Muscle Sliver MTG Card


Boosts power and toughness of Slivers, significantly escalating the threat level of each creature on the board. Allows efficient use of mana by enhancing Slivers collectively rather than individually. Surprise opponents with stronger Slivers at instant speed without additional mana investment.
Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Sliver
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

All Slivers get +1/+1.

The air was filled with the cracks and snaps of flesh hardening as the new sliver joined the battle.


Cards like Muscle Sliver

Delving into the world of slivers in Magic: The Gathering, Muscle Sliver is a card that stands out for buffing the entirety of your sliver clan. In a close comparison, Sinew Sliver also offers a similar +1/+1 boost to fellow slivers. The striking difference lies in their casting cost colors, with Muscle Sliver requiring green mana and Sinew Sliver needing white. Such a distinction means that Muscle Sliver fits seamlessly into green-centric sliver decks, often a preferred color for their synergistic growth mechanics.

Another kin on the battlefield is Predatory Sliver, which also bestows a +1/+1 increase to slivers you control. A near mirror in functionality, Predatory Sliver, however, is a newer version tailored to modern gameplay and more recent MTG sets. As a result, it adapts better to the evolving meta-game than the classic Muscle Sliver might. Then there’s the Might Sliver – it provides a larger power boost of +2/+2, ideal for swift, aggressive strategies but comes with a heftier mana cost that demands a higher commitment to playing it.

Analyzing the field of creature-enhancing slivers, Muscle Sliver holds a revered spot. Its legacy in early MTG sets cements its status alongside other formidable reinforcements in the sliver family, each with their tactical advantages that can be leveraged depending on your deck’s strategy and mana curve.

Sinew Sliver - MTG Card versions
Predatory Sliver - MTG Card versions
Might Sliver - MTG Card versions
Sinew Sliver - MTG Card versions
Predatory Sliver - MTG Card versions
Might Sliver - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Muscle Sliver by color, type and mana cost

Wyluli Wolf - MTG Card versions
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Wyluli Wolf - MTG Card versions
Whirling Dervish - MTG Card versions
River Boa - MTG Card versions
Albino Troll - MTG Card versions
Silverglade Pathfinder - MTG Card versions
Quirion Elves - MTG Card versions
Blurred Mongoose - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Loamspeaker - MTG Card versions
Genesis Hydra - MTG Card versions
Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse - MTG Card versions
Scavenging Ooze - MTG Card versions
Heir of the Wilds - MTG Card versions
Mayor of Avabruck // Howlpack Alpha - MTG Card versions
Wren's Run Vanquisher - MTG Card versions
Utopia Tree - MTG Card versions
Bloodline Shaman - MTG Card versions
Sakura-Tribe Elder - MTG Card versions
Stonewood Invoker - MTG Card versions
Oran-Rief Survivalist - MTG Card versions
Vine Trellis - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
SliversSlivers PauperSliversLega Pauper Canavese - 1a Tappa Paupergeddon Winter Edition 2023 - 38 Players
Selesnya SliversSelesnya Slivers PauperSlivers2° Tappa - Season 7 - Road to Paupergeddon Spring edition 2024 @ Lega Pauper Martesana
Four-color SliversFour-color Slivers PauperSliversBLUE - SAT - 1PM - Chicago Pauper Cup
Rogue DecklistsRogue Decklists PauperSliversNacional Pauper 2023
Sliver Sliver SliverSliver Sliver Sliver PauperSliversTappa LP Comense Pauperissima "Road to Milano" @Magic Akiba
Five-color AggroFive-color Aggro LegacySliversCharlotte Legacy League Season 4 Week 7
Sliver KingSliver King PauperSliversTappa Lega Pauperissima @ Magic Akiba

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Muscle Sliver offers a flat power and toughness boost to all Sliver creatures you control. In a Sliver deck, this equates to transforming each Sliver into a more formidable threat. This cumulative effect means every Sliver drawn thereafter is effectively a bigger threat, tipping the scales of card advantage in your favor as each creature becomes a more significant presence on the board.

Resource Acceleration: While Muscle Sliver itself does not directly produce mana or accelerate resources, its ability to enhance Slivers already on the battlefield means you require fewer resources to exert the same level of power. Therefore, your mana can be allocated to deploying additional threats or utilizing key spells rather than enhancing individual creatures. This indirect resource acceleration can be a game-changer in the fast-paced environment of creature-based strategies.

