Wasteland Strangler MTG Card
2015-10-02 - Number 102s
2015-10-02 - Number 102
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Eldrazi Processor |
| Abilities | Devoid |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- It provides card advantage by combining a creature’s presence with removal capabilities.
- Flexible in gameplay but requires specific deck conditions to be met for optimal use.
- A strategic addition to any MTG deck that values synergy with exile mechanics.
Text of card
Devoid (This card has no color.) When Wasteland Strangler enters the battlefield, you may put a card an opponent owns from exile into that player's graveyard. If you do, target creature gets -3/-3 until end of turn.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Wasteland Strangler gives you an edge by enabling you to remove a potential threat from your opponent’s board while simultaneously developing your own board presence. This two-for-one scenario can lead to significant card advantage over the course of a game.
Resource Acceleration: Although Wasteland Strangler itself doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, by efficiently dealing with threats, it allows you to maintain a steady pace and apply pressure without needing to commit additional resources to deal with opposing creatures.
Instant Speed: While Wasteland Strangler is a creature with an entering the battlefield effect, the ability to use this effect on your own terms, in conjunction with exiling a card from your opponent’s graveyard, can feel akin to having an instant speed removal. Timing the casting of this card to maximize its disruptive potential is key for maintaining control of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Wasteland Strangler’s ability to exile another creature relies on an opponent’s card being exiled beforehand. This condition can sometimes be challenging to meet, leading to situations where the card’s potential is not fully utilized.
Specific Mana Cost: Wasteland Strangler’s colorless and black mana cost can be limiting, especially in multicolor decks where aligning mana sources is critical. Not all decks can accommodate such specific mana requirements without affecting consistency.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a three mana cost that includes two specific types – one colorless and two black – there are instances where the cost may be deemed too high for its 3/2 body and conditional ability, compared to other creatures or removal options available within the mana range.
Reasons to Include Wasteland Strangler in Your Collection
Versatility: Wasteland Strangler is a unique asset for any Devoid or Eldrazi-themed deck. Its ability to serve as both a removal and a creature on the battlefield allows for a flexible approach to gameplay, fitting into multiple strategies with ease.
Combo Potential: This creature can work wonders in a setup that exiles cards from the opponent’s graveyard. Pairing Wasteland Strangler with exile effects allows you to effectively weaken your opponent’s forces while establishing board presence, leading to potential game-swinging moments.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where efficient removal is key, Wasteland Strangler holds its ground. The creature’s ability to deal with threats while contributing to board development makes it a solid choice in a meta with creature-based strategies or in need of exile synergies.
How to beat
Wasteland Strangler emerges as a tactical piece in decks designed to exploit exile zones in Magic: The Gathering. Featuring a potent ability that can turn the tide by picking off an opponent’s creature, understanding its nuances is key. When facing this card, it’s wise to consider the interaction of graveyard and exile mechanics.
Strategic gameplay revolves around minimizing the chances for Wasteland Strangler to trigger its ability. This can be achieved by limiting the number of your creatures sent to exile or by employing instant-speed removal to handle the Strangler before its ability resolves. Another approach is to use spells that grant indestructibility or hexproof as means of safeguarding your valuable creatures from such targeted abilities.
By carefully navigating around these interactions and deploying protective measures, you can effectively neutralize this particular threat from your opponent’s arsenal. Keeping a watchful eye on the state of creatures within exile zones is essential, as Wasteland Strangler thrives on the exploitation of these spaces.
Cards like Wasteland Strangler
Wasteland Strangler presents an intriguing dynamic in Magic: The Gathering, with its ability to not only serve as a creature but also to act as a removal tool. This versatility brings to mind other cards like Skinrender, which similarly enters the battlefield and effects a creature’s strength but doesn’t offer exile interaction.
Nekrataal is another creature that provides a removal effect upon entering the battlefield, targeting nonartifact, nonblack creatures, without the necessity of exile to activate its ability. Unlike Wasteland Strangler, which relies on a card being exiled to trigger its ability, Nekrataal’s effect is guaranteed but is more restricted in its targets.
Comparing these, Wasteland Strangler has its niche in decks that interact with exile, allowing it to be a stronger option in certain strategies. Its requirement for an exiled card can be a setup challenge but a payoff in decks designed to manipulate opponents’ resources. This trait distinguishes it from others, proving its unique spot within black creature removal options in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Wasteland Strangler by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Wasteland Strangler MTG card by a specific set like Battle for Zendikar Promos and Battle for Zendikar, 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 Wasteland Strangler and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Wasteland Strangler Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2015-10-02 and 2015-10-02. Illustrated by Jack Wang.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015-10-02 | Battle for Zendikar Promos | PBFZ | 102s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jack Wang | |
| 2 | 2015-10-02 | Battle for Zendikar | BFZ | 102 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jack Wang |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Wasteland Strangler has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Wasteland Strangler card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-08-25 | A card with devoid is just colorless. It’s not colorless and the colors of mana in its mana cost. |
| 2015-08-25 | Cards with devoid use frames that are variations of the transparent frame traditionally used for Eldrazi. The top part of the card features some color over a background based on the texture of the hedrons that once imprisoned the Eldrazi. This coloration is intended to aid deckbuilding and game play. |
| 2015-08-25 | Devoid works in all zones, not just on the battlefield. |
| 2015-08-25 | Face-down cards in exile are grouped using two criteria: what caused them to be exiled face down and when they were exiled face down. If you want to put a face-down card in exile into its owner’s graveyard, you must first choose one of these groups and then choose a card from within that group at random. For example, say an artifact causes your opponent to exile their hand of three cards face down. Then on a later turn, that artifact causes your opponent to exile another two cards face down. If you use Wasteland Strangler to put one of those cards into their graveyard, you would pick the first or second pile and put a card chosen at random from that pile into the graveyard. |
| 2015-08-25 | If a card loses devoid, it will still be colorless. This is because effects that change an object’s color (like the one created by devoid) are considered before the object loses devoid. |
| 2015-08-25 | If a replacement effect will cause cards that would be put into a graveyard from anywhere to be exiled instead (such as the one created by Anafenza, the Foremost), you can still put an exiled card into its opponent’s graveyard. The card becomes a new object and remains in exile. In this situation, you can’t use a single exiled card if required to put more than one exiled card into the graveyard. Conversely, you could use the same card in this situation if two separate spells or abilities each required you to put a single exiled card into its owner’s graveyard. |
| 2015-08-25 | If a spell or ability requires that you put more than one exiled card into the graveyard, you may choose cards owned by different opponents. Each card chosen will be put into its owner’s graveyard. |
| 2015-08-25 | Other cards and abilities can give a card with devoid color. If that happens, it’s just the new color, not that color and colorless. |
| 2015-08-25 | You can’t look at face-down cards in exile unless an effect allows you to. |
