Battering Sliver

The Battering Sliver was released in 2007 as part of the Planar Chaos set, the second expansion in the Time Spiral block. This block was defined by its focus on Magic: The Gathering's history, featuring mechanics and creature types from across the game's long tenure. Slivers, a creature type originally introduced in the Tempest set, were designed to create a collective hive-mind effect, where each card grants a specific ability to all other Slivers on the battlefield. By the time of Planar Chaos, the designers intended to explore alternate realities, which allowed for color-shifted versions of familiar archetypes.

The card was illustrated by Greg Staples, whose dark, textured style emphasizes the alien and parasitic nature of the Sliver species. The design intent for this specific card was to provide a red-aligned iteration of the Sliver archetype, shifting away from their traditional home in white or green. The card received moderate attention within the casual and Limited formats of the time, serving as a functional tool for aggro-focused Sliver decks that sought to overwhelm opponents with increased power and the trample mechanic.