Viper Strike: Sacrifice and Surge
Rottenmouth Viper embodies the ruthless essence of the Bloomburrow set with a design that rewards strategic sacrifice. This 6/6 Elemental Snake emerges as a formidable presence on the battlefield for a cost that flexes depending on how many nonland permanents you are willing to give up. Its casting cost reduction mechanic encourages a resource trade-off, making it ideal in decks built to capitalize on self-sacrifice or token flooding. The ability to reduce the cost by one mana per permanent sacrificed offers a tactical avenue to accelerate this heavy hitter into play ahead of curve.
The Viper’s signature mechanic revolves around blight counters placed when it enters or attacks. Each counter punishes opponents by draining life unless they sacrifice a nonland permanent or discard a card. This kind of pressure taxes resources and disrupts opponents’ plans, fitting perfectly into the darker themes of Black in Magic. Rottenmouth Viper’s blend of board impact and attrition turns it into a compelling centerpiece for control or midrange strategies focused on gradual dominance and attrition warfare.
Card Details:
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Mana Cost: {5}{B}
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Card Type: Creature
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Subtypes: Elemental Snake
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Card Text / Rules Text: As an additional cost to cast this spell, you may sacrifice any number of nonland permanents. This spell costs {1} less to cast for each permanent sacrificed this way. Whenever Rottenmouth Viper enters or attacks, put a blight counter on it. Then for each blight counter on it, each opponent loses 4 life unless that player sacrifices a nonland permanent or discards a card.
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Power / Toughness: 6/6
