Spider Spawning MTG Card


Turns a full graveyard into an army of spider tokens, immensely boosting your board’s presence. Its flashback adds strategic depth, offering a way to utilize it twice for commanding plays. Demands careful graveyard management and can be a liability if not set up properly.
Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeSorcery
Abilities Flashback

Text of card

Put a 1/2 green Spider creature token with reach onto the battlefield for each creature card in your graveyard. Flashback (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)


Cards like Spider Spawning

In the realm of creature token generation in Magic: The Gathering, Spider Spawning is a unique sorcery card that serves as a cornerstone in self-mill decks. It parallels with Sengir Autocrat, a creature that similarly generates multiple tokens upon entering the battlefield. However, Spider Spawning’s strength is tied to graveyard synergy, allowing a player to potentially create an overwhelming number of Spider tokens with reach, depending on the number of creature cards in their graveyard.

Kessig Reclamation also offers significant value in a deck that fills the graveyard, by providing creatures while returning a card from the graveyard to your hand. It differs from Spider Spawning due to its instant speed and lack of dependance on the graveyard’s creature card count for token generation. Army of the Damned is another card that floods the board with multiple tokens, in this case Zombies, and even boasts a flashback mechanic like Spider Spawning. Although, it commands a much higher mana cost, which can be a setback in quicker matches.

When considering options for building around the graveyard for token production, Spider Spawning is a versatile choice that can lead to a rapid shift in board presence, especially in a deck tailored to take advantage of such mechanics.

Sengir Autocrat - MTG Card versions
Army of the Damned - MTG Card versions
Sengir Autocrat - MTG Card versions
Army of the Damned - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Spider Spawning by color, type and mana cost

Pestilent Cauldron // Restorative Burst - MTG Card versions
Worm Harvest - MTG Card versions
Death Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Pick Your Poison - MTG Card versions
Diregraf Rebirth - MTG Card versions
Pestilent Cauldron // Restorative Burst - MTG Card versions
Worm Harvest - MTG Card versions
Death Frenzy - MTG Card versions
Pick Your Poison - MTG Card versions
Diregraf Rebirth - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Four-color MillFour-color Mill GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: EMEA Week 11 2024

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Spider Spawning is a key card that can generate significant card advantage in the late game. By creating a 1/2 green Spider creature token with reach for each creature card in your graveyard, you can turn a cluttered graveyard into a formidable army, potentially overwhelming your opponent with multiple blockers or attackers.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating resources, Spider Spawning benefits greatly from self-mill and graveyard-filling strategies. This synergy allows for more efficient use of your deck’s resources by fueling the graveyard, thus enhancing the impact of each Spider Spawning cast.

Instant Speed: Although Spider Spawning is a sorcery, its flashback ability allows for a second wave of creature tokens at a crucial moment. While you can’t cast it at instant speed, its reusability provides a tactical advantage, letting you respond to board wipes or end-of-turn plays with a renewed threat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Spider Spawning demands that you have a significant number of creature cards in your graveyard to maximize its effect. This often requires setup through discarding or other means to fill the graveyard, which can lead to a loss of hand advantage and leave you vulnerable to graveyard disruption.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires a particular combination of mana, specifically one green and two other colors, adding a degree of difficulty in mana fixing for multi-colored decks. Additionally, the flashback cost even further emphasizes the need for a specific color balance, which can complicate your mana base and potentially slow down your deck’s performance.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial casting cost of five mana and a flashback cost that is even higher, Spider Spawning can be considered mana-intensive. In a game where speed and efficiency are often paramount, the delayed impact of Spider Spawning can sometimes be outweighed by lower-cost alternatives that provide immediate board presence or other utilities.


Reasons to Include Spider Spawning in Your Collection

Versatility: Spider Spawning is a unique card that can be a game-changer in graveyard-based strategies, fitting perfectly into any deck that focuses on filling the graveyard with creatures. Its ability to generate a wide board presence is valuable for both offensive and defensive plays.

Combo Potential: With cards that benefit from a high creature count or death triggers, Spider Spawning can be part of powerful combos. It synergizes well with sacrifice mechanics, delirium, or any strategy that thrives on a large number of creatures entering or leaving the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In formats where graveyard strategies are prevalent and removal spells dominate, the ability to create multiple blockers with a single card can be a significant advantage. Spider Spawning’s capacity to repeatedly produce a board presence makes it relevant in many game scenarios.


How to beat

Spider Spawning is an intriguing card that can quickly overwhelm opponents in Magic: The Gathering with a flood of spider tokens. Key to countering this card is attacking the graveyard – the core resource for Spider Spawning’s effectiveness. Graveyard hate cards, such as Rest in Peace or Scavenging Ooze, can be game-changers by exiling creatures before they can become spiders. Enchantment removal, like Disenchant or Naturalize, is also pivotal in dealing with Spider Spawning directly, clearing a path to victory.

Board wipes are another strategy, with Wrath of God or Damnation resetting the board before the spiders can amass. In games where tempo is essential, countering Spider Spawning the moment it hits the stack can be a savvy move, using spells like Counterspell or Negate. Finally, playing aggressively and reducing the opponent’s life total before Spider Spawning can turn the tides is also a viable tactic. In essence, managing the graveyard, smart removal, and maintaining a solid defense are the keys to squashing the arachnid onslaught.

Despite the potential for creating a significant number of tokens, a well-prepared player can deftly navigate the web of challenges posed by Spider Spawning, ensuring its spiders don’t claim control of the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the intricate web woven by Spider Spawning is crucial for any MTG enthusiast aiming to enhance their gameplay and deck building prowess. A fundamental piece in graveyard-themed decks, this card’s ability to multiply your board presence can be a deciding factor in many matches. To ensure you’re fully leveraging this card’s potential, we encourage you to deepen your knowledge of graveyard mechanics, uncover synergies, and strategize around its limitations. Master your resource allocation, refine your mana base, and prepare for any graveyard disruption. Ready to optimize your deck and outmaneuver your opponents? Dive deeper with us and fortify your collection for the ultimate gaming experience.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spider Spawning MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad and Commander 2015, 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 Spider Spawning and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Spider Spawning Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2011-09-30 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by Daniel Ljunggren.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-09-30InnistradISD 2032003NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
22015-11-13Commander 2015C15 2022015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
32017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 1492015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
42018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 1832015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
52019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 13392015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
62020-09-26The ListPLST CMA-1492015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
72022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 1582015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren
82023-03-21Shadows of the PastSIS 562015NormalBlackDaniel Ljunggren

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Spider Spawning has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
GladiatorLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2011-09-22 The number of creature cards in your graveyard is counted when Spider Spawning resolves.
2021-03-19 A spell cast using flashback will always be exiled afterward, whether it resolves, is countered, or leaves the stack in some other way.
2021-03-19 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.
2021-03-19 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.
2021-03-19 You can cast a spell using flashback even if it was somehow put into your graveyard without having been cast.
2021-03-19 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.
2021-03-19Flashback
-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.”