Coral Eel MTG Card


Coral Eel facilitates early board presence and synergizes well with creature-based strategies. The card’s low mana cost promotes flexibility, enabling strategic resource management. Despite simplicity, it can be essential in metas where rapid creature deployment is advantageous.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Fish
Power 2
Toughness 1

Cards like Coral Eel

Coral Eel may not be the most formidable creature in the blue arsenal of Magic: The Gathering, but its simplicity serves a purpose in certain decks. It shares similarities with other straightforward cards like Merfolk of the Pearl Trident, a one-mana creature that also provides just a moderate boost to your board with a power and toughness of 1/1—though the Eel brings a slightly greater impact with its 2/1 stats for just one additional mana.

Another card worth mentioning in the same conversation is Vodalian Soldiers. Hailing from the depths like Coral Eel, this card costs one more mana and also has the 2/1 specification but carries the added potential of relevant tribal synergies within Merfolk decks. It exemplifies how even subtle differences can manifest significantly in a game, especially regarding tribal strategies. Lastly, Zephyr Sprite reflects a similar mana efficiency but instead of providing additional power, it introduces flying as a defensive trait. This showcases how deck builders weigh the balance of attributes against each creature’s mana cost.

The intricacies of deck construction in Magic: The Gathering become apparent when choosing between such cards. Coral Eel typifies a balanced option for budget-conscious players seeking to apply pressure on the battlefield without delving into complex mechanics or higher mana investments.

Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions
Vodalian Soldiers - MTG Card versions
Zephyr Sprite - MTG Card versions
Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions
Vodalian Soldiers - MTG Card versions
Zephyr Sprite - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Coral Eel by color, type and mana cost

Vodalian Soldiers - MTG Card versions
Zephyr Falcon - MTG Card versions
Giant Albatross - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Sphere - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Condor - MTG Card versions
School of Piranha - MTG Card versions
Coral Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Wu Light Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Sea Eagle - MTG Card versions
Overtaker - MTG Card versions
Hazy Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Darting Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Thought Eater - MTG Card versions
Spellstutter Sprite - MTG Card versions
Sneaky Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Storm Crow - MTG Card versions
Aquamoeba - MTG Card versions
Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions
Minamo Sightbender - MTG Card versions
Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch - MTG Card versions
Vodalian Soldiers - MTG Card versions
Zephyr Falcon - MTG Card versions
Giant Albatross - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Sphere - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Condor - MTG Card versions
School of Piranha - MTG Card versions
Coral Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Wu Light Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Sea Eagle - MTG Card versions
Overtaker - MTG Card versions
Hazy Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Darting Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Thought Eater - MTG Card versions
Spellstutter Sprite - MTG Card versions
Sneaky Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Storm Crow - MTG Card versions
Aquamoeba - MTG Card versions
Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions
Minamo Sightbender - MTG Card versions
Kaijin of the Vanishing Touch - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though Coral Eel may not directly contribute to card draw, its simplicity integrates smoothly into decks focused on card synergy. It can serve as a reliable creature for strategies that require a certain number of creatures on the board, indirectly contributing to card advantage through fulfillment of board state conditions.

Resource Acceleration: Coral Eel itself does not offer resource acceleration, but its low mana cost makes it a minimal investment for setting up your board. This characteristic allows for greater flexibility in resource allocation in the early game, keeping options open for more impactful plays as the game progresses.

Instant Speed: While Coral Eel cannot be cast at instant speed, its presence in a deck means you can deploy a creature quickly and hold mana in reserve. This enables you to respond to your opponent’s actions with instants and other fast effects without having invested heavily in your creature play.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Coral Eel doesn’t directly ask you to discard cards, the hand depletion for casting it could impede your ability to respond to your opponent’s threats, especially in the early game where your hand size is critical.

Specific Mana Cost: Necessitating one blue mana, its cost may not seem restrictive, but it does require commitment to blue mana sources, which could complicate your mana base in multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing two mana might seem fair, but in a game where resource efficiency is key, there are other two-mana creatures with additional abilities or synergies that may offer more value in competitive play.


Reasons to Include Coral Eel in Your Collection

Versatility: Coral Eel’s simplicity and cost-efficiency make it an adaptable choice for numerous blue decks, catering particularly to strategies that thrive on rapid deployment of creatures.

Combo Potential: With its low casting cost, Coral Eel slides smoothly into combos that capitalize on creature count or need a quick creature cast to propel synergistic plays.

Meta-Relevance: While not a staple in all metas, Coral Eel can shine in environments where speed is essential, and the board is less saturated with high-powered threats in early gameplay.


How to beat

Coral Eel may be a simple creature in the vast world of MTG, but its straightforwardness belies the strategic thinking required to effectively counter it. With its aquatic nature, Coral Eel swims into decks as an early game threat, boasting a decent power and toughness for its mana cost. Its simplicity though is a double-edged sword; being a vanilla creature, it’s left without any inherent abilities to protect itself or complicate the battlefield.

To clear the path, removal spells are your straightforward solution. Even low-cost removal such as Shock or Fatal Push can dispatch the Coral Eel efficiently. If you’re aiming for a more tactical approach, cards that can disable or bypass the Eel are worth considering. Ensnaring spells like Pacifism can neutralize it without expending the creature, while cards that offer unblockable capabilities let you slip past it to deal direct damage to your opponent. Trading creatures is also cost-effective, as many two-mana creatures can match or exceed the stats of the Coral Eel. Ultimately, whether you opt for direct removal or strategic circumvention, the Coral Eel’s lack of defenses leaves it vulnerable to a variety of common plays in MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Coral Eel MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Starter 1999, 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 Coral Eel and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Coral Eel Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2005-07-29. Illustrated by Una Fricker.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-05-01PortalPOR 491997NormalBlackUna Fricker
21999-07-01Starter 1999S99 331997NormalWhiteUna Fricker
32003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 702003NormalWhiteUna Fricker
42003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 70★2003NormalBlackUna Fricker
52005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED S32003NormalWhiteUna Fricker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Coral Eel has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal