Deepglow Skate MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Fish
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Enhances planeswalkers and creatures, tilting games with its powerful one-time effect.
  2. Integrates with counter and proliferate decks, acting as a rapid resource accelerator.
  3. Though not instant speed, its effect immediately upscales the board state significantly.

Text of card

When Deepglow Skate enters the battlefield, double the number of each kind of counter on any number of target permanents.

Its graceful glide paints the ocean floor with strokes of luminescence.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Deepglow Skate is a powerhouse when it comes to card advantage in MTG. This creature’s single ability can instantly enhance the board presence of your planeswalkers or double the number of +1/+1 counters on all of your creatures, tilting the game significantly in your favor without requiring additional card expenditure.

Resource Acceleration: This sea creature can be a form of resource acceleration. In decks that capitalize on proliferate mechanics or doubling effects, such as with Atraxa, Praetors’ Voice, the Skate accelerates your game plan by effectively doubling your resources in the form of counters, thereby enhancing your assets every time it enters the battlefield.

Instant Speed: Although Deepglow Skate does not operate at instant speed, its entry into the game right before a crucial turn can have an impact equivalent to a high-powered instant. By setting up a board state that gets exponentially more powerful within a turn cycle, it offers an immediate and dramatic shift in the tide of the game, akin to the effects that some of the best instant speed interactions can invoke.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Deepglow Skate does not require a discard upon casting, but its one-time use effect means it effectively disappears from your hand with no immediate card replacement.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s cost is predominantly blue and requires a total of five mana, which may not sync well with multicolored or color-scarce mana bases.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Five mana for a single proliferate effect might be costly, particularly when there are cards with similar or repeatable proliferate abilities for less mana investment.


Reasons to Include Deepglow Skate in Your Collection

Versatility: As a card that doubles the number of +1/+1 counters on all creatures you control, Deepglow Skate is a versatile powerhouse. It’s apt for inclusion in a wide range of decks, particularly those centered around counter strategies or proliferate mechanics.

Combo Potential: The Skate synergizes well with numerous permanents, creating potentially game-ending combos. It’s a critical piece in decks that exploit entering-the-battlefield triggers or seek to maximize the value of planeswalkers by doubling their loyalty counters.

Meta-Relevance: With a place in Commander, Deepglow Skate remains relevant, especially in metas with a heavy focus on counter-based creature strategies or superfriends decks. Its ability to instantly shift the board state makes it a formidable addition to any collection.


How to Beat Deepglow Skate

Deepglow Skate arrives on the battlefield as a potent force in Magic: The Gathering, with the distinctive ability to double the counters on any type of permanents you control. Its impact is substantial, particularly for players wielding strategies loaded with planeswalkers or +1/+1 counters. But as with any formidable card, there are strategies to counteract its influence.

Preemptive measures such as hand disruption, through Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek, can prevent Deepglow Skate from ever hitting the board. If it does slip through, instant-speed removal spells like Swords to Plowshares or Path to Exile can handle it before its effect takes hold. For those preferring a more universal solution, board wipes like Damnation or Wrath of God clear the way, disregarding the number of counters on the field. Moreover, Counterspell and its relatives stand as stalwarts to deny the Skate’s cast in the first place. Key to triumph against this card is timing and the use of precise disruption or removal to keep its multiplier effect at bay, ensuring the Skate’s grand plans never skate past theoretical possibility.


BurnMana Recommendations

As an MTG enthusiast, understanding the dynamics of Deepglow Skate can significantly impact your gameplay. Its ability to escalate the power of your permanents provides an overwhelming advantage. Whether you’re looking to beef up your planeswalkers or intensify your creature’s prowess, incorporating Deepglow Skate into your arsenal is a game-changer. Keep in mind, its efficacy is maximized within certain deck types—those that value counters and synergistic interactions. If you’re keen on optimizing your deck to harness this card’s potential or seeking strategic insights to outplay your opponents, we’re here to assist. Dive deeper into strategic deck-building and advanced MTG tactics with us to fulcrum your gameplay experience.


Cards like Deepglow Skate

Deepglow Skate stands out in MTG as a nuclei for counter multiplication strategies. It conjures comparisons to Doubling Season, a card that doubles the number of counters distributed on permanents and tokens as they are placed. Where Deepglow Skate makes its mark is in its specificity and immediate impact when it enters the battlefield, doubling counters on all other permanents – a substantial one-time effect. Doubling Season, in contrast, caters to a long-term advantage, affecting the game as long as it remains on the field.

Additionally, Vorel of the Hull Clade is a creature that offers a similar-but-steady ability to double the number of counters on target artifact, creature, or land. While Vorel allows repeated use of its ability and includes artifacts in its scope, it’s constrained to single targets and requires tapping. In the realm of instants and sorceries, Inexorable Tide proliferates whenever you cast a spell, incrementally increasing counters on all your permanents, showcasing another pathway to swell your army’s power over time.

In essence, Deepglow Skate provides an explosive moment of advantage perfectly suited for decks built around maximizing counter placements, ensuring its singular ability to swing games decisively if timed correctly within MTG’s strategic battles.

Doubling Season - MTG Card versions
Vorel of the Hull Clade - MTG Card versions
Inexorable Tide - MTG Card versions
Doubling Season - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)
Vorel of the Hull Clade - Dragon's Maze (DGM)
Inexorable Tide - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

Cards similar to Deepglow Skate by color, type and mana cost

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Water Elemental - MTG Card versions
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Vesuvan Doppelganger - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Water Elemental - Masters Edition IV (ME4)
Air Elemental - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Pirate Ship - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Sandbar Crocodile - Media Inserts (PMEI)
Segovian Leviathan - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Taniwha - Mirage (MIR)
Sun Ce, Young Conquerer - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Wu Admiral - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Mawcor - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Timin, Youthful Geist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Geology Enthusiast - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dreamtail Heron - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Coastal Hornclaw - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Meloku the Clouded Mirror - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Azami, Lady of Scrolls - Commander Masters (CMM)
Richard Garfield, Ph.D. - Unhinged (UNH)
Cloudhoof Kirin - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Drelnoch - Coldsnap (CSP)
Adarkar Windform - Coldsnap (CSP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Deepglow Skate MTG card by a specific set like Commander 2016 and Treasure Chest, 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 Deepglow Skate and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Deepglow Skate Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2016-11-11 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-11-11Commander 2016C16 72015normalblackJason Kang
22016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 162015normalblackJason Kang
32018-06-08Commander Anthology Volume IICM2 392015normalblackJason Kang
42019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 3472015normalblackJason Kang
52019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 10932015normalblackNils Hamm
62020-08-07Double Masters2XM 482015normalblackJason Kang
72020-09-26The ListPLST CM2-392015normalblackJason Kang
82023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 8442015normalblackJason Kang

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Deepglow Skate has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Deepglow Skate card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2020-08-07 As Deepglow Skate's ability resolves, you must double each kind of counter on the permanents it targets.
2020-08-07 To double the number of each kind of counter on a permanent, put another counter on it for each counter it already has. Effects that interact with counters being put onto permanents apply as appropriate.
2020-08-07 You can choose no targets if you don't want to double the counters on any permanents.

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