Snake

Snake
Creature Type
(Subtype for creature/tribal cards)
Statistics	89 cards 4.5% 18% 1.1% 61.8% 1.1% 1.1% 6.7% 1.1% 4.5% as of Commander 2020
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type:"Snake"

Snake is a creature type represented in the Magic lore as a long reptile without arms. However, when appearing as Snake-folk they do in fact have arms.

The first creature to bear the type was River Boa in Visions (though Crypt Cobra and Sabertooth Cobra from Mirage, the Hornet Cobra from Legends, and Nafs Asp from Antiquities were later issued errata to become Snakes). After the Grand Creature Type Update Snake became a common "tribe".

Storyline

Alara

Coatl

The coatl are large, winged serpents created during the Conflux on Alara. The nacatl call them "vetli", a word that means "poison arrow". Wingless variants also exist, whose scales are believed to be inscripted with secrets.

Amonkhet

Serpopards

Based on an actual mythological creature, serpopards are cat snakes endemic to Amonkhet. They were kept in the menagerie of the god Rhonas.

Dominaria

Hornet Cobras

Hornet Cobras were poisonous serpents. One was summoned by the Calthyn Elves while fighting against the Kieryn Elves in the White Woods of Corondor.

Dementia Snakemen

Dementia Snakemen were created by Chainer when he exiled the First to Aphetto. The creatures were sent ahead of the First to seize control of the city prior to his arrival in order to make his takeover more difficult, although the First did eventually convince them to obey him. They were created using the power of the Mirari and continued to exist after Chainer's death, serving the Patriarch as bodyguards and assassins.

Ixalan

Coatl

Coatls are large serpents with feathered wings that are native to the continent of Ixalan. The River Heralds rever the Coatl as representative of the wisdom of the sky and the rivers that twist through the air to reflect the course of rivers along the ground.

Coatls are immortal guardians of the sky, dwelling always among the clouds. The River Heralds say that they can be enticed to the ground by the earnest supplication of the wisest of merfolk shamans. Coatls are said to be wise beyond mortal measure and incapable of speaking a falsehood, so their advice is often sought in times of desperate need. The sight of a coatl is thought to foretell favorable winds — a belief that has begun to spread from the River Herald shamans to the pirates of the Brazen Coalition.

Kamigawa

Orochi

Orochi are anthropomorphic four-armed snakefolk that inhabit the Jukai Forest of Kamigawa (Orochi Colony). The orochi of Jukai are segregated into three main tribes: the Kashi tribe, which houses and breeds the warriors of their kind; the Matsu tribe, which are snipers and scouts; and the Sakura tribe, which associates with the race's shamanic rituals and teachings. Of course, each tribe has its exceptions.

Orochi magic is based on reverence to kami of the land itself and is noticeably tied to the seasons.

Ravnica

Coiling Oracle

Snaking remnants of nature directed by a body of thought and progress, the coiling oracles are blend of snake and elf that embody all that is Simic.

Patagia Viper

Using its membranes, the Patagia Viper is able to glide between buildings. They are capable of obtaining lift within the course of these flights.

Theros

Snakes that mirror Greek myths

Greek Mythology describes several particular snakes, many of which are directly referenced by snakes from Theros. Snake of the Golden Grove is a reference to the Drakon Kholkikos, a giant snake or dragon, as the two creatures were not always clearly distinct in Greek myth, that guarded the Golden Fleece and was eventually slain by Jason and his Argonauts. Nemesis of Mortals is a reference to Python, a giant snake that was an enemy of Apollo. Nessian Asp references the amphisbaena, a type of two-headed snake often referenced in Greek texts.

Servants of Pharika or Erebos

Other snakes of Theros are not referencing any particular Greek Myth, but simply servants of Erebos or Pharika. This is depicted in Pharika's Chosen, Erebos's Emissary, Pharika's Cure, and Pharika, God of Affliction

Tarkir

Both the Sultai Brood and its successor, the Silumgar Brood use snakes. This is depicted in Ukud Cobra, Hooded Hydra, Rite of the Serpent, and Sudden Reclamation

Gorgons

The Gorgons of Theros have snakelike hair and bodies.

Nagas

The Nagas are snake-folk found on Amonkhet and Tarkir.

