This card has gained popularity for its unique set of advantages, but has a significant down-side: In order to be fully effective, a strong base of pre-existing mana, or effects that can stack more counters on the Snake, is necessary. The "reach" ability, especially in combination with "protection from multi-colored", can be effective at an earlier stage in the game, as a counter to lower-cost fliers that like to run out and punish you right away. However, to deal damage (utilizing the offensive aspect of this card) with Stonecoil, taking advantage of its "trample" ability, it needs a special situation. Tapping out all your mana to make a huge snake can be dangerous, as is always the case when leaving no available resources. Your best strategic defense in this game is the use of instants (or cards with a "flash" ability) to turn the tables on your opponent. When you completely tap-out, it both indicates that you had no reason to keep available mana, and leaves you at the mercy of the opponent's spells for a turn. There are times when you might do this strategically, purposefully leaving yourself open for a turn, and confidently accepting whatever they might throw at you; but generally, you shouldn't take unnecessary risks in the climate of the current "meta-game". Notice also that mono-colored spells are still much more popular than multi-colored ones, and any color can get rid your snake on a whim. So, the investment might not make sense. Noticing things like that, rather than simply trusting the popularity of a card, should be your new motus operandi - Cast away your faith in others, and begin to learn things from your SELF! You might be surprised at how much you already know, hiding in the muck of your auto-piloting consciousness. |
