Spike Colony MTG Card
1998-03-02 - Number 117
1999-11-12 - Number 77
2015-05-06 - Number 195
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Spike |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 0 |
Key Takeaways
- Spike Colony offers card advantage and resource acceleration through strategic +1/+1 counter distribution.
- Despite its high mana cost and green-specific requirement, its instant speed activation provides tactical flexibility.
- It’s a valuable creature for decks specializing in counter manipulation, enhancing combo potential and adaptability.
Text of card
Spike Colony comes into play with four +1/+1 counters on it. , Remove a +1/+1 counter from Spike Colony: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Spike Colony shines by boosting your card economy, as it distributes +1/+1 counters on multiple creatures. This ability effectively turns one card into an enhancement for several others, enhancing your on-board presence and making your army much tougher to deal with for your opponent.
Resource Acceleration: When you play Spike Colony, it acts as a resource accelerator by enabling you to modify the battlefield without spending additional mana on further counter distribution. This lets you utilize your mana pool more efficiently elsewhere, maintaining pressure or advancing your board state in other areas.
Instant Speed: The flexibility offered by Spike Colony’s instant speed activation to distribute counters can catch opponents off guard. You can alter combat outcomes, fortify your creatures in response to removal, or simply grow your threats at the end of your opponent’s turn, keeping them guessing and unprepared for your next move.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of Spike Colony is that you may have to discard another card to maximize its potential on the battlefield. This can potentially put you at a disadvantage, especially if your hand is already low on cards or if the discarded card is crucial for your game strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Spike Colony demands a specific combination of mana to cast, including green mana. This can be limiting for decks that run multiple colors or those that don’t focus heavily on green, potentially making it difficult to play unless your mana base is well-tuned to accommodate it.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a higher casting cost associated with it, Spike Colony can be a heavy investment, especially in the early stages of the game. Players might find it challenging to allocate resources for this card when there could be other options that provide similar benefits at a lower cost, allowing for a more fluid and adaptable gameplay approach.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Spike Colony is a card that can adapt to numerous situations on the battlefield, offering a robust yet flexible defense. It’s particularly useful in decks that thrive on +1/+1 counter interactions, enhancing its adaptability even further.
Combo Potential: This creature has inherent synergy with proliferate mechanics or any strategy that manipulates counters. It can become a powerful asset in combinations that seek to exploit the distribution of +1/+1 counters for massive growth or various utility effects.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature strategies are prevalent, Spike Colony can be an important inclusion. Its ability to grow stronger over time or instantly bolster other creatures makes it relevant against a wide array of opposing deck types, keeping your collection competitive.
How to beat Spike Colony
Spike Colony enters the Magic: The Gathering battlefield as a unique creature, equipped with the versatile spike ability that allows players to manipulate +1/+1 counters. Combatting Spike Colony necessitates a strategy that can hinder or exploit this ability. A successful approach involves preemptive measures that restrict the counters from being placed, such as utilizing cards that prevent activations or employing removals that don’t allow the Colony’s ability to be activated in response.
For instance, cards with the capacity to remove counters, like Vampire Hexmage, can neutralize Spike Colony’s potential before it becomes a threat. Similarly, instant-speed removal spells are highly effective as they can dispose of the creature before the opponent has a chance to enhance it with additional counters. Alternatively, emphasizing board control with sweepers like Wrath of God can ensure that the Spike Colony is eliminated regardless of the number of counters it has accumulated.
Overall, triumphing over Spike Colony in a game of Magic: The Gathering rests on a player’s ability to either prevent the counters from becoming overwhelming or resolving the threat before it escalates. Mastery of these tactics can make encounters with Spike Colony significantly less daunting.
Cards like Spike Colony
Spike Colony is an intriguing creature within the MTG ecosystem, sharing traits with other counter-based creatures. Comparable to Spike Feeder, Spike Colony offers the flexibility of moving +1/+1 counters around to fortify other creatures. Unlike Spike Feeder, which provides an option for life gain, Spike Colony is purely designed to bolster the strength of your creatures on the battlefield.
In line with counter manipulation, consider Fathom Mage. Although it doesn’t allow transferring counters, its ability to draw a card whenever a counter is placed on it aligns with the counter synergy strategies of Spike Colony. The clear difference is that Fathom Mage tends towards card advantage rather than enhancing other creatures directly. Ivy Lane Denizen also enters the scene as a creature that benefits from counters, specifically whenever another green creature enters the battlefield under your control, indicating a more passive approach compared to Spike Colony’s active counter distribution.
Overall, while each of these creatures contributes uniquely to the counter play style, Spike Colony affords players the tactical advantage of adaptability in reinforcing their forces, making it a valuable asset in any MTG deck that thrives on synergy and creature interaction.
Cards similar to Spike Colony by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Spike Colony MTG card by a specific set like Stronghold and Battle Royale Box Set, 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 Spike Colony 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 Magic products
Printings
The Spike Colony Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1998-03-02 and 2015-05-06. Illustrated by Douglas Shuler.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1998-03-02 | Stronghold | STH | 117 | 1997 | normal | black | Douglas Shuler | |
| 2 | 1999-11-12 | Battle Royale Box Set | BRB | 77 | 1997 | normal | white | Douglas Shuler | |
| 3 | 2015-05-06 | Tempest Remastered | TPR | 195 | 2015 | normal | black | Douglas Shuler |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Spike Colony has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
