Goliath Spider MTG Card

Goliath Spider - Ravnica: City of Guilds

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	8
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Spider
Abilities	Reach
Released	2005-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica: City of Guilds
Set code	RAV
Power	7
Toughness	6
Number	168
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Alan Pollack

Key Takeaways

Goliath Spider provides card advantage by disrupting opponents’ strategies and maintaining board presence.
The arachnid’s specific green mana cost may limit deck versatility but ensures a solid turn in mono-green matchups.
While vulnerable to specific removal tactics, its reach makes it a critical defender against common aerial threats.

Text of card

Goliath Spider can block as though it had flying.

The glittering strands of its complex web catch everything from a buzzing gnat to a passing bloatdrake.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Goliath Spider excels in green decks known for the beefy creatures they can deploy. This eight-legged behemoth not only poses a substantial threat on the battlefield but also serves as an effective deterrent in the air. Its presence forces opponents to deal with it, potentially diverting resources away from their main strategy and hence providing you with an indirect card advantage as your other threats remain uncontested.

Resource Acceleration: While the Goliath Spider itself doesn’t provide direct resource acceleration, it represents a crucial turning point in matches. By devoting the necessary mana to cast this formidable insect, you solidify your board presence. This can indirectly lead to resource acceleration as opponents might have to overspend their resources—whether it’s card draw, removal spells, or otherwise—to handle the arachnid threat you’ve woven into the game.

Instant Speed: Despite its casting requirements not being at instant speed, the Goliath Spider warrants consideration for its ability to interfere with flying attackers or blockers in an instant. Its reach capability means that you can effectively nullify aerial threats mid-combat, potentially upending your opponent’s plans and preserving your life total or other valuable creatures on the board.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing the Goliath Spider often involves hefty sacrifices beyond its mana cost. Some versions require the discard of another creature card to summon it, which can leave you at a disadvantage if your hand is already depleted or if you’re strategizing for a creature-heavy board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Boasting a specific mana combination that often includes green, the Goliath Spider can be challenging to cast in multi-colored decks. Green-heavy mana requirements may restrict its inclusion solely to mono-green or decks that are able to generate large quantities of green mana efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a steeper mana cost that typically lingers around seven, the Goliath Spider may arrive too late in the game to impact the board effectively. Considering the speed of some MTG formats, by the time you have the resources to play the Goliath Spider, your opponents might have already established a dominating position or could have answers ready to neutralize this arachnid threat.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Goliath Spider’s formidable reach ability and substantial toughness make it a robust defender in green ramp or control decks. It can halt flying creatures, a common threat in many MTG matches.

Combo Potential: Paired with cards that allow you to manipulate or benefit from the combat phase, Goliath Spider can be a key component in locking down your opponent’s aerial assaults and providing stability to your board.

Meta-Relevance: With flying creatures frequently present in competitive play, integrating Goliath Spider into your deck gives you an edge in managing these threats effectively due to its imposing presence on the battlefield.

How to beat

Goliath Spider is a formidable creature in the MTG universe known for its towering eight-legged presence on the battlefield. With its reach ability, it can intercept most flying creatures, transforming the aerial space into a no-fly zone for opponents. However, even the mightiest arachnid has its weak spots.

Overcoming Goliath Spider is all about clever card play. Utilizing spells that can bypass its reach attribute is key. Consider employing removal spells—those that can outright destroy or exile the creature from the game. Ground-based strategies that enhance your creatures’ power beyond the spider’s toughness, or that set up unfavorable conditions for the spider to survive, such as -1/-1 counter placements or deathtouch, can also be effective.

In addition, leveraging the power of flying creatures with evasion or protection from green can outmaneuver Goliath Spider’s defensive stance. In summary, while Goliath Spider can be an intimidating force, with strategic play and the right combination of spells and abilities, it can certainly be bested in the vast world of MTG.

Cards like Goliath Spider

Goliath Spider, with its formidable presence on the battlefield, invites comparisons with other high-cost creatures within Magic: The Gathering. It shares the common trait of being a significant threat due to its large power and toughness. Let’s take Giant Spider, for example–a smaller cousin in the arachnid family. While Giant Spider offers a more manageable mana cost, the Goliath Spider boasts greater size and reach, making it a more impactful blocker against flying creatures.

Analogous to Serra Angel, both creatures present aerial dominance but approach it differently. Whereas Serra Angel is known for its vigilance and ability to attack without tapping, the Goliath Spider excels in defense with its higher toughness and reach capability, effectively neutralizing incoming threats from above. Another similar card, Sentinel Spider, strikes a balance between these two, providing a sturdy form with vigilance and reach, yet at a lower mana value than the Goliath Spider.

In essence, while Goliath Spider might not be the most versatile or low-cost creature, its sheer size and defensive potential make it a card that can swing the momentum of air control in a player’s favor, especially in games where flying creatures dominate.

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

Kamahl, Heart of Krosa - MTG Card versions

Myojin of Towering Might - MTG Card versions

Thousand-legged Kami - MTG Card versions

Patron of the Orochi - MTG Card versions

End-Raze Forerunners - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Goliath Spider MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Goliath Spider and other MTG cards: