Snake Pit MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment
Released	1999-10-04
Set symbol
Set name	Mercadian Masques
Set code	MMQ
Number	271
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Carl Critchlow

Key Takeaways

Snake Pit turns opponent spells into a tactical advantage by generating snake tokens for each cast.
Its compatibility with green mana-centric decks enables resource acceleration through creature-based strategies.
Offers passive board development without compromising instant-speed spell flexibility in your game plan.

Text of card

Whenever an opponent plays a blue or black spell, you may put a 1/1 green Snake creature token into play.

If the ground is smooth, the way will be rough. —Deepwood saying

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Snake Pit enables ongoing card advantage by allowing you to put a snake token onto the battlefield whenever an opponent casts a blue or black spell. This can quickly fill up your board with creatures, giving you an edge in both defense and offense.

Resource Acceleration: Each snake token you generate potentially represents additional mana sources if you have other cards or abilities that can tap creatures for mana. This advantage grows as more snakes slither onto your field, making Snake Pit a significant enabler in green decks that capitalize on creature numbers.

Instant Speed: The beauty of Snake Pit is that its ability is triggered, meaning you don’t need to cast it at speed. This allows you to develop your board passively and still react with other instant-speed spells during your opponent’s turn, keeping your strategy flexible and responsive.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Snake Pit’s activation hinges on an opposing spell cast, potentially causing a gap between your planning and the actual benefit. This can be particularly frustrating when facing off against decks that are low on spell counts or are more centered around creature summons.

Specific Mana Cost: With a specific demand for green mana, Snake Pit may not seamlessly fit into multicolored decks. This can force players to prioritize green mana sources, which may disrupt the overall mana balance and influence the deck’s fluidity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a requirement of four mana, Snake Pit may often come into play later than desired. In faster-paced games or matchups against aggressive decks, the card might sit in your hand while you face quicker threats, thus impacting your tempo and board presence during critical early turns.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Snake Pit offers a unique ability to create snake tokens whenever an opponent casts a spell. This trait allows it to be a flexible card that can slip into various deck styles, particularly those that capitalize on creature generation or benefit from having a wealth of blockers on board.

Combo Potential: This card has excellent synergy with mechanics that thrive on the quantity of creatures you control, such as those that amplify power and toughness or use creatures to generate mana or draw cards. It can also work well with sacrifice-based strategies, turning your slithery friends into valuable resources.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment rich with spellslinger decks, Snake Pit could become a formidable deterrent. It can continually populate the board with creatures, forcing opponents to make difficult decisions about casting noncreature spells that might just end up benefiting you more than them.

How to beat

Snake Pit is an intriguing enchantment in the realm of MTG cards, offering a potentially steady stream of snake creature tokens for its controller when an opponent casts spells. Standing out amongst other token-generating cards, the strength of Snake Pit lies in its ability to continually populate the board with deceivingly beneficial creatures that could turn the tide in a player’s favor.

To dismantle the serpentine strategy that Snake Pit poses, players should consider swapping in enchantment destruction cards or ones that restrict or prevent the casting of multiple spells in one turn. Utilize disruption tactics such as Counterspell or Thoughtsieze, to prevent your opponent from setting up this potent enchantment altogether. Consider control elements and board wipes such as Wrath of God to efficiently handle generated tokens en masse. It’s about strategizing your plays to minimize the impact of incoming snakes or wiping them out in one swift move. Effectively managing your resources and retaining control over the board state ultimately leads to overcoming the deceptive challenges presented by Snake Pit.

Adeptly navigating around the card’s strengths will not only keep the snakes at bay but also leave you in a position of advantage, ensuring that you maintain the upper hand against your opponent’s slithery tactics.

Cards like Snake Pit

Snake Pit is a unique enchantment in MTG that brings a blend of defense and creature generation to the table. Its closest relatives might be cards like Ophiomancer which produces Deathtouch snakes and Endless Swarm that creates an army through an Epic spell. Snake Pit, however, triggers on a different condition, generating snakes whenever an opponent plays a noncreature spell, giving it a more reactive nature.

Parallel comparisons might include Squirrel Nest, known for generating creature tokens simply by tapping the enchanted land. While Squirrel Nest doesn’t depend on opponent actions, Snake Pit can potentially create more creatures if facing a spell-heavy opponent. There’s also Dragon Broodmother, an iconic creature that manufactures a token every upkeep, but with a higher mana cost compared to the simplicity of Snake Pit’s immediate and automatic creature production.

By examining the mechanics and potential for token creature accumulation, Snake Pit has its niche in MTG, particularly in decks designed to take advantage of spells cast by opponents or those that focus on creature-based strategies.

Cards similar to Snake Pit by color, type and mana cost

Defense of the Heart - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Snake Pit MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Snake Pit and other MTG cards: