Coral Commando MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Merfolk Warrior
Released	2019-01-25
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica Allegiance
Set code	RNA
Power	3
Toughness	2
Number	36
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Alex Konstad

Key Takeaways

Coral Commando supports merfolk/tribal decks, enabling synergies that can lead to card advantages.
It’s suitable for fast-paced strategies that benefit from quick deployment of creatures.
Despite its limitations, Coral Commando’s simplicity fits well in certain deck archetypes.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Coral Commando itself may not provide direct card advantage, its role in enabling various synergistic interactions can indirectly lead to more cards in hand. Especially in decks built around merfolk or tribal themes, playing Coral Commando might unlock the potential to draw extra cards through other synergistic pieces on the board.

Resource Acceleration: Resource acceleration isn’t the primary function of Coral Commando; however, as a low-cost creature, it fits well in strategies seeking to deploy threats quickly and efficiently. Its presence can augment the speed at which a board presence is established, potentially paving the way for more potent plays in the subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: Although Coral Commando is a creature card that does not have flash and therefore cannot be played at instant speed, it can complement instant-speed interactions in a deck that values the flexibility of spell timing. Players can utilize other instant-speed spells while deploying Coral Commando in their main phase, keeping the game pace fluid and responsive.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Even though Coral Commando itself does not necessitate a discard, any card that demands you to remove another card from your hand can put you at a resource disadvantage, ultimately affecting your gameplay strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Coral Commando requires both generic and a specific island mana to be played. This can often be restrictive, especially in multicolored decks that might struggle to have the right mana available at the right time.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana for a 3/2 creature, Coral Commando’s efficiency is questionable when you consider other cards in the same mana range that could provide additional abilities or higher power/toughness ratios, thereby offering a better board presence or more strategic flexibility.

Reasons to Include Coral Commando in Your Collection

Versatility: Though a seemingly simple card, Coral Commando’s merit lies in its ability to slip into tribal decks focusing on Merfolk or Warrior strategies. As a common creature type, it offers a strong synergy in a deck centered around these tribes.

Combo Potential: With cards that care about the number of creatures you control or those that benefit from having multiple Merfolk or Warriors, Coral Commando can contribute to reaching critical mass for triggering such effects.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state dominated by low-to-the-ground aggressive strategies, a card like Coral Commando can serve as an early board presence, fulfilling the need for quick, efficient creatures to maintain pace against other streamlined decks.

How to beat

Coral Commando may appear as a straightforward creature card in Magic: The Gathering, often sliding into decks looking to fill a curve or synergize with Merfolk tribal themes. Its common status and vanilla nature – devoid of abilities outside of its creature type – make it an easy include for simple strategies. Yet, seasoned players know that handling any piece on the board is crucial for maintaining control of the game.

To effectively counter Coral Commando, direct removal spells are an excellent choice. Options like Doom Blade or Murder can efficiently dispose of this creature at a low cost, freeing you from the threat without incurring significant resource loss. Counterplay could also involve utilizing a more robust creature to overpower it in combat, something that a multitude of green creatures can do with ease due to their typically higher power and toughness.

Ultimately, Coral Commando’s strength lies not in its individual prowess but in how it integrates into a broader deck strategy, often hinging on tribal synergies. Disrupting these synergies directly or overpowering the board with superior creatures will neutralize the impact of Coral Commando, reinforcing the notion that sometimes the simplest solutions lead to victory in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards like Coral Commando

Exploring the vast waters of Magic: The Gathering’s catalog, the Coral Commando emerges as an aquatic warrior among merfolk creatures. A close kin in this vast sea is Merfolk of the Deep, who similarly wields a 2/1 stat block for three mana. While both creatures carry the merfolk linage and the prowess of being able to swiftly navigate the aquatic battlefield, the Coral Commando’s strength lies in its simplicity, devoid of any additional bells and whistles.

Focusing on straightforward deck strategies, Coral Commando enters the fray, competing with other no-frills creatures such as Ashcoat Bear. The bear, boasting the same stats, sets itself apart by tapping into the power of the forest with its green mana, granting it a distinct place within creature-heavy green deck compositions. Additionally, unlike the Coral Commando, Ashcoat Bear carries the benefit of flash, offering surprise defensive or offensive plays.

In essence, while Coral Commando sits comfortably in the space of uncomplicated, cost-effective creatures within MTG, it’s important to weigh its contributions against those with slight tactical edges or varied mana alignments, depending on your deck’s overarching strategy and synergy.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Coral Commando MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance, 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 Coral Commando and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Coral Commando 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