Sturdy Hatchling
Creature — Elemental
This creature enters with four -1/-1 counters on it.
: This creature gains shroud until end of turn. (It can't be the target of spells or abilities.)
Whenever you cast a green spell, remove a -1/-1 counter from this creature.
Whenever you cast a blue spell, remove a -1/-1 counter from this creature.
- CMC
- 4
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- GU
- Rarity
- uncommon
- Set
- Eventide
- Price
- $0.15
- EDHREC rank
- #27741
Sturdy Hatchling enters as an 8/8 with reach and trample for four mana, and the cost is that it loses a +1/+1 counter at the start of each upkeep until it's gone. At four counters it's already a better deal than most things at this slot, and in any deck that refuels counters, the downside disappears entirely.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Sturdy Hatchling actually lives — counter-synergy commanders like Atraxa, Praetors' Voice or Skullbriar, the Walking Grave can negate the drawback completely, and the sheer size makes it a relevant blocker and attacker in the format's longer games. In Legacy and Vintage it's legal but irrelevant; four mana for a creature that shrinks is nowhere near the power threshold those formats demand. Modern has enough four-drop competition that Sturdy Hatchling won't compete outside of dedicated +1/+1 counter shells, where it's a reasonable budget option.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.15 bulk tier
At $0.15, Sturdy Hatchling is deep bulk — you're picking it out of a dollar box, not tracking it on a buylist. Demand is narrow enough that the price is stable at the floor; don't expect movement in either direction.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.