It's better and worse than Deathtouch. Deathtouch is better if you get first strike onto the creature, as you'll kill an opponent's creature before it can deal any damage to your own. This, however, can kill even creatures with protection from green (when attacking, of course, not when blocking), among other tricks like the aforementioned Bubble Matrix.
Posted By:
EternalLurker
(2/25/2010 7:05:25 PM)
If it wasn't for the background you wouldn't notice this card actually comes from Mirrodin block. Actually surprising they didn't restrict the ability to affect non-Artifact creatues only, which would have made it rather awful for block-constructed.
Anyways, overall it's a decent card. Later in Kamigawa the Snake subtype even became a likable tribal type.
When printed these days it would simply say "deathtouch" i guess.
Edit (since 10/26/2009): I know that death touch and Tange Asp's ability are two very different animals. As EternalLurker said, it can both be advantageous and disadvantageous.
I wasn't talking about an Oracle change if we got a reprint of it^^
I merely said how the card would probably have looked like if it hadn't been printed in Fifth Dawn and instead got printed some years later when we finally had a keyword for these abilities that both follow the concept of a venomous creature.
By the way: Deadly Recluse/auto... (see all)
Posted By:
Mode
(5/28/2011 1:07:43 AM)
Replaced Thicket Basilisk in my Lure Deck. However, having played scores of games with the deck...
However, the asp's effect on the game is relatively minor. When you run a lure, the biggest effect is usually that all of your other creatures get through, and only then if you are not ambushed by a disenchant. Killing a couple creatures is fun, but the ability to tap their own creatures to use their effects decreases the potency of the combo. I would rather put the Lure on a pygmy troll since it regenerates and can still kill key creatures that block it. You only get one shot at llanowar elves since they will never be forced to block once they have started a turn under their opponent's control.
Posted By:
kiseki
(7/20/2011 12:30:44 PM)
Bubble Matrix + this = fun.
Posted By:
Nocturno
(1/10/2010 11:24:03 AM)
@Mode:
Actually it's better than Deathtouch.
Deathtouch requires that you do damage to the creature, making First Strike your worst enemy.
Tangle Asp's ability isn't triggered by dealing damage, but simply by blocking or being blocked, so First Strike offers no protection from being destroyed.
Posted By:
Diachronos
(12/1/2009 6:24:11 AM)
Super cheap venom is awesome. Combine this with "creature can block any number of creatures" stuff for a one sided wipe.
Posted By:
Coldbrand
(9/9/2009 1:44:24 AM)
Haxxoros, go play with some people who actually know the rules for a couple of months, then come back to the board. The ability triggers once for each creature that's declared as a blocker. And Lure + Thicket Basilisk was the very first combo new players would learn back during the days of Revised/Fourth edition.
Posted By:
achilleselbow
(8/2/2010 11:36:21 AM)
This card is actually amazing. I used to run 3 in a snake tribal deck, and it became the number one card my opponents feared. Why? Toss a lure onto this guy and he becomes a one-sided wrath against your opponent's untapped creatures, since it only requires him to be blocked, not to do damage. :)
Posted By:
Chosen_of_the_Dark_Sun
(3/31/2010 10:04:40 PM)
Gaseous Form likes this little sucker.
Posted By:
Johnald
(5/26/2010 5:52:01 PM)
Lure
Posted By:
Paleopaladin
(5/9/2011 8:55:23 PM)