Snapping Fang Head MTG Card

Type	Token Elite Creature — Head
Abilities	Hero's Reward
Released	2013-10-19
Set symbol
Set name	Face the Hydra
Set code	TFTH
Power	0
Toughness	8
Number	5
Frame	2003
Layout	Token
Border	Black
Illustred by	Richard Wright

Key Takeaways

The card offers card advantage and can shape resource acceleration through its synergies.
Its mana specificity and high cost can restrict gameplay fluidity and strategic options.
Snapping Fang Head is versatile with combo potential, making it a notable addition to decks.

Text of card

At the beginning of the Hydra's end step, Snapping Fang Head deals 1 damage to each player. Hero's Reward — When Snapping Fang Head leaves the battlefield, each player gains 4 life and draws a card.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: This card can be a powerful tool for securing card advantage. When played, it can potentially remove an opponent’s creature while leaving you with a creature on the board, effectively dealing with a threat and adding to your side simultaneously.

Resource Acceleration: If Snapping Fang Head has any synergies with cards that benefit from creatures entering the battlefield or dying, it can serve as a catalyst for resource acceleration, offering tactical advantages in the course of a game.

Instant Speed: Snapping Fang Head can be used at instant speed, providing flexibility in response to an opponent’s actions. It allows you to wait and see how your opponent’s turn unfolds before deciding the most opportune moment to use this card, ensuring you make the most impactful play possible.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Every choice in a game of MTG is crucial, and the Snapping Fang Head requires you to discard a card to activate its abilities. This factor can be particularly challenging when your hand is dwindling, and you’re in desperate need of holding onto your current resources. It’s a trade-off that can sometimes tilt the scales against you, tipping the game in favor of your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Mana flexibility is key in MTG, enabling a smooth and efficient gameplay. Snapping Fang Head demands a specific mana combination to be cast, which might not always align with your deck’s mana base or your current mana availability, potentially causing a delay in its deployment to the battlefield.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Mana economy is paramount, and with a mana value that is deemed high relative to its impact on the game, Snapping Fang Head can be a liability. Other creatures or spells at a similar mana range could provide equal or greater value, making it a less appealing option during the rigorous decision-making that goes into creating a winning deck strategy.

Reasons to Include Snapping Fang Head in Your Collection

Versatility: Snapping Fang Head is a flexible card that can be included in a variety of decks. With its adaptable abilities, it’s a solid choice for players looking to bolster their creature lineup or for those who require a reliable blocker with a touch of aggressive potential.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with strategies that capitalize on +1/+1 counters or creature-based synergies. Its potential to combo with other cards that benefit from or add to creature abilities makes it a valuable addition to decks that aim to create powerful board states.

Meta-Relevance: Snapping Fang Head’s significance in the current meta can be attributed to its ability to contest popular creatures in play. Moreover, its utility in creature-centric decks or those that thrive on synergies makes it a noteworthy choice for anyone looking to stay competitive. Its inclusion could give players an edge in a format where board presence and creature effects are crucial.

How to beat

Snapping Fang Head introduces a unique challenge on the battlefield with its capacity to disrupt an opponent’s play. To effectively navigate against this creature, it’s essential to anticipate its unleash mechanic which can put you at a disadvantage during crucial moments. One strategy to outmaneuver this creature is to utilize removal spells that can target it before its unleash ability becomes a threat. Instant-speed removals like Murder or Path to Exile allow you to respond swiftly, thus managing the creature before it affects the game state. Creature control is another effective tactic. Cards like Pacifism restrict Snapping Fang Head’s abilities without needing to remove it directly from the field.

Additionally, countering the card upon cast is a solid plan. Spells such as Counterspell or Mana Leak ensure that Snapping Fang Head never gets the chance to impact the game. It’s also useful to remember the setting where this creature thrives – managing the overall creature balance on your board can prevent Snapping Fang Head from becoming a pressing issue. A well-structured defense paired with the right removal or counterspell strategy often guarantees that this formidable creature will be kept in check.

Cards like Snapping Fang Head

Snapping Fang Head brings a unique dynamism to creature-based strategies in the game. When evaluating it alongside peers, it elicits comparisons to the likes of Sabertooth Mauler. Both share the trample ability, offering a way to potentially deal damage despite blockers. Where Snapping Fang Head differs, is in its focus on encounter counters, providing growth potential each combat. By contrast, Sabertooth Mauler relies on the more situational ‘beginning of your end step’ trigger, only growing if a creature died that turn.

Similarly, Oran-Rief Ooze stands out for its ability to distribute +1/+1 counters among creatures you control, including itself, enhancing the whole team. Although Oran-Rief Ooze requires an initial investment of counters to proliferate, Snapping Fang Head independently grows, turning it into an increasingly formidable threat over time.

When it comes to building a deck that includes these creatures, players must consider the desired interaction with other cards and the game’s flow. Snapping Fang Head, with its self-sustaining nature, proves to be a formidable choice for those looking to continuously apply pressure each turn.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Snapping Fang Head MTG card by a specific set like Face the Hydra, 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 Snapping Fang Head and other MTG cards: