Feed the SerpentHow it works & interactions with other cards

What It Does

Feed the Serpent is a targeted removal spell that costs four mana. Unlike many black removal spells that simply 'destroy' a target, this spell exiles it. This is a critical distinction because it bypasses keywords like Indestructible and prevents 'dies' triggers from occurring, making it an excellent answer to resilient threats.

How It Resolves Step by Step

First, when you cast Feed the Serpent, you must choose a valid target, which can be either a creature or a planeswalker. Upon resolution, the spell checks if the target is still legal. If it is, the target is moved directly from the battlefield to the exile zone. Because the card is exiled rather than destroyed, it does not count as having died, and it cannot be easily recovered by recursion effects.

Common Mistakes

A common mistake is trying to target a permanent that has Protection from Black or Hexproof; since Feed the Serpent targets, these keywords will prevent the spell from being cast on those permanents. Additionally, remember that because the target is exiled, any 'on death' or 'when this creature dies' triggers will not trigger, which can be both a benefit for you or a missed opportunity if you were relying on your own creature's death trigger.

When to Play It

You should play Feed the Serpent when your opponent presents a threat that is difficult to kill through combat or standard destruction. It is particularly effective in the mid-to-late game to remove a game-ending planeswalker or a creature with recursive abilities that would otherwise return from the graveyard.

Interaction examples

Exile vs. Destruction

Fell the Profane // Fell Mire

If your opponent controls a creature with Indestructible, Fell the Profane // Fell Mire will fail to remove it because 'destroy' effects are ignored. However, Feed the Serpent successfully removes the creature from the battlefield because exiling is not destruction.

Efficiency in Commander

Deadly Rollick

In a game of Commander where you control your commander, Deadly Rollick is more mana-efficient as it costs zero mana. However, Deadly Rollick can only target creatures. If your opponent resolves a dangerous planeswalker, you would need Feed the Serpent to exile it, as Deadly Rollick cannot target non-creature permanents.