Undertow MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment
Released	1994-06-01
Set symbol
Set name	Legends
Set code	LEG
Number	82
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Randy Asplund-Faith

Key Takeaways

Undertow can manipulate combat and ability activation by selectively tapping or untapping creatures.
The card’s instant speed provides flexibility and the element of surprise, heightening tactical plays.
Despite its power, it also introduces discard costs and specific color requirements, affecting hand and deck construction.

Text of card

Creatures with islandwalk may be blocked as if they did not have this ability.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Undertow provides players with the ability to selectively tap or untap two target creatures. This selective control can disrupt your opponent’s strategies and can be the difference between maintaining board presence or falling behind. It not only hinders your opponent’s plays but can also be used on your own creatures to re-enable tap abilities or to unexpectedly block during combat.

Resource Acceleration: While Undertow itself does not directly produce mana or tokens, the strategic use of the card can lead to resource acceleration by conserving your creatures for block or untapping mana-generating creatures at crucial moments. This subtle form of acceleration allows for more efficient use of your mana and creatures each turn.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Undertow at instant speed presents a layer of versatility in any game. It allows players to act in response to an opponent’s moves or during the end of their turn, keeping mana open for the best strategic move. This flexibility ensures your tactical choices can be as effective and as unpredictable as possible, keeping your opponents on their toes.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Undertow necessitates discarding a card to play, a tradeoff that can leave you at a card disadvantage or impact your late-game power if you’re already low on hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring blue and black mana, this card is restrictive, potentially complicating mana bases and limiting its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce both types of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes two color-specific mana, Undertow’s cost is significant, potentially slowing down your game plan when you could be deploying other impactful spells.

Reasons to Include Undertow in Your Collection

Versatility: Undertow is a card that can seamlessly integrate into multiple deck archetypes that focus on tempo control or require specific color management. Its nature allows it to adapt to various strategies, making it a useful tool in many game scenarios.

Combo Potential: This card opens up possibilities for combinations with creatures that have tap abilities or effects that are triggered when a creature becomes tapped, not just from attacking. The potential to orchestrate unexpected synergies is significant, enhancing its value for innovative deck builders.

Meta-Relevance: For players keen on reading the meta and adapting to it, Undertow can be a tactical asset. It’s especially useful when the environment tilts towards aggressive decks, as it can slow them down, providing you the edge needed to execute your game plan effectively.

How to beat

Confronting the Undertow card in MTG presents players with a unique challenge due to its ability to shift the tides of the game. This card has the potential to empower its controller by creating a scenario where attacking and blocking decisions become more complex for the opponent. To strategize effectively against Undertow, consider utilizing spells that remove enchantments or employ counterspells that can prevent Undertow from entering the battlefield in the first place. Moreover, cards that provide hexproof or shroud can safeguard your creatures from Undertow’s influence, ensuring your game plan remains unaffected.

Adjusting your gameplay to either sidestep the effects of Undertow or to remove it altogether is essential. Engage cards like Naturalize or Disenchant which are specifically designed to target and destroy enchantments, thereby removing the obstacle from your path. Alternatively, exercising patience and careful play can mitigate Undertow’s impact, allowing you to conserve your creatures and maintain board presence until you can deal with the enchantment directly.

Ultimately, staying prepared and versatile is the key to overcoming the hurdles posed by Undertow. By keeping enchantment removal handy and making judicious decisions during gameplay, players have a solid shot at stifling the card’s disruptive capabilities and steering the game in their favor.

Cards like Undertow

Undertow is a curious piece of the control puzzle in Magic: The Gathering. Its similarities align it with cards such as Frozen Aether. Both invoke a sense of restriction on opponents’ resources, yet Undertow zeroes in on land control, specifically tapping opponents’ lands. Unlike Frozen Aether, Undertow does not affect artifacts or creatures, offering a narrower but more targeted approach.

Another related card is Mana Breach, which shares the disruptive ethos but adds a bounce dynamic. Each spell cast under Mana Breach’s influence requires the casting player to return a land they control to their hand. This creates potential for taxing strategies but does not directly impact the opponent’s land state like Undertow.

Kismet, too, parallels Undertow’s ability to inconvenience opponents by affecting the play speed of their permanents, yet it applies broadly across all types, offering a more comprehensive control. It’s heavier on the mana curve compared to Undertow’s focused land-tapping effect. Thus, while Undertow may not have Kismet’s broad sweep, its specialism can be a strategic advantage in land-centric control decks.

Cards similar to Undertow by color, type and mana cost

Threads of Disloyalty - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Undertow 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 Undertow and other MTG cards: