Root Sliver MTG Card


Root Sliver provides Slivers crucial protection from counters, improving their resilience on the board. Its specific mana requirement might restrict its use to certain Sliver deck builds. Despite its higher casting cost, its unique ability justifies its inclusion in Sliver strategies.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Sliver
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Root Sliver can't be countered. Sliver spells can't be countered.

"It would take another apocalypse to stop the slivers now." —Riptide Project researcher


Unleashing the Power of Slivers: Root Sliver’s Role in Your Deck

Root Sliver carves out its defining niche within the all-encompassing Sliver tribe of Magic: The Gathering. Much like its brethren, it confers its unique ability to all Slivers on the field: the invaluable protection from counter spells. This makes Root Sliver an asset in games where control decks are prominent.

Cards like Root Sliver

Root Sliver garners attention not just for being part of the Sliver tribe, but for its specific ability to grant protection from countermagic. In comparison, Cavern of Souls is a land with a parallel advantage, allowing your chosen creature types to become uncounterable. While not a creature, this land shares the resilience Root Sliver brings to your tribal strategy.

Another analogous card is Destiny Spinner, which offers protection by making creature and enchantment spells you control can’t be countered. Even though this enchantment extends its shield to noncreature spells as well, it lacks the tribal synergy that Root Sliver excels in. The adaptability that creature-based protection offers allows players to maintain a tactical advantage without relying on a noncreature permanent.

Assessing these similar options, Root Sliver holds a unique position in MTG, especially for players devoted to crafting a formidable Sliver deck immune to the whims of blue-based control strategies.

Cavern of Souls - MTG Card versions
Destiny Spinner - MTG Card versions
Cavern of Souls - MTG Card versions
Destiny Spinner - MTG Card versions

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

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Giant Spider - MTG Card versions
Pixie Queen - MTG Card versions
Marsh Viper - MTG Card versions
Scarwood Bandits - MTG Card versions
Carnivorous Plant - MTG Card versions
Erhnam Djinn - MTG Card versions
War Mammoth - MTG Card versions
Aurochs - MTG Card versions
Lhurgoyf - MTG Card versions
Jackalope Herd - MTG Card versions
Rootwater Alligator - MTG Card versions
Golden Bear - MTG Card versions
Argothian Swine - MTG Card versions
Elvish Piper - MTG Card versions
Erithizon - MTG Card versions
Saber Ants - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Cutter - MTG Card versions
Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Baloth - MTG Card versions
Fungusaur - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Root Sliver’s capability to negate counters against your Slivers not only secures your own spells but forces the opponent to deal with your creatures on the board, effectively providing you tactical leverage and indirectly leading to card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While Root Sliver itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its presence can safeguard your Slivers with mana-generating abilities, ensuring your resource acceleration remains consistent and unhampered by potential counterspells.

Instant Speed: Although Root Sliver functions at sorcery speed, it bolsters your instant-speed Slivers, allowing you to deploy threats at any time while confidently knowing they are likely to resolve, thereby enhancing your overall strategy efficiency.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Root Sliver stands as a guardian against countermagic, bolstering your slivers, it does not come with any discard effects, potentially leading to misallocation of resources if you’re on the hunt for such synergies.

Specific Mana Cost: Root Sliver’s color identity is strictly green and red, which narrows its inclusion to decks that can produce both types of mana consistently, possibly excluding it from mono-colored or other multicolored sliver strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing four mana to cast, two of which are colored, this card may arrive too late against fast-paced decks. Additionally, in the four-mana slot, players might find other creatures or spells that impact the board immediately or offer additional versatility.


Reasons to Include Root Sliver in Your Collection

Versatility: Root Sliver offers a level of protection that’s hard to find, fitting into Sliver decks as a robust shield against countermagic. Its ability allows players to cast other Slivers with the reassurance that they can’t be countered, ensuring your board presence grows unimpeded.

Combo Potential: This card works seamlessly with other Slivers, enhancing their innate combo potential. Given how Slivers share abilities, Root Sliver can be a key piece in creating an unstoppable Sliver synergy, especially when paired with mana-generating or power-boosting variants.

Meta-Relevance: In metas heavy on control decks that rely on counter spells, Root Sliver shines by safeguarding your creatures from such interruptions. Its presence can shift the landscape of a game, forcing opponents to resort to different tactics and enabling a clear path for Sliver strategies to dominate.


How to beat

Root Sliver presents a notable challenge for players who rely heavily on counter-spells. Its ability to grant uncounterable status to all Slivers can make it a thorn in the side of control deck strategists. To overcome this persistent creature, players need to think outside the box of direct counters. The key lies in removing it from the battlefield through targeted removal spells that don’t rely on the stack to resolve, such as “Doom Blade” or “Path to Exile”. Board wipes, like “Wrath of God”, are also effective since they circumvent the uncounterable trait by not targeting individual creatures.

Moreover, combat strategies can be tailored to ensure that Root Sliver doesn’t dominate the field. Employing creatures with deathtouch or leveraging spells that reduce the Sliver’s toughness to zero, such as “Dismember”, can provide answers to the Sliver menace. It’s essential to recognize that hindering a Root Sliver deck involves disrupting the Sliver synergy before it becomes insurmountable. Therefore, quick removal and strategic planning play pivotal roles. While Root Sliver can make Slivers a formidable force, adept players will have various tools to dismantle their opponent’s strategy effectively.


BurnMana Recommendations

The intriguing world of MTG is vast with possibilities and Root Sliver carves an essential niche for any Sliver enthusiast looking to outmaneuver control decks. Its unparalleled ability to grant your Sliver spells immunity from being countered can be a game-changer, making it a strategic asset in your collection. Whether you’re optimizing an existing Sliver deck or seeking to undermine blue-based strategies, Root Sliver offers an edge worth considering. Delve deeper into its potential, explore synergies and elevate your deck to new heights. Interested in crafting an unassailable Sliver legion? Follow us for insights that will guide your journey towards triumph.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Root Sliver MTG card by a specific set like Legions and Salvat 2005, 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 Root Sliver and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Root Sliver Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2003-02-03 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by Matt Thompson.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12003-02-03LegionsLGN 1371997NormalBlackMatt Thompson
22005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL D142003NormalWhiteMatt Thompson
32005-08-22Salvat 2005PSAL D152003NormalWhiteMatt Thompson
42019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 6562015NormalBlackMatt Thompson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Root Sliver has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Root 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 The first ability applies when this card is not on the battlefield. The second ability applies when this card is on the battlefield.
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.