Thorncaster Sliver
Creature — Sliver
Sliver creatures you control have "Whenever this creature attacks, it deals 1 damage to any target."
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- R
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Secret Lair Drop
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #13137
Thorncaster Sliver turns every attacking Sliver into a Prodigal Sorcerer trigger — at five mana, that's a lot of damage math your opponents have to do before blocks are even declared. Under The First Sliver, where the board fills fast through cascading creature chains, a single attack step can clear utility creatures and close out damaged opponents simultaneously.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
The First Sliver
The First Sliver floods the board through cascade, and Thorncaster Sliver converts that critical mass directly into pinpoint damage — every Sliver swinging is now a ping, so a wide attack doubles as a removal sweep before blockers are assigned.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Commander is where Thorncaster Sliver actually earns its slot — five mana is steep for 60-card formats, but in a Sliver tribal shell with a full board, the cumulative ping damage per attack step is frequently game-ending. In Legacy and Vintage, Sliver decks have access to the full tribal suite and faster mana, but the five-mana price tag still competes poorly against the format's speed; it sees essentially no play there. Modern and Pioneer Sliver builds are more creature-tempo oriented, and at five mana Thorncaster Sliver usually sits one turn too late to matter. Stick to Commander for this one.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Bruce Banner // The Incredible HulkThorncaster Sliver
Infinite combat phases; Infinite +1/+1 counters on a creature
View on Commander Spellbook ↗Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Current price data isn't available for Thorncaster Sliver, so check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for a live number before buying. As a tribal-specific five-drop with narrow application outside Commander, it has historically sat in the budget-to-moderate range — worth confirming before you slot it in.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Bruce Banner // The Incredible Hulk
- The First Sliver
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.