Spitting Spider MTG Card

Prophecy (PCY)
2000-06-05 - Number 125

Eighth Edition (8ED)
2003-07-28 - Number 280

Eighth Edition (8ED)
2003-07-28 - Number 280★

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Spider
Abilities	Reach
Power	3
Toughness	5

Key Takeaways

Allows sacrificing lands to damage flying creatures, efficiently clearing the skies and controlling the board.
Can activate its damaging ability at instant speed, offering tactical flexibility and pressure on opponents.
Demands careful mana management due to specific casting costs and potential setback from land sacrifices.

Text of card

Spitting Spider may block as though it had flying. Sacrifice a land: Spitting Spider deals 1 damage to each creature with flying.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Spitting Spider offers a distinct advantage by allowing its controller to sacrifice a land to deal damage to each creature with flying. This ability not only can clear the skies of potential threats but also can be used multiple times, turning any excess lands into potential board control tools.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Spitting Spider doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the form of mana, its ability to utilize lands as a resource for controlling the board can indirectly lead to an advantage. It manages the battlefield in such a way that it can pave the way for more aggressive, resource-intensive creatures to dominate the game.

Instant Speed: The ability of the Spitting Spider to act at instant speed presents a major tactical asset. You can activate its ability at any time, such as in response to an opponent’s spells or attacks. This versatility ensures that you can always make the most of your lands, even on your opponent’s turn, maintaining pressure and control without sacrificing the momentum.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the less appealing aspects of the Spitting Spider is its requirement to sacrifice a land to activate its ability. In a game where mana resources are crucial, this can put you at a disadvantage, especially in the later stages of the game where every land counts.

Specific Mana Cost: The Spitting Spider demands a specific mana combination to be cast—a challenge for multicolored decks that may struggle with consistency. If your deck doesn’t support green mana efficiently, this spider may more often than not be stuck in your hand, glaringly unusable.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is on the higher side for its stats and abilities, the Spitting Spider may fall behind in the race for efficiency. When other creatures at similar or lower mana costs provide greater impact or versatility, it might not make the cut in a finely tuned deck.

Reasons to Include Spitting Spider in Your Collection

Versatility: Spitting Spider provides a unique blend of defense and board control, making it a solid inclusion in many green-themed decks. Not only can it block flying creatures effectively with its reach ability, but it can also clear the skies of pesky fliers thanks to its sacrifice ability.

Combo Potential: This arachnid works wonders in decks that generate a large number of tokens or have a theme around insects, spiders, and other creatures. Its ability to sacrifice a land to deal damage opens up opportunities for intricate land-recursion strategies as well.

Meta-Relevance: In metagames where flying creatures are prevalent, Spitting Spider maintains its relevance. Its continuous threat to fliers can tilt the aerial balance of power in your favor, making it a useful card against decks that rely heavily on flying creatures to dominate the game.

How to beat

Spitting Spider is an intriguing creature card known for its ability to deal damage to creatures with flying. This skill makes it a strategic choice for players needing to control opponents with formidable air forces. To successfully counter this arachnid, one of the key strategies is to limit its activation. Since Spitting Spider’s ability is contingent on sacrificing a land, players can maintain a robust land destruction strategy that hinders the spider’s effectiveness.

Another tactic is to deploy creatures with protection from green, as Spitting Spider cannot target them. Additionally, instant-speed removal spells can eliminate the spider before its ability can be used. Focusing on non-flying powerful creatures and using enchantments that restrict activated abilities can also neutralize the Spitting Spider’s threat. Managing the battlefield and being preemptive with your removal can turn the tide in your favor against this particular green menace.

Overall, while Spitting Spider presents a niche challenge, there are several ways to adapt and overcome its influence during a game. By crafting a deck with the right countermeasures, you can ensure that this eight-legged creature won’t spin a web over your victory.

Cards like Spitting Spider

Spitting Spider joins the ranks of Magic’s intriguing creature cards that offer utility beyond mere combat. Its kin includes Arachnogenesis, a card that not only fends off attacks with Spider tokens but also prevents all combat damage for a turn. While Arachnogenesis is an instant that surprises opponents, Spitting Spider provides a recurring effect, controlling the board by sacrificing a land to deal damage to airborne threats.

Another parallel can be drawn with Silkweaver Elite, which, like our eight-legged friend, has the reach ability—allowing it to block flying creatures. However, Silkweaver Elite capitalizes on Revolt, drawing a card when a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, contrasting Spitting Spider’s land sacrifice mechanism for removal. Baloth Woodcrasher is yet another creature benefiting from lands; it gets larger and gains trample as you play more lands, showing a different side of land-based utility compared to the Spider’s controlled damage output.

Efficiency and strategy can be heavily influenced by such mechanics, and whether you value instant speed interaction, card draw, or board management, Spitting Spider certainly has its place, especially for players who love to weave a web of defense while meticulously managing the board state.

Cards similar to Spitting Spider by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spitting Spider MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy and Eighth Edition, 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 Spitting Spider and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Spitting Spider Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2000-06-05 and 2003-07-28. Illustrated by Edward P. Beard, Jr..

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2000-06-05	Prophecy	PCY	125	1997	Normal	Black	Edward P. Beard, Jr.
2	2003-07-28	Eighth Edition	8ED	280	2003	Normal	White	Edward P. Beard, Jr.
3	2003-07-28	Eighth Edition	8ED	280★	2003	Normal	Black	Edward P. Beard, Jr.