Aquus Steed MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Beast
Released	2012-10-05
Set symbol
Set name	Return to Ravnica
Set code	RTR
Power	1
Toughness	3
Number	29
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Warren Mahy

Key Takeaways

Aquus Steed affects board dynamics by making creatures unblockable or deterring attacks, subtly altering combat.
It requires discsarding a card for activation, demanding strategic hand management to maintain balance.
Steep mana cost and specific color requirements may restrict deck integration, needing careful mana planning.

Text of card

, : Target creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn.

In water, it's as graceful as a dolphin. On land, it darts and jerks so unpredictably that few can ride it for long.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Aquus Steed may not directly let you draw cards, it has the potential to provide a tactical advantage. When played smartly, its ability to make creatures unblockable can result in favorable trades or direct damage, indirectly affecting the card advantage by pressuring the opponent’s defenses.

Resource Acceleration: The Aquus Steed itself does not provide traditional resource acceleration like adding mana. However, its mere presence can accelerate your game plan by deterring opponent creatures from attacking, effectively saving your resources for pivotal moments.

Instant Speed: Aquus Steed operates at sorcery speed, but its influence on the game persists beyond its casting. Its utility in altering combat dynamics can be seen as a form of long-term tactical speed, altering how both players act during the course of combat phases.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Activating Aquus Steed’s ability requires you to discard a card, which can be a strategic setback, especially if your hand is already depleted or you’re holding onto key pieces for your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: With an exact casting requirement of one island and three other mana, Aquus Steed ties you to a blue mana pool, potentially limiting its inclusion to only certain types of decks that can reliably produce blue mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Cost-wise, the Aquus Steed’s four mana investment might be steep considering its modest stat line and the end result of its ability. In many cases, players might find themselves prioritizing other creatures or spells that provide greater value or impact on the board for the same, or lower, mana cost.

Reasons to Include Aquus Steed in Your Collection

Versatility: Aquus Steed’s ability to impact the board by making creatures less powerful makes it a flexible card, adaptable to various strategies that focus on manipulating opponents’ creatures.

Combo Potential: With its ability to effectively downgrade an opponent’s creature, Aquus Steed can combine well with cards that benefit from the presence of weaker creatures, opening up synergistic play options.

Meta-Relevance: In certain game environments where creature-based strategies prevail, having Aquus Steed can be a tactical edge for decks that seek to disrupt those creature-heavy opponents.

How to beat

Aquus Steed is an intriguing creature card that can impact the board in specific MTG matchups with its ability to make opponents’ creatures weaker. This ability to diminish an attacking or blocking creature’s power may seem daunting at first. However, there are several strategies to ensure the Steed doesn’t disrupt your game plan.

Combat tricks and removal spells are your best bet against Aquus Steed. Utilizing instant-speed spells that boost the power of your creatures can counteract the Steed’s ability. For example, Giant Growth is an excellent countermeasure that can not only negate the Steed’s effect but can also turn the tides in combat. Removal spells like Murder can cleanly deal with the Steed before its ability becomes problematic. If you’re in blue, countermagic such as Essence Scatter is perfect for preventing the Steed from hitting the battlefield in the first place.

In summary, while Aquus Steed has the potential to be a nuisance, it can be effectively managed through the timely use of creature buffs, removal, or countermagic. Understanding when to play these cards is key to maintaining control over a match where Aquus Steed is present.

Cards like Aquus Steed

Aquus Steed enters the realm of utility creatures in MTG with a subtle control element. When assessing its place amongst other creatures, we find Murmuring Phantasm stands out as an alternative. Both cards share the same mana value, however, the Phantasm boasts a higher toughness, providing better defensive capabilities without the ability to influence opponent creatures.

Comparing further, we encounter Kami of Old Stone, a creature with even more toughness, offering a significant blockade against attackers. Aquus Steed, in contrast, lacks this fortitude but compensates with its ability to misdirect opponent strategies by making their strongest creatures less menacing. There’s also the Wall of Frost, another creature at a similar mana value that completely neutralizes attacking creatures, something the Steed cannot replicate, despite its value in less aggressive strategies.

When pitting Aquus Steed against its peers, it stands out for its unique blend of moderate defense and tactical control. For players looking to mix defense with the ability to influence the battlefield, Aquus Steed may not be the sturdiest wall, but it is a versatile steed that can steer the flow of combat in your favor.

Cards similar to Aquus Steed by color, type and mana cost

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Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Aquus Steed MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica, 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 Aquus Steed and other MTG cards: