Hornet Cobra MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Snake
Abilities	First strike
Released	1994-06-01
Set symbol
Set name	Legends
Set code	LEG
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	190
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Sandra Everingham

Key Takeaways

Hornet Cobra offers card advantage by outmaneuvering opponents’ creatures, enhancing your gameplay position.
Its presence can accelerate resources and bolster your board, pivotal for strengthening your strategic edge.
A strategic asset, Hornet Cobra can shift game dynamics, even without instant speed abilities.

Text of card

First strike

"Then inch by inch out of the grass rose up the head and spread hood of Nag, the big black cobra, and he was five feet long from tongue to tail." —Rudyard Kipling, *The Jungle Books*

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Hornet Cobra card brings the benefit of card advantage through its potential to directly eliminate opposing creatures, effectively removing opponents’ resources while maintaining your own cards. The ability to trade with creatures either as a defender or during your attack phase can keep your hand robust while depleting an adversary.

Resource Acceleration: This card can also contribute to resource acceleration in decks that utilize abilities or mechanics that are triggered by dealing combat damage to a player. By potentially clearing the way of blockers or deterring attackers, it can smooth the path for other creatures to connect and thus accelerate your overall board presence and potential mana ramp.

Instant Speed: Hornet Cobra may not have an ability that is used at instant speed, but its presence on the battlefield can affect how you and your opponent play spells. Knowing that the Hornet Cobra can strike at any time often means opponents must play more cautiously, effectively allowing you to dictate the pace of the game and better leverage your instant-speed interactions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Hornet Cobra card includes a discard condition for certain abilities, presenting a disadvantage when your hand is already depleted. This could potentially limit your strategic options and force you to make unfavorable trades.

Specific Mana Cost: Hornet Cobra requires a precise mana combination to cast, demanding both green and additional colorless mana. This can pose a challenge in multicolored decks that may not always have the necessary mana available when needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that might be on the higher side for its effects, Hornet Cobra faces tough competition from other creatures in the same mana range. Players often look for lower cost creatures with similar or better abilities to maximize efficiency in their deck’s curve.

Reasons to Include Hornet Cobra in Your Collection

Versatility: Hornet Cobra, with its efficient cost and deathtouch ability, has a place in a variety of green decks. It’s equally adept at controlling early game board states as it is in acting as a deterrent against larger creatures.

Combo Potential: This snake can be part of synergistic interactions, particularly in decks that capitalize on creature abilities or types. It can also support strategies revolving around creature sacrifice or death triggers.

Meta-Relevance: Given its potential to handle a wide array of threats, the Hornet Cobra remains relevant in metas dominated by aggressive creature-based strategies, providing a low-cost method to protect your life total and maintain board presence.

How to beat

Hornet Cobra enters the battlefield as an unexpected challenge with both deathtouch and reach, making it a versatile defender against both ground and flying creatures. One of the most straightforward strategies to overpower this card is by using removal spells, which can effectively bypass its combat abilities. Spells like Shock or Lightning Bolt can swiftly eliminate Hornet Cobra before it has the chance to assert its presence on the board.

Another tactic is to deploy larger creatures that can withstand a strike from the Cobra and still remain a threat. This forces your opponent to weigh the cost of losing their creature without gaining a significant advantage. Additionally, enchantments that negate the abilities of Hornet Cobra transform it into a less daunting obstacle, allowing your creatures to engage without the fear of instant death.

In essence, while Hornet Cobra may initially pose a threat due to its combination of reach and deathtouch, it can be readily handled through direct damage, strategic creature placement, and ability disabling. With a clear plan and the right cards, overcoming Hornet Cobra is more than feasible for a seasoned player.

Cards like Hornet Cobra

Hornet Cobra finds its niche in the pantheon of combat trick cards within Magic: The Gathering. If you’re familiar with cards like Giant Growth, you’ll notice both grant a temporary power and toughness boost. Yet Hornet Cobra adds a touch of venom with its deathtouch for the turn, a trait not seen in Giant Growth. This can turn any blocker or attacker into a lethal threat, no matter the size of creatures it faces.

Exploring further comparisons, we come across Ambush Viper, a creature with a similar surprise factor. It shares the deathtouch ability permanently, but differs in that it is a creature, not an instant. This aspect means it can be removed before it has the chance to block or attack, unlike the instant nature of Hornet Cobra’s effect, which is harder to anticipate and counter. Then, looking at Wasteland Viper, it offers flexibility with its bloodrush ability, providing a power boost and deathtouch when discarded at instant speed. However, it lacks Hornet Cobra’s straightforward, surprise buff that can be a game-changer during combat.

Considering the element of surprise and the strategic depth it provides, Hornet Cobra holds a competitive spot among creature-enhancing cards, particularly for its added deathtouch mechanic that can be a critical advantage during combat phases.

Cards similar to Hornet Cobra by color, type and mana cost

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Reki, the History of Kamigawa - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hornet Cobra MTG card by a specific set like Legends, 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 Hornet Cobra and other MTG cards: