Crashing Tide MTG Card


Delivers card advantage while offering momentum by bouncing creatures and drawing cards in one move. Instant speed playability with a Merfolk, providing substantial flexibility and surprise element. Demanding specific tribal presence and mana can restrict its utility in non-Merfolk or multi-color decks.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery

Text of card

Crashing Tide has flash as long as you control a Merfolk. Return target creature to its owner's hand. Draw a card.


Cards like Crashing Tide

Crashing Tide has drawn attention in MTG for being a flexible utility spell. It mirrors the capabilities of cards like Unsummon, which allows players to return target creatures to their owner’s hand. What sets Crashing Tide apart is its ‘flash’ ability when you control a Merfolk, which enables you to cast it at the speed of an instant. While Unsummon is always available as an instant, it does not have the card draw advantage that Crashing Tide offers.

Another comparable card is Into the Roil. It also bounces creatures and has the added benefit of drawing a card if it was kicked. However, Crashing Tide is more specialized as its synergies are limited to decks that leverage Merfolk. Disperse is a straightforward option too, as it returns nonland permanents to hand without any additional effects. Crashing Tide specializes in creature-only targets but sweetens the deal with a card draw, positioning it uniquely in the tempo playstyle.

Upon comparing these cards, Crashing Tide fits well within MTG’s roster of creature bounce spells, standing out with its card draw and tribal synergistic potential. Its dual nature offers both tempo control and card advantage, making it a powerful choice for Merfolk-themed decks.

Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Into the Roil - MTG Card versions
Disperse - MTG Card versions
Unsummon - MTG Card versions
Into the Roil - MTG Card versions
Disperse - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you play Crashing Tide, it not only affects the board by returning a creature to its owner’s hand, but it also allows you to draw a card. This dual action ensures you don’t lose momentum and maintains your hand with sufficient options for future turns.

Resource Acceleration: Although Crashing Tide doesn’t directly produce additional mana or resources, bouncing an opponent’s creature can set them back on their game plan. This tempo play can effectively accelerate your position by hindering their resource development.

Instant Speed: Crashing Tide can be cast at instant speed if you control a Merfolk, giving you the flexibility to respond to threats or opportunities at the most opportune time. This can give you a significant advantage as you can decide the most impactful moment during the game to play it without having to commit your mana early on.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: When playing Crashing Tide, you need to know that it’s not just about casting the spell; there’s an additional hurdle you must overcome if you’re hoping to trigger its flash ability. You need to have a Merfolk on the battlefield, which not only demands a tribal strategy but can also make it harder to keep the card as a surprise play for a more strategic moment.

Specific Mana Cost: Mana costs can make or break a spell’s usability, especially in multicolored decks. Crashing Tide’s requirement of two blue mana can be restrictive. If your mana base isn’t solidly blue or you’re running three or more colors, including Crashing Tide smoothly in your curve can be challenging.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana might seem reasonable, but in fast-paced games, this can feel quite expensive for an effect that is ultimately temporary. Bouncing a creature to its owner’s hand can be useful, but other cards might offer more permanent solutions or added value for a similar, if not lower, mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Crashing Tide can be a flexible addition to decks, particularly those based around creatures with flash or the Merfolk tribe. Due to its ability to provide a tempo swing by returning an opponent’s creature to their hand and drawing a card when you control a Merfolk, it is a multi-use spell that supports both board control and card advantage.

Combo Potential: The card’s utility in bouncing creatures can be pivotal in decks that capitalize on enter-the-battlefield (ETB) abilities. The possibility of reusing your own creatures’ ETB effects or saving your key creatures from removal, while maintaining card flow, gives it a solid potential in various combo setups.

Meta-Relevance: In game environments where tempo plays are crucial, Crashing Tide shines by disrupting opponents’ board states and maintaining card parity. It’s particularly relevant in casual or limited formats such as draft or sealed, where its ability to affect the board and draw simultaneously is highly valuable.


How to Beat

Crashing Tide represents a nuanced spell in the ecosystem of Magic: The Gathering, sharing a thematic kinship with a host of other tempo plays designed to disrupt the battlefield’s balance. As a card that can remove creatures from combat and draw a card, especially when you have a Merfolk, it poses a mild threat by stalling your strategy momentarily. The prime approach to countering this wave of interference is through instant-speed spells that provide hexproof or indestructible abilities to your creatures, safeguarding them from being returned to your hand. Additionally, forewarned by the card’s one-shot nature, a sound tactic is to maintain a wide board state, lessening the impact of any single creature being bounced.

Understanding the ebb and flow of combat tricks like Crashing Tide can be critical. Cards like Blossoming Defense or Heroic Intervention can offer the needed protection when you sense a tide turning. Precise timing and maintaining a variety of responses help ensure that when the tide rolls in, your board presence remains unshaken, allowing you to pivot back into control of the game with minimal disruption.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Crashing Tide MTG card by a specific set like Rivals of Ixalan and Mystery Booster, 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 Crashing Tide and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Crashing Tide Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2018-01-19 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Carmen Sinek.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-01-19Rivals of IxalanRIX 342015NormalBlackCarmen Sinek
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 3382015NormalBlackCarmen Sinek
32020-09-26The ListPLST RIX-342015NormalBlackCarmen Sinek
42022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 2832015NormalBlackCarmen Sinek

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Crashing Tide has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Crashing Tide card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2018-01-19 If the target creature is an illegal target by the time Crashing Tide tries to resolve, the spell doesn’t resolve. You won’t draw a card.
2018-01-19 Once you announce that you’re casting Crashing Tide, players can’t try to remove your Merfolk to make it lose flash until you’re done casting it. If it loses flash after it’s been cast, it will still resolve if able.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.