Croaking Counterpart MTG Card


Gain board advantage by creating creature token copies and magnifying enter-the-battlefield effects. Instant speed casting of Croaking Counterpart allows for flexible and surprising play tactics. Restrictive mana cost and dependency on having a creature limit its inclusivity across various decks.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeSorcery
Abilities Flashback

Text of card

Create a token that's a copy of target non-Frog creature, except it's a 1/1 green Frog. Flashback (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)


Cards like Croaking Counterpart

Croaking Counterpart creates a unique position within Magic: The Gathering’s repertoire of clone effects. Comparable to other cards like Clone or Stunt Double, which also replicate creatures on the battlefield, Croaking Counterpart adds a twist by only cloning a creature you don’t control and only as a Frog creature – ushering in quirky and unexpected board states. Unlike its kin, Clone straightforwardly copies any creature on the battlefield, while Stunt Double offers flexibility with flash, allowing for surprise plays.

User of Deception is another card inviting comparison. Although focusing on creating token copies of tapped creatures you control, User of Deception doesn’t alter the creature’s types. It also shares the creature-copying mechanic but with less restriction and the potential for immense impact in a well-coordinated deck. The subtle power of User of Deception lies in its ability to be a repeatable effect, unlike the one-shot nature of Croaking Counterpart.

Assessing the landscape of MTG clone cards, Croaking Counterpart stands out with its whimsical flavor and strategic depth. It is a card that offers players not just a mere copy, but a chance to inject surprise and versatility into games, while also interacting with the opponent’s creatures in an unexpected way.

Clone - MTG Card versions
Stunt Double - MTG Card versions
Clone - MTG Card versions
Stunt Double - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Croaking Counterpart by color, type and mana cost

Temporal Spring - MTG Card versions
Golden Ratio - MTG Card versions
Temporal Spring - MTG Card versions
Golden Ratio - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Croaking Counterpart. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Simic HeroicSimic Heroic StandardSimic HeroicTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: March 25, 2024
Bant TokensBant Tokens StandardBant TokensTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: April 15, 2024
Simic ToxicSimic Toxic StandardSimic HeroicBLACK - FRI - 11AM - Chicago 75K Standard Open

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Croaking Counterpart creates a token that’s a copy of any creature you control, effectively doubling your board presence and potentially drawing you into more favorable board positions.

Resource Acceleration: Using Croaking Counterpart can accelerate your resource commitment to the board by copying creatures that have their own mana-generating abilities or other valuable enter-the-battlefield effects, furthering your gameplan with increased efficiency.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Croaking Counterpart at instant speed provides significant flexibility, allowing you to react to opponents’ actions, surprise them with unexpected blockers, or maximize timing for cloning creatures with advantageous abilities that trigger on other spells or abilities being cast.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Croaking Counterpart doesn’t directly ask players to discard cards, it does necessitate having a creature on the battlefield to copy. This can be a subtle form of resource demand since you’re effectively reducing your board presence by using one of your creatures as the blueprint for the token, akin to a discard for those without a plentiful creature pool.

Specific Mana Cost: Croaking Counterpart requires a specific mix of one green and one blue mana along with one generic mana. This requirement restricts its use primarily to Simic or multicolored decks that can easily generate both types of mana, potentially leaving it out of mono-colored or decks with a different color identity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The investment of three mana for a single token might be steep considering there are other cards in the MTG universe that can populate the board with multiple tokens for a similar or lower cost. The specific nature of the token being a copy of a creature you control can be situationally powerful, but it doesn’t always justify the mana spent, especially in fast-paced games where tempo is crucial.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Croaking Counterpart adds flexibility to your deck by enabling you to copy any creature on the battlefield, thus adapting to various game scenarios. It can widely fit into clone-themed decks or any strategy that benefits from having numerous versions of potent creatures.

Combo Potential: This spell has the innate ability to synergize with enter-the-battlefield effects or death triggers. Cloning your own creatures that have such abilities can lead to game-changing combo plays or even infinite loops with the right setup.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creatures with significant abilities dictate the pace of the game, Croaking Counterpart can become an asset by not only reflecting your opponent’s threats but also by exploiting the most powerful creature-based strategies present in the meta.


How to beat

Croaking Counterpart adds an interesting twist to creature replication strategies in Magic: The Gathering. Tailored to create a token that’s a copy of any creature on the battlefield, except it’s a Frog in addition to its other types. When facing this card, your approach should be twofold: control the board and limit the targets. Cards like Grafdigger’s Cage can prevent Croaking Counterpart from pulling from the graveyard, cutting off a key strategy for recursion-focused decks.

Strategies to counter this include holding up instant-speed removal to disrupt the cloning process or applying pressure to force suboptimal plays. Sweepers like Wrath of God can reset the board, nullifying the impact of the tokens generated. Precision removal spells, such as Swords to Plowshares, can effectively exile key creatures before your opponent has a chance to clone them. It’s essential to keep a tight rein on your opponent’s creature base and to consider the timing of your interactive spells carefully. This way, Croaking Counterpart’s potential is kept in check, maintaining your pathway to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Wrapping up the analysis on Croaking Counterpart, it’s evident that this card holds untapped potential for strategic deck builders. It’s a tool for ingenuity in MTG, perfect for those who enjoy duplicating valuable creatures and exploiting enter-the-battlefield effects. Although it requires careful consideration of mana resources and board state, the payoff can be significant in the right deck. Keen to deepen your understanding and perhaps find this quirky card a home in your collection? Deepen your MTG strategy and explore how Croaking Counterpart can turn the tides in your favor. Visit us for more insights on optimizing your gameplay experience.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Croaking Counterpart MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Innistrad: Midnight Hunt, 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 Croaking Counterpart and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Croaking Counterpart Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2021-09-24 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Yeong-Hao Han.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 940822015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
22021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 3692015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
32021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight Hunt PromosPMID 215p2015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
42021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight Hunt PromosPMID 215s2015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
52021-09-24Innistrad: Midnight HuntMID 2152015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han
62022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 2152015NormalBlackYeong-Hao Han

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Croaking Counterpart has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-09-24 "Flashback
-ost]" means "You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying
-ost] rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack."
2021-09-24 A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in some other way.
2021-09-24 Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the token enters the battlefield. Any "as
-his creature] enters the battlefield" or "
-his creature] enters the battlefield with" abilities of the chosen creature will also work.
2021-09-24 Except for power, toughness, creature type, and color, the token copies exactly what was printed on the original creature and nothing else (unless that permanent is copying something else or it is a token; see below). It doesn't copy whether that creature is tapped or untapped, whether it has any counters on it or Auras and Equipment attached to it, and so on.
2021-09-24 If a card with flashback is put into your graveyard during your turn, you can cast it if it's legal to do so before any other player can take any actions.
2021-09-24 If the copied creature has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
2021-09-24 If the copied creature is a token, the new token that's created copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created that token, with the exceptions noted above.
2021-09-24 If the copied creature is copying something else, then the token enters the battlefield as whatever that creature copied, with the exceptions noted above.
2021-09-24 To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost (such as a flashback cost) you're paying, add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell is determined only by its mana cost, no matter what the total cost to cast the spell was.
2021-09-24 You can cast a spell using flashback even if it was somehow put into your graveyard without having been cast.
2021-09-24 You must still follow any timing restrictions and permissions, including those based on the card's type. For instance, you can cast a sorcery using flashback only when you could normally cast a sorcery.