Akki Raider MTG Card


Akki Raider - Betrayers of Kamigawa
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Goblin Warrior
Released2005-02-04
Set symbol
Set nameBetrayers of Kamigawa
Set codeBOK
Power 2
Toughness 1
Number92
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byMartina Pilcerova

Key Takeaways

  1. Akki Raider grows stronger with lands entering the graveyard, enhancing aggressive and land-focused decks.
  2. While it can be a mana investment, its presence influences opponent decisions and battlefield dynamics.
  3. Effectively countering Akki Raider involves controlling graveyard interactions and timely removal.

Text of card

Whenever a land is put into a graveyard from play, Akki Raider gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

Akki were very territorial, attacking and destroying any settlements that came too close to their mountain homes. The more successful their raids, the bolder they became.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Akki Raider allows players to maintain consistent pressure on the battlefield. When lands come into play, it can transform into a formidable threat, potentially leading to card advantage as your opponent must deal with it or face increased damage over time.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Akki Raider doesn’t directly provide resource acceleration, its synergy with landfall effects can augment strategies built around putting lots of lands into play. This interaction can indirectly lead to faster mana development and enable casting high-cost spells sooner.

Instant Speed: The Akki Raider’s ability doesn’t operate at instant speed, but its threat of becoming stronger at any time a land enters under your control can complicate your opponent’s decisions—similar to the strategic advantage instant speed interaction provides. This ongoing threat can lead to a form of tempo advantage, as opponents may hesitate to commit resources knowing the Raider can grow unexpectedly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To harness the full potential of the Akki Raider, you might find yourself forced to discard cards, which could put you at a disadvantage, especially if your hand is already running thin.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature demands a particular blend of mana, red in this case, which could constrain its integration strictly to decks that can consistently produce the required color.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment needed to play the Akki Raider might not match up to the benefits it offers on the battlefield when weighed against other creatures or spells within the same mana range.


Reasons to Include Akki Raider in Your Collection

Versatility: Akki Raider can effortlessly adapt to various strategies thanks to its ability to grow stronger whenever a land card is put into a graveyard from play. This makes it a useful addition to land-focused or aggressive decks seeking to capitalize on land sacrifice synergies.

Combo Potential: This card can become a key piece in a combo-oriented deck that uses land destruction or self-mill strategies. Each land hitting the graveyard not only fuels its power boost but can also act as an enabler for other graveyard-based tactics.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where fetch lands or land destruction are prevalent, Akki Raider can gain unexpected advantages. As players often utilize lands that enter and leave the battlefield, Akki Raider’s inherent ability can become increasingly relevant, turning it into a formidable threat on the board.


How to Beat Akki Raider

Akki Raider is an intriguing creature card that can potentially grow stronger with every land your opponent has that hits the graveyard. This makes Akki Raider a variable threat in games of MTG. To effectively counter this card, it’s crucial to control the flow of lands to the graveyard. Utilizing graveyard hate cards such as Relic of Progenitus or Tormod’s Crypt can prevent land cards from reaching the graveyard and thus stop the Raider from gaining power.

Another strategy is to remove Akki Raider from the battlefield before it becomes too large of a threat. Instant-speed removal spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can take care of the Raider regardless of its size at a low mana cost. Preventing land destruction and land sacrifice strategies your opponent might employ is also key, so countering spells that destroy lands or force land sacrifice, will indirectly weaken Akki Raider’s power-boosting ability.

Overall, while the Akki Raider card presents a unique challenge in MTG, understanding and preparing for the mechanics that empower it will enable a player to maintain control over the game and effectively nullify the threat posed by this growing creature.


Cards like Akki Raider

Akki Raider holds a modest position among the roster of red creatures in Magic: The Gathering. When assessing its counterparts, the Raider’s ability to grow stronger with land destruction bears a similarity to Obsidian Fireheart. The Fireheart, however, brings a heftier impact by burning lands over time rather than requiring their sacrifice.

Evaluating other kin, the Barbarian Bully emerges as a relatable character. Like the Raider, the Bully also thrives on discard, offering players to pitch a card in exchange for an increased power peak. Despite their similarities, Bully’s forced discard can be more controlling while Raider’s land sacrifice is reactive to opponent’s moves, showcasing its situational strength in land destruction strategies.

Another entity in this network of analogues is Emberwilde Augur. While it lacks the persistent growth of the Raider, it compensates with a sacrifice ability to dish out direct damage. This direct damage route provides a different tactical angle compared to the Raider’s incremental power strategy, highlighting the versatility that each card offers within the broader red strategy palette.

Dissecting these contrasts, it’s clear Akki Raider is a unique piece within red aggressive decks, adept at exploiting land destruction for power surges in MTG.

Obsidian Fireheart - MTG Card versions
Barbarian Bully - MTG Card versions
Emberwilde Augur - MTG Card versions
Obsidian Fireheart - Zendikar (ZEN)
Barbarian Bully - Judgment (JUD)
Emberwilde Augur - Future Sight (FUT)

Cards similar to Akki Raider by color, type and mana cost

Rock Hydra - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Weaponsmith - MTG Card versions
Goblin Rock Sled - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Lieutenant - MTG Card versions
Goblin Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Heart Sliver - MTG Card versions
Mogg Flunkies - MTG Card versions
Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions
Fireslinger - MTG Card versions
Skittish Kavu - MTG Card versions
Rage Weaver - MTG Card versions
Minotaur Explorer - MTG Card versions
Sparksmith - MTG Card versions
Goblin Lookout - MTG Card versions
Skirk Marauder - MTG Card versions
Hellspark Elemental - MTG Card versions
Storm Entity - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Soldier - MTG Card versions
Mogg War Marshal - MTG Card versions
Mudbrawler Cohort - MTG Card versions
Rock Hydra - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Dwarven Weaponsmith - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Goblin Rock Sled - The Dark (DRK)
Dwarven Lieutenant - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Goblin Recruiter - Visions (VIS)
Heart Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
Mogg Flunkies - Stronghold (STH)
Goblin Elite Infantry - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Fireslinger - Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra (JVC)
Skittish Kavu - Invasion (INV)
Rage Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Minotaur Explorer - Odyssey (ODY)
Sparksmith - Onslaught (ONS)
Goblin Lookout - Legions (LGN)
Skirk Marauder - Legions (LGN)
Hellspark Elemental - DCI Promos (PDCI)
Storm Entity - Future Sight (FUT)
Dwarven Soldier - Masters Edition (ME1)
Mogg War Marshal - Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins (DD1)
Mudbrawler Cohort - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Akki Raider MTG card by a specific set like Betrayers of Kamigawa, 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 Akki Raider and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Akki Raider has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks