Ravenous Harpy MTG Card


Ravenous Harpy - Core Set 2019
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Harpy
Abilities Flying
Released2018-07-13
Set symbol
Set nameCore Set 2019
Set codeM19
Power 1
Toughness 2
Number115
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred bySam Rowan

Key Takeaways

  1. Sacrificing creatures for Ravenous Harpy’s growth can lead to substantial card advantage and impacting gameplay.
  2. Activating its ability at instant speed affords significant tactical flexibility and responsive play.
  3. Though resourceful, the Harpy’s need for creature sacrifices can potentially weaken your board position.

Text of card

Flying , Sacrifice another creature: Put a +1/+1 counter on Ravenous Harpy.

A harpy's hoard is a filthy, bloodstained pile of trinkets and corpses.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The ability of Ravenous Harpy to sacrifice other creatures can be parlayed into card advantage by disposing of expendable tokens or creatures that have done their part. This enables a flow of cards in decks that benefit from creatures entering the graveyard, nourishing strategies anchored in recursion or death-triggered effects.

Resource Acceleration: While the Ravenous Harpy itself doesn’t directly produce mana or tokens, it works synergistically with cards that do. Sacrificing creatures that generate mana or other resources when they die not only fuels the Harpy’s power but also accelerates your resource pool, seamlessly integrating into engines aimed at overpowering opponents swiftly.

Instant Speed: The Harpy’s sacrifice ability can be activated at instant speed, offering strategic depth to gameplay. This permits responses to removal spells or unfavorable blocks during combat, turning potential setbacks into opportunities for growth. In doing so, the Harpy can be a key tool for navigating the complex tapestry of MTG’s combat and interaction, allowing for an adaptable and unpredictable game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ravenous Harpy’s ability hinges on sacrificing creatures, a stipulation that can hinder your board presence. This demand can backfire if you’re without sufficient creature cards to sacrifice, constraining its strategic benefit.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s black mana cost necessitates a particular color commitment, which can restrict its incorporation outside of mono-black or appropriately mana-flexible decks. This can pose a deckbuilding challenge, especially for those looking to maintain a streamlined mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For three mana, the initial impact of Ravenous Harpy is less than overwhelming when compared to other cards at similar costs. The investment can be hefty in the early game, where establishing a board presence is crucial, and other cards might provide more immediate value or lower-cost synergies.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Ravenous Harpy serves as a valuable piece in several deck archetypes, its ability to sacrifice creatures making it a flexible card in both offensive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card becomes a key component in decks built around +1/+1 counters or sacrificing creatures for profit, empowering you to forge powerful interactions and synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where small creature strategies are prevalent, Ravenous Harpy can continuously grow in power, making it a formidable threat that can adapt and thrive within various metas.


How to beat

Ravenous Harpy presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to grow stronger as you sacrifice creatures. This card, representing an aerial threat, requires strategic planning and timely action to effectively counter. A