Notable Snakes

Dominaria

• Leer, Soot, Barrel, Grim and Nod were five of Chainer's snakeman assassins. They aided Braids in tracking Kamahl back to the Pardic Mountains but were slain in battle against Balthor and the other Pardic barbarians before they could kill Kamahl and steal the Mirari from him.

Kamigawa

• Seshiro, the leader of the orochi colonies.
• Sachi. the leader of the orochi shamans. Daughter of Seshiro.
• Shidako. an orochi matriarch and warrior.
• Shisato. an orochi warrior known for her cunning and ruthlessness.
• Sasaya. an orochi female whose meditations enabled her to meld her life force with that of the forest.
• Sakiko, an orochi matron who has mastered the art of drawing green mana from her enemies’ holdings.
• Shizuko a powerful orochi shaman and rival of Sakiko who believes the orochi should be self-sufficient and uninvolved in the kami war.
• Sosuke. the leader of the orochi warriors; also the son of Seshiro.
• Kaseto, an orochi archmage.

Ikoria

• Xyris, the Writhing Storm

Creature Update

Creature types changed into Snake include:

• Asp (Nafs Asp)
• Cobra (Hornet Cobra)
• Poison-Snake (Serpent Generator)
• Python (Python)
• Viper (Marsh Viper)

Examples of other snake species included in the Snake type

• Mold Adder
• Anaconda
• Boa Constrictor
• Blight Mamba
• Ribbon Snake

Tokens

Token Name	Color	Type Line	P/T	Text Box	Source	Printings
Snake	Black	Creature — Snake	1/1	Deathtouch	Ophiomancer
	Black/​Green	Enchantment Creature — Snake	1/1	Deathtouch	Pharika, God of Affliction
	Green	Creature — Snake	1/1		Bestial Menace Cobra Trap Endless Swarm Hooded Hydra Orochi Eggwatcher Orochi Hatchery Rite of the Serpent Seed the Land Snake Basket Snake Pit Sosuke's Summons Xyris, the Writhing Storm
	Green	Creature — Snake	1/1	Deathtouch	Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons
	Green/​Blue	Creature — Snake	1/1		Patagia Viper
	Colorless	Artifact Creature — Snake	1/1	Whenever this creature deals damage to a player, that player gets a poison counter.	Serpent Generator
	Green	Creature — Snake	5/4		Rhonas's Last Stand
Honored Hydra	White	Creature — Zombie Snake Hydra	6/6	Trample	Honored Hydra
Tah-Crop Skirmisher	White	Creature — Zombie Snake Warrior	2/1		Tah-Crop Skirmisher
Champion of Wits	Black	Creature — Zombie Snake Wizard	4/4	When Champion of Wits enters the battlefield, you may draw cards equal to its power. If you do, discard two cards.	Champion of Wits
Sinuous Striker	Black	Creature — Zombie Snake Warrior	4/4	: Sinuous Striker gets +1/-1 until end of turn.	Sinuous Striker
Broodbirth Viper	Blue	Creature — Snake	3/3	Whenever Broodbirth Viper deals combat damage to a player, you may draw a card.	Broodbirth Viper
Mist-Syndicate Naga	Blue	Creature — Snake Ninja	3/1	Ninjutsu Whenever Mist-Syndicate Naga deals combat damage to a player, create a token that’s a copy of Mist-Syndicate Naga.	Mist-Syndicate Naga

Test cards

Token Name	Color	Type Line	P/T	Text Box	Source	Printings
Snake	Black	Creature — Snake	1/1	Deathtouch	Pick Your Poison

Trivia

• Skeletal Snake — The only Skeleton Snake. Also depicted on Necrobite
• Wall of Vipers — The only Wall Snake.
• Zombie Boa and Rotting Fensnake — The only Zombie Snakes.
• Coiled Tinviper and Vector Asp — Artifact Snakes.
• Patagia Viper, Ribbon Snake, and Winged Coatl — Flying Snakes.
• Serpent Assassin and Serpent Warrior — Pre-Orochi Snake-People from Portal.
• Snakeform is an instant that can turn a creature into a green Snake with base power and toughness 1/1.
• Jinxed Choker is actually a thin silver snake that slowly tightens its grip.
• Thieving Amalgam is an Ape Snake.
• Xyris, the Writhing Storm is a Snake Leviathan