Silburlind Snapper MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Turtle |
| Released | 2016-04-08 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Shadows over Innistrad |
| Set code | SOI |
| Power | 6 |
| Toughness | 6 |
| Number | 85 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Tomasz Jedruszek |
Key Takeaways
- Silburlind Snapper offers card advantage through synergy with noncreature spells, optimizing draw mechanics.
- As a formidable blocker, it conserves life while developing board presence and preparing for late-game plays.
- Instant speed spells activate its offense, making Silburlind Snapper a strategic surprise attacker.
Text of card
Silburlind Snapper can't attack unless you've cast a noncreature spell this turn.
Nephalia is home to many hard-shelled creatures of unusual size, the largest of which are either avoided or worshipped.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Although the Silburlind Snapper itself doesn’t actively draw you cards, it incentivizes a specific style of play that can lead to card advantage. For instance, pairing it with spells that allow you to draw while controlling a hard-to-remove creature.
Resource Acceleration: While the Silburlind Snapper doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, its high toughness for its mana cost makes it a resilient blocker, effectively conserving your life resource while you develop your board and mana availability for powerful late-game spells.
Instant Speed: This creature benefits from being paired with numerous instant speed spells, allowing it to attack as a surprise against an unsuspecting opponent. This feature can be a game-changer when the timing is right, aligning with the strategic plays that can swing the game in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Silburlind Snapper can be a strategic move, but it comes with the limitation of needing certain conditions met before it can attack. Unlike other creatures that can attack as soon as they are no longer summoning sick, this turtle requires a noncreature spell to be cast beforehand, potentially slowing down your offensive capabilities.
Specific Mana Cost: Sporting a particular mana cost that is exclusively blue, Silburlind Snapper might restrict your deck building to blue-centric or blue-inclusive builds, limiting its versatility across the diverse deck archetypes available to players looking to optimize their strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of six mana, Silburlind Snapper can be a substantial investment, especially when considering the tempo of a game. For such an investment, many players might expect an immediate impact on the board, which this card does not inherently provide without further spell casting.
Reasons to Include Silburlind Snapper in Your Collection
Versatility: Despite its specific activation condition, Silburlind Snapper can be a resilient blocker in any deck focusing on noncreature spells. It thrives in environments where you can consistently cast spells to enable its ability to attack.
Combo Potential: Ingenious players can unlock this card’s potential by pairing it with cards that allow you to cast spells during your attack phase or with vehicles that don’t require the creature to tap to become crewed. These interactions can turn Silburlind Snapper into both an offensive and defensive asset.
Meta-Relevance: With the right deck, this card can be particularly effective against aggressive strategies that rely on creatures. As a 6/6, it can deter opponents from attacking, giving you the time necessary to set up your own game-winning combos or spells.
How to beat
Silburlind Snapper is a unique creature card that poses an interesting challenge on the battlefield. With a hefty 6/6 stat line, it can be a formidable defender, especially since it can’t attack unless you’ve cast a noncreature spell this turn. While this may seem limiting, it encourages a more strategic gameplay that leverages spells to unlock its aggressive potential.
In combat, overcoming Silburlind Snapper may require utilizing removal spells that can bypass its substantial toughness. Spot removal spells like Murder or Doom Blade allow you to sidestep its raw power altogether. On the other hand, board wipes like Day of Judgment or Wrath of God can clear the Snapper away regardless of its size or the spells you’ve played.
Lastly, Silburlind Snapper may compel you to reevaluate your strategy. If the creature is stalling your attacks, consider shifting your focus to direct damage spells or alternative win conditions that don’t rely on combat. This approach helps mitigate the Snapper’s impact, allowing you to outmaneuver your opponent’s defenses and close the game in your favor.
Cards like Silburlind Snapper
The Silburlind Snapper is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, occupying a distinct spot in the pantheon of six-mana creatures. Its closest relatives might be found in high-toughness creatures such as Fortified Rampart and Glacial Wall, both of which are solid defensive options. However, Silburlind Snapper has the added benefit of being unable to be blocked provided you’ve cast a noncreature spell that turn, giving it a potential offensive upside these other defenders lack.
Another card with comparable traits is Monstrous Carabid, which also has high power and can’t be blocked. However, unlike Silburlind Snapper, which has the conditional unblockability tied to spellcasting, Monstrous Carabid can always attack each turn if able. But it doesn’t offer the sturdy defense that Silburlind Snapper provides when you haven’t played a noncreature spell.
When it comes to deck strategies, high toughness creatures often serve as a deterrent for opponents’ attacks. Silburlind Snapper strengthens this role, with the added bonus of occasionally becoming an aggressive threat. It’s this blend of offense and defense that gives the Silburlind Snapper a unique edge compared to its peers and can surprise opponents not expecting a seemingly defensive card to turn offensive.
Cards similar to Silburlind Snapper by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Silburlind Snapper MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad, 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 Silburlind Snapper and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Silburlind Snapper has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Silburlind Snapper card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-04-08 | It doesn’t matter whether the noncreature spell resolved or was countered, as long as it was cast. |