Instant Speed: Muscle Sliver’s continuous effect on the battlefield is akin to an aura of strength that requires no further investment once it’s in play. Though not an instant, its enduring presence means that any Sliver entering the battlefield at instant speed, perhaps via flash or other such effects, immediately benefits from the power boost, allowing you to surprise opponents with unexpectedly powerful creatures right when they least expect it.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Muscle Sliver is great for bolstering your Sliver creatures, it does share a common setback with other cards of its kind—it carries no direct discard impact but necessitates support from additional cards that can deplete your hand quickly.

Specific Mana Cost: Muscle Sliver’s mana cost requires you to tap into both green and generic mana sources, restricting its integration to decks that comfortably generate such mana and possibly hindering its inclusion in multicolor Sliver or creature-based builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost set at two mana, which is one green and one colorless, Muscle Sliver isn’t the heaviest lifter in terms of mana efficiency. Considering the pace at which many MTG games progress, certain players may find this cost a bit steep for the power boost it provides, especially early in the game when establishing a board presence is critical.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Muscle Sliver offers synergy with various Sliver decks, easily fitting into an aggressive tribal strategy. Its straightforward power boost is effective in both casual and more competitive Sliver builds.

Combo Potential: Pairing Muscle Sliver with other Slivers can exponentially increase the threat of each creature. This card ramps up the potency of their hive-like mechanics, making it a linchpin for Sliver combos.

Meta-Relevance: Against decks that struggle to handle multiple growing threats, Muscle Sliver shines by enhancing your creature line-up, making it a consistent threat in creature-based metagames.


How to Beat

Muscle Sliver is a card that can quickly become a powerhouse on the battlefield, reinforcing other Slivers with a significant power boost. Recognized for its ability to escalate the strength of a Sliver-focused deck, this card shines when working in synergy with a multitude of its kin. The key to dismantling a strategy centered around Muscle Sliver lies in disrupting this synergy. Removal spells that can target multiple creatures, like Wrath of God or Damnation, are highly efficient tools in clearing the board of Slivers. Additionally, spot removal to pick off key Slivers before the numbers get out of hand, is equally as important.

Playing control elements such as counter spells or imposing restrictions with cards like Cursed Totem can prevent your opponent from capitalizing on the Slivers’ mutual enhancements. It’s also strategic to pressure Sliver decks early on. This can be achieved by maintaining board control, setting up defenses that outclass their creatures, and by utilizing cards that hinder your opponent’s mana base, restricting their ability to cast multicolored Slivers. Considering these tactics, Muscle Sliver poses a lesser threat once its support system is methodically dismantled.

Ultimately, respecting the card’s potential and planning preemptively goes a long way. While Muscle Sliver itself does not possess inherent protection, understanding your own deck’s capabilities to counteract swarming strategies will consistently keep Slivers from dominating the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the depth of MTG strategies is an ongoing quest for every player. Muscle Sliver is more than just a card; it’s a gateway to an intricate ecosystem ripe with strategic possibilities. As you refine your Sliver deck or build new ones, consider the rich insights shared here. Every card holds the promise of victory and a tale yet to unfold. Dive deeper, blend wisdom with creativity, and witness the might of a well-synchronized deck in action. Enhance your knowledge and collection with us, unraveling powerful combos and emerging triumphant in the battleground of MTG.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Muscle Sliver MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Magic Online Promos, 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 Muscle Sliver and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Muscle Sliver Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by Richard Kane Ferguson.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-10-14TempestTMP 2381997NormalBlackRichard Kane Ferguson
22002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 360341997NormalBlackRichard Kane Ferguson
32003-01-01Friday Night Magic 2003F03 21997NormalBlackRichard Kane Ferguson
42009-11-20Premium Deck Series: SliversH09 92003NormalBlackRichard Kane Ferguson
52015-05-06Tempest RemasteredTPR 1822015NormalBlackRichard Kane Ferguson
62019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 6532015NormalBlackRichard Kane Ferguson
72020-09-26The ListPLST TMP-2381997NormalBlackRichard Kane Ferguson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Muscle Sliver has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2004-10-04 Yes, it does give the +1/+1 bonus to itself.
2013-07-01 Abilities that Slivers grant, as well as power/toughness boosts, are cumulative. However, for some abilities, like flying, having more than one instance of the ability doesn’t provide any additional benefit.
2013-07-01 If the creature type of a Sliver changes so it’s no longer a Sliver, it will no longer be affected by its own ability. Its ability will continue to affect other Sliver creatures.