plated Seastrider, another sea creature, has high toughness which allows it to withstand significant damage. However, Cold-Water Snapper surpasses it with the added hexproof trait, offering a more persistent presence against targeted removal. Slippery Scoundrel also presents an interesting comparison with its potential hexproof condition; this relies on the city’s blessing which requires a different strategic approach compared to the Snapper’s inherent untargetability.
In summary, while other creatures in MTG have traits that provide resilience and longevity in play, Cold-Water Snapper establishes itself as a reliable contender. Its combination of high toughness and hexproof from the onset makes it an invaluable asset, especially in decks that capitalize on defense turning into offense.
Cards similar to Cold-Water Snapper by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Cold-Water Snapper MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria, 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 Cold-Water Snapper 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 Cold-Water Snapper 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 |
