Orcish Catapult MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	1997-04-01
Set symbol
Set name	Astral Cards
Set code	PAST
Number	6
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Melissa A. Benson

Key Takeaways

Multitarget removal through Orcish Catapult can flip the game by thinning out an opponent’s lineup.
Orcish Catapult’s instant speed lets players disrupt opposing strategies at critical moments.
Despite versatility, the steep mana cost and sacrifices required may affect its playability.

Text of card

Randomly distribute X -0/-1 counters among a random number of random target creatures.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Orcish Catapult can deal damage to multiple creatures, potentially turning one card into multiple creature removals. This efficiency can lead to gaining an upper hand by decreasing an opponent’s board presence.

Resource Acceleration: While Orcish Catapult itself does not directly provide resource acceleration, its potential to clear the battlefield can pave the way for your attacks, thereby accelerating your path to victory without spending additional resources on creature control.

Instant Speed: The ability to use Orcish Catapult at instant speed offers strategic flexibility. You can wait to use it in response to an opponent’s actions, potentially disrupting their plans or removing creatures before they can contribute to combat.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Orcish Catapult requires you to deplete your own creatures, which can leave you at a disadvantage on the battlefield, especially if you’re already trailing behind your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: It demands a strict red mana investment, which might not seamlessly fit into multi-colored decks, potentially limiting your strategic options.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the damage output it provides, Orcish Catapult has a relatively steep mana cost, making it less efficient compared to other burn spells or creature removal options available.

Reasons to Include Orcish Catapult in Your Collection

Versatility: Orcish Catapult can be a tactical inclusion in decks that take advantage of ping mechanics, allowing you to chip away at multiple creatures simultaneously. It’s especially useful in formats where creatures with one toughness are prevalent.

Combo Potential: Pairing the catapult with cards that benefit from dealing damage or creature death can lead to powerful synergies. It’s a handy tool for enabling enrage triggers on your own creatures or setting up mass graveyard strategies.

Meta-Relevance: The Orcish Catapult can shine in a meta dominated by token strategies or where controlling the board is crucial. It offers a way to manage swarms of smaller creatures efficiently, keeping the path clear for your key attackers or defending your life total.

How to beat

Orcish Catapult brings a unique dynamic to MTG as a damage-dealing artifact. Capable of dealing damage to any target equal to the number of Orcs you sacrifice upon its activation, Orcish Catapult can be a serious threat on the battlefield. If left unchecked, it can dismantle your creatures or even whittle down your life total round by round. Understanding its mechanics is key to diffusing its impact.

To defeat this artifact, prioritize the removal or containment of Orcish units. By limiting the number of Orcs your opponent has at their disposal, you effectively reduce the Catapult’s potential damage output. Employ creature removal spells, board wipes, or keep up counterspells to prevent the Catapult from ever taking effect. Remember, as with many artifacts, if you have the means to destroy it directly or force your opponent to exhaust their resources elsewhere, take it. Like a real-world catapult, it’s formidable but not invincible — strategic dismantling is your path to victory.

Facing down an Orcish Catapult can be daunting, but with smart control and disruption tactics, you can neutralize this potentially explosive threat, maintaining the upper hand in your Magic matches.

Cards like Orcish Catapult

Orcish Catapult holds a unique spot within the pantheon of red damage-dealing cards in MTG. Its ability to divide damage among any number of creatures resonates with cards like Arc Lightning. Yet, while Arc Lightning splits a fixed three damage at sorcery speed, Orcish Catapult’s variable damage potential scales with the number of attacking creatures, offering a tactical advantage during the combat phase.

Cards such as Goblin Artillery also find kinship in dealing damage, though they target single creatures or players and cost health in return. Unlike Orcish Catapult, which demands careful creature counting to optimize its effect, Goblin Artillery’s straightforward sacrifice comes with a personal cost. Seismic Volley is another card that mirrors the Catapult’s divide and conquer strategy, offering the player a one-time event of wide-reaching damage, albeit limited to two target creatures.

In essence, while there are several MTG cards that speak to the theme of damage distribution, Orcish Catapult’s tactical flexibility for influencing the battlefield can be a game-changer, especially in scenarios with a crowded board state. Its place in MTG strategy is well-earned due to its potential for controlling multiple threats at once.

Cards similar to Orcish Catapult by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Orcish Catapult MTG card by a specific set like Astral Cards, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Orcish Catapult and other MTG cards: