Benthic Criminologists MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Merfolk Wizard |
| Released | 2024-02-09 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Murders at Karlov Manor |
| Set code | MKM |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 5 |
| Number | 40 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Johan Grenier |
Key Takeaways
- Benthic Criminologists grants card advantage by revealing and potentially drawing nonland cards at will.
- Activating at instant speed, it provides strategic flexibility and can boost your turns significantly.
- While powerful, the card’s requirement to discard and specific mana cost may limit some strategies.
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Benthic Criminologists. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Grixis Control | Free form | Standard Pauper Tournament Feb 2024 |
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Benthic Criminologists MTG card by a specific set like Murders at Karlov Manor, 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 Benthic Criminologists 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
Text of card
Whenever Benthic Criminologists enters the battlefield or attacks, you may sacrifice an artifact. If you do, draw a card.
Scientists from the Simic Combine are regularly seconded to various detective agencies in hopes that sharing their expertise will improve the guild's tarnished reputation.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Benthic Criminologists shine when it comes to card advantage, allowing you to peek at the top card of your library at any time, and if it’s a nonland card, you may reveal it and put it into your hand.
Resource Acceleration: This card excels in resource acceleration by permitting you to put the top three cards of your library into your graveyard, thus fueling graveyard strategies and potential reanimation plays which can significantly ramp up your board position.
Instant Speed: One of Benthic Criminologists’ compelling features is the capability to activate its abilities at instant speed, providing you the flexibility to adapt to the evolving game state and maximizing the potential of your turns.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Benthic Criminologists compel players to discard another card, which can be counterproductive when trying to retain key strategies in the hand.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost of Benthic Criminologists is particular to blue mana, which may not align well with multicolor decks that struggle to consistently meet blue mana quotas.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost on the steeper side, players might find that Benthic Criminologists take up a turn where quicker alternatives could set a faster game tempo or provide a better board presence.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Benthic Criminologists shine in diverse deck environments. Its ability to enable milling and provide card draw is beneficial in many blue-centric decks, aiming for control or disruption strategies.
Combo Potential: This card’s synergies with graveyard play make it a must-have. It can fuel delve strategies or enhance the power of spells that scale with the number of cards in an opponent’s graveyard.
Meta-Relevance: In metas where graveyard-based decks reign, Benthic Criminologists can be a silver bullet. It serves as both a disruption piece and a card engine, making it relevant in a constantly evolving competitive scene.
How to beat
Benthic Criminologists is a card that offers strategic depth to players in MTG. As with any card, understanding its mechanics is key to countering it effectively. This card poses a unique challenge, and overcoming it requires a careful approach. Recognize that the card thrives in decks with a focus on graveyard interactions, allowing its controller to potentially benefit from what’s swimming in the depths of their graveyard.
Overcome the card’s advantage by employing graveyard hate strategies. Cards like Relic of Progenitus or Leyline of the Void can disrupt graveyard-based tactics, negating the benefits that Benthic Criminologists might grant. Additionally, applying removal spells that exile can prevent the card from hitting the board in the first place, bypassing its potential to impact the game.
A solid understanding of the set’s mechanics and the role Benthic Criminologists plays in its native environment will put you one step closer to mastering your MTG plays. Adapt your strategy to mitigate your opponent’s graveyard usage, maintain a strong defense against underwater schemes, and you’ll enhance your chances of emerging victorious. It’s about anticipation and knowing when to strike.
Cards like Benthic Criminologists
Benthic Criminologists offers Magic: The Gathering players a unique blend of underwater sleuthing and game mechanics. It plays in a space similar to that of Ravenous Daggertooth, providing a creature that has the potential to bring about gains with certain conditions met. However, Benthic Criminologists stands out by focusing on specific interactions with other cards and establishing a synergy that reinforces control over the game’s flow.
When analyzing creatures that jive well with mechanics of clues and investigatory theme, you might consider Tireless Tracker. This card shares a semblance with Benthic Criminologists in its ability to take advantage of the clues you accumulate, though Tireless Tracker creates clues directly through land plays and uses them for growth and card draw. On the other hand, Benthic Criminologists offers a different form of utility, potentially disrupting opponents’ strategies while also leveraging any clues you have on board.
Ultimately, while Benthic Criminologists may not create resources as Tireless Tracker does, it certainly excels in its unique role among blue creatures. It gives strategists an edge in deciphering their opponent’s moves and crafting a victorious strategy within the MTG arena, particularly when weaving together a narrative of clues and subterfuge.
Cards similar to Benthic Criminologists by color, type and mana cost
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Benthic Criminologists has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Standardbrawl | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |