"Merfolk Seastalkers" is a 2/2 blue merfolk scout printed as an uncommon for the Magic the Gathering expansion set known as "Zendikar." From the looks of this card, you can definitely use this in a blue control deck that hasa lot of merfolk creatures. In this respect, Merfolk Seastalkers would work great with a bunch of other merfolk creatures in a blue deck. This is because the Merfolk Seastalkers has an ability that goes good with merfolk creatures with other abilities.

The converted mana cost for Merfolk Seastalkers is going to be four. You will need one blue mana and three colorless mana to bring Merfolk Seastalkers from your hand and onto the battlefield. If you can get Merfolk Seastalkers onto the battlefield early enough, you should be able to slow down your opponents' momentum for the next few turns.

What does Merfolk Seastalkers do in the first place?

The first ability of Merfolk Seastalkers is Islandwalk. If you attack with Merfolk Seastalkers and the defending opponent has an Island on the battlefield, then s/he cannot block. In this respect, s/he is going to be taking two points of combat damage. Being able to deal two points of combat damage is much better than dealing zero points of combat damage. As long as that opponent has an Island on the battlefield, you can keep attacking him/her with Merfolk Seastalkers. S/he has no choice but to take the combat damage for the most part.

But, Islandwalk is not the main ability of the Merfolk Seastalkers.

The main ability of Merfolk Seastalkers is being able to pay one blue mana and two colorless mana to tap a target creature without Flying. Keep in mind that the targeted creature can neither have Shroud nor Protection from Blue. You can use this ability to lock down an opponent's creatures provided they are not Flying. If you have the mana, you can keep lock down one creature after another.

The beauty of this ability is that you do not have to tap Merfolk Seastalkers to use this ability. If you have two blue mana and four colorless mana, you can use that and tap two target creatures without Flying. The ability to neutralize creatures in general is very invaluable for the most part. A friend of mine during game explained to me the use of the Merfolk Seastalkers. If you are doing a draft and are drafting blue, Merfolk Seastalkers is a good one to grab.

Overall, Merfolk Seastalkers is a pretty good card provided you have the mana to use its ability. In a standard format deck, one could make a blue control deck with Merfolk Seastalkers. In an extended deck, Merfolk Seastalkers would go good in a blue control deck.

Learn more about this author, Can Tran.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Magic the Gathering card analysis: Merfolk Seastalkers?
We want to hear your view. Write now!