Frog Tongue MTG Card


Draw a card upon playing, balancing card economy and maintaining hand advantage. Gives creatures the ability to block flying, improving your defensive capabilities. Can be played at instant speed, offering strategic flexibility during combat.
Frog Tongue - Tempest
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment — Aura
Abilities Enchant
Released1997-10-14
Set symbol
Set nameTempest
Set codeTMP
Number228
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byPhil Foglio

Text of card

When Frog Tongue comes into play, draw a card. Enchanted creature can block creatures with flying.

"But *why* can't I get one?" sniveled Squee. "All da bugs here got wings."


Cards like Frog Tongue

Frog Tongue is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering, reminiscent of other aura cards that bolster a creature’s utility. A comparison could be made with the card Spider Umbra, which also grants reach to the enchanted creature. However, Frog Tongue’s ability to allow a card to be drawn upon its entrance to the battlefield sets it apart, providing an immediate advantage without a mana investment on the turn it’s played.

Another card akin to Frog Tongue is Canopy Cover. Both cards offer some form of protection to a creature, but Canopy Cover focuses more on evasive abilities, lacking the cantrip effect that Frog Tongue presents. Meanwhile, Keen Sense brings a repetitive card draw effect upon dealing damage, trading the immediate card gain for a potential long-term advantage, contingent on the creature’s ability to connect with the opponent.

Evaluating these options, Frog Tongue emerges as a choice enchantment within Magic: The Gathering for its unique blend of creature enhancement and an immediate card draw, appealing particularly to those seeking to maintain card advantage while building a presence on the board.

Spider Umbra - MTG Card versions
Canopy Cover - MTG Card versions
Keen Sense - MTG Card versions
Spider Umbra - MTG Card versions
Canopy Cover - MTG Card versions
Keen Sense - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Frog Tongue by color, type and mana cost

Web - MTG Card versions
Living Artifact - MTG Card versions
Fastbond - MTG Card versions
Instill Energy - MTG Card versions
Wild Growth - MTG Card versions
Cocoon - MTG Card versions
Elven Fortress - MTG Card versions
Earthlore - MTG Card versions
Revelation - MTG Card versions
Carapace - MTG Card versions
Gift of the Woods - MTG Card versions
Mortal Wound - MTG Card versions
Spider Climb - MTG Card versions
Elephant Grass - MTG Card versions
Bequeathal - MTG Card versions
Elven Palisade - MTG Card versions
Hidden Spider - MTG Card versions
Carpet of Flowers - MTG Card versions
Rancor - MTG Card versions
Hidden Gibbons - MTG Card versions
Web - MTG Card versions
Living Artifact - MTG Card versions
Fastbond - MTG Card versions
Instill Energy - MTG Card versions
Wild Growth - MTG Card versions
Cocoon - MTG Card versions
Elven Fortress - MTG Card versions
Earthlore - MTG Card versions
Revelation - MTG Card versions
Carapace - MTG Card versions
Gift of the Woods - MTG Card versions
Mortal Wound - MTG Card versions
Spider Climb - MTG Card versions
Elephant Grass - MTG Card versions
Bequeathal - MTG Card versions
Elven Palisade - MTG Card versions
Hidden Spider - MTG Card versions
Carpet of Flowers - MTG Card versions
Rancor - MTG Card versions
Hidden Gibbons - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When you enchant a creature with Frog Tongue, it lets you draw a card immediately. This is an effective way to replace the card used from your hand, maintaining a balanced card economy in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Although Frog Tongue itself does not directly produce additional resources, it gives the enchanted creature the ability to block flying creatures, effectively deterring attacks and maintaining your life total. This defensive improvement can indirectly accelerate your game plan by keeping your resources intact for crucial turns ahead.

Instant Speed: Frog Tongue can be cast at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to respond to threats in the midst of combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn. This adaptability can lead to advantageous plays and surprise interactions, making it harder for opponents to predict your moves and strategize against you.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Frog Tongue requires a setup where the creature it’s enchanting is beneficial to you when it’s targeted, as it lacks an intrinsic ability to protect itself or the enchanted creature.

Specific Mana Cost: Having a singular green mana in its cost confines Frog Tongue to green-focused decks or those that can accommodate a color splash, thus potentially limiting its versatility across different deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the mana cost is relatively low, in highly competitive environments, the impact of Frog Tongue doesn’t always justify its inclusion over other direct draw spells or creature buffs.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Frog Tongue is a unique card that can slip into a myriad of deck archetypes. Its ability to provide a creature with both a draw effect upon entering the battlefield and flying as a static boost makes it a flexible addition to any collection.

Combo Potential: The simple act of casting Frog Tongue can spark an engine in decks that thrive off of casting spells or drawing cards. This makes it a sleeper hit for combos, allowing for intricate plays that can turn the tide of the game in surprisingly powerful ways.

Meta-Relevance: With flyers often ruling the skies in many MTG metas, bestowing your creatures with flying can give you an unexpected edge. Moreover, the card-draw Frog Tongue offers pads your hand, keeping your options open and ensuring your plays remain impactful in a constantly evolving battlefield.


How to beat

Frog Tongue is a unique aura that players can add to their creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It confers the added advantage of allowing you to draw a card upon the creature’s entry onto the battlefield. This can lead to early game advantage by increasing card flow. However, to counteract the benefits Frog Tongue offers, one could employ spells that deal with enchantments directly, such as Disenchant or Naturalize. These instant-speed spells can disrupt the opponent’s strategy by removing the aura before they can capitalize on the card draw.

Moreover, cards that can target and deal with the enchanted creature itself can prove to be just as effective. By employing spot removal spells like Doom Blade or Path to Exile, you not only manage to remove a potential threat but also nullify the advantage the opponent gained from attaching Frog Tongue to it. As a result, you can preserve the balance of the game and mitigate any card advantage your opponent might have obtained.

Ultimately, understanding and anticipating your opponent’s strategy and maintaining a deck with answers to key scenarios will help you overcome the benefits that Frog Tongue grants within MTG gameplay.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’ve been inspired by the versatile nature of Frog Tongue, remember that the MTG landscape is vast, with countless strategies to explore. This card, while niche, showcases the importance of card advantage and battlefield adaptability. It’s a gentle reminder that sometimes the most unassuming cards can create significant impact. Whether it’s enhancing your green deck or fine-tuning your collection, there’s always a place for innovative spells like Frog Tongue. Immerse yourself further, deepen your game knowledge, and discover cunning strategies fit for every round of play. Dive in deeper with us and optimize your MTG experience.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Frog Tongue MTG card by a specific set like Tempest, 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 Frog Tongue and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Frog Tongue has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2008-04-01 This card now uses the Reach keyword ability to enable the blocking of flying creatures. This works because a creature with flying can only be blocked by creatures with flying or reach.