Mana Skimmer MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Leech
Abilities	Flying
Released	2006-10-06
Set symbol
Set name	Time Spiral
Set code	TSP
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	117
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Daniel Gelon

Key Takeaways

Mana Skimmer offers strategic mana disruption and card advantage through reuse each turn.
Activation at instant-like timings creates persistent pressure and planning challenges for opponents.
Requires card sacrifice and specific mana base, which may limit its use in various deck types.

Text of card

Flying Whenever Mana Skimmer deals damage to a player, tap target land that player controls. That land doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step.

They traverse the mana-starved wastes in search of richer lands.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mana Skimmer provides a consistent way to disrupt your opponent’s mana while offering card advantage through its ability to be reused every turn. This can tip the scales in your favor by effectively making your opponent play with fewer resources.

Resource Acceleration: By limiting your opponent’s usable mana, Mana Skimmer indirectly accelerates your resource advantage. This allows you to play larger threats or multiple spells per turn while your opponent struggles to catch up.

Instant Speed: Though Mana Skimmer itself is not cast at instant speed, it impacts the game akin to instant-speed disruption. It can be activated at the end of your opponent’s turn or during their upkeep, before they draw, which means they’re always a step behind and unable to reliably plan their mana usage.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Mana Skimmer’s activation necessitates the discarding of another card, which could be a setback when your hand is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: Being colored solely in black, Mana Skimmer requires a dedicated mana base, potentially limiting its inclusion only within mono-black or heavy black-influenced decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that some may consider steep for its abilities, players might lean towards more economically viable options for their mana-fixing needs.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mana Skimmer slots into numerous deck archetypes that utilize swampwalk or benefit from consistent mana denial to opponents. It’s a card that can subtly turn the tide of a game in a variety of situations.

Combo Potential: This card works well with strategies that focus on land control, allowing you to pair it with cards that turn opponent’s lands into swamps, thus maximizing its disruptive potential.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where non-basic lands are prevalent, Mana Skimmer can serve as an efficient tool for hindering your opponent’s mana base, making it an asset in certain meta-game conditions.

How to Beat Mana Skimmer

The challenge of facing Mana Skimmer in Magic: The Gathering lies in its ability to stall your mana resources, as it taps one of your lands whenever it deals damage. This can disrupt your rhythm painfully if not addressed quickly. However, you can overcome this by utilizing cheap removal spells that can take out Mana Skimmer before it becomes a nuisance, such as Shock or Fatal Push. These allow you to respond instantly and reduce the chances of being mana-locked by the skimmer’s ability.

Alternatively, consider including creatures with flying or reach in your deck, like Thunderclap Wyvern or Giant Spider, to counter the flying advantage of Mana Skimmer. With these guardians in your lineup, Mana Skimmer’s attacks can be blocked and nullified without the risk of a tapped land, preserving your mana pool and keeping your game plan on track. Working around Mana Skimmer requires a blend of swift responses and strategic defense—both achievable with the right cards in your arsenal.

Strategic deck building and swift plays will keep you a step ahead, ensuring that Mana Skimmer doesn’t disrupt your pace. Keep your lands untapped and your strategies flowing smoothly to assert your dominance on the battlefield.

Cards like Mana Skimmer

Mana Skimmer offers a unique approach to resource disruption within the vast card compendium of MTG. The card mirrors the functionality of other leech-life creatures, such as the iconic Vampire Nighthawk. Yet, the Skimmer steps it up a notch by targeting an opponent’s mana pool directly. This subtle difference shifts its role from a direct aggression card to a more control-oriented play style.

Much like the Nighthawk, the Mana Skimmer can serve as a boon in battling your opponent’s forces but the Skimmer’s uniqueness lies in its ability to drain lands. It stands in stark contrast to cards like Thieving Magpie that also disrupts the opponent, but through card advantage rather than mana denial. Where Vampire Nighthawk lends itself to gaining life and solidifying board presence, the Skimmer is more about slowing your adversary’s pace, hindering their ability to cast impactful spells timely.

In essence, Mana Skimmer finds its footing in a niche that’s not just about inflicting damage or gaining life but strategically choking an opponent’s resources, making it a fascinating choice for control decks seeking an edge in resource management against their adversaries.

Cards similar to Mana Skimmer by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mana Skimmer MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral, 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 Mana Skimmer and other MTG cards: