Bone Picker MTG Card
2017-04-28 - Number 81
2020-07-17 - Number 212
2020-08-07 - Number 78
2020-08-13 - Number 94
2022-12-02 - Number 383
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Bird |
| Abilities | Deathtouch,Flying |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Bone Picker costs less to cast if a creature died this turn. Flying, deathtouch
They are the first to greet dissenters on their journey into exile.
Cards like Bone Picker
Bone Picker carves a niche in creature cards with its unique cost reduction mechanic in MTG. This card parallels creatures like Murderous Rider, which also offers a creature removal ability. However, Bone Picker can be cast for a single black mana if a creature died this turn, making it impressively cost-effective. Murderous Rider requires three mana and has lifelink, but doesn’t share the same cost reduction feature.
Delving deeper, we come across Dread Wanderer that returns from the graveyard to the battlefield, albeit at a higher cost and under specific conditions. Although it doesn’t boast an evasion ability like Bone Picker’s flying, it adds resilience to the board. Carrion Feeder is another card that benefits from creature death, growing stronger each time you sacrifice a creature, yet it doesn’t have the evasion or deathtouch that makes Bone Picker a threat in the air and in combat.
Ultimately, when we compare the mechanics and in-game leverage, Bone Picker holds a distinct position in MTG for its sheer efficiency and combat potential, especially in decks that consistently trigger its cost reduction and maximize its deathtouch ability.
Cards similar to Bone Picker by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Bone Picker. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Golgari Gardens | Pauper | Golgari Gardens | Pauper League 2024-01-22 |
 | Mono-Black Midrange | Pauper | BLUE - SAT - 1PM - Chicago Pauper Cup | |
 | Golgari Aggro | Pauper | BLUE - SAT - 1PM - Chicago Pauper Cup | |
| BG | Pauper | Pauper Challenge 32 2024-01-06 | |
| B | Pauper | Pauper League 2023-12-05 | |
| Mono-Black Burn | Pauper | Sprint Wheel Event - Geddon Series 1^ tappa MILANO 2024 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Bone Picker grants a unique strategic advantage by ensuring you maintain creature presence on the board. Its simple presence often discourages opponents from attacking or blocking, which can lead to advantageous situations for you.
Resource Acceleration: This card compliments strategies focused on sacrificing creatures or utilizing death triggers. Integrating Bone Picker into such decks can reduce the need for additional mana sources, effectively ramping up your play, as it can cost less mana under certain conditions.
Instant Speed: Though not castable at instant speed itself, Bone Picker can effectively function as instant speed removal payoff. If any creature died during the turn, including your opponents’, you can deploy Bone Picker at a reduced cost, maximizing your resource efficiency and maintaining tempo.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Bone Picker necessitates the occurrence of a creature’s death before you can exploit its reduced mana cost. This requirement can be restrictive as it depends heavily on the board state and whether you can consistently orchestrate the demise of creatures, be it your own or your opponent’s.
Specific Mana Cost: Even with its cost reduction ability, the Bone Picker demands one black mana to cast. This requirement can be challenging in multicolored decks that may not always have the necessary black mana source when needed to deploy this scavenger at its discounted rate.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Without meeting the condition for its reduced cost, a four mana investment for a 3/2 flying creature may not be the most mana-efficient option. In situations where triggering its alternative cost isn’t possible, other creatures or spells could provide more impactful board presence or effects for the same or lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Bone Picker is not confined to a single deck archetype. Its low mana cost and flying ability make it a suitable addition to various black-oriented decks, particularly those capitalizing on creature removal or sacrifice strategies.
Combo Potential: This card thrives in an environment rich with creatures dying, pairing seamlessly with cards that dictate when and how creatures go to the graveyard, thus allowing easy exploitation of its reduced cost mechanic.
Meta-Relevance: Within the MTG universe, where aggressive strategies often dominate, Bone Picker can be a cost-effective way to gain presence on the board and turn the tides of creature-based combat, which is commonplace in many current metagames.
How to beat Bone Picker
Bone Picker is a formidable card in Magic: The Gathering, known for its low-cost potential and deathtouch ability. Players may become wary once it hits the battlefield due to its efficiency in eliminating opposing creatures. The key to overcoming this threat involves understanding its conditional casting cost and utilizing timing to your advantage.
To effectively counter Bone Picker, it’s crucial to manage creature combat outcomes. Since the discounted casting cost triggers upon the death of another creature this turn, avoid unnecessary skirmishes that could lead to your creatures dying. Instead, opt for removal spells that can bypass its deathtouch by not engaging it in combat, such as a simple Unsummon or using exile effects to permanently remove it from the game.
Additionally, you can exploit its lack of hexproof or shroud. This leaves Bone Picker susceptible to a variety of targeted removal spells, allowing you to handle it before it starts picking off your creatures. By adopting a careful approach and having the right answers in your hand, Bone Picker becomes less of a threat and more of a manageable nuisance in your MTG matches.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Bone Picker MTG card by a specific set like Amonkhet and Jumpstart, 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 Bone Picker and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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 Bone Picker Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2017-04-28 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Yeong-Hao Han.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-04-28 | Amonkhet | AKH | 81 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han | |
| 2 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart | JMP | 212 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han | |
| 3 | 2020-08-07 | Double Masters | 2XM | 78 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han | |
| 4 | 2020-08-13 | Amonkhet Remastered | AKR | 94 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han | |
| 5 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 383 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Yeong-Hao Han |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Bone Picker has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Bone Picker card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2020-08-07 | In a multiplayer game, a player may lose the game at the same time that their creatures die. If so, Bone Picker's cost reduction applies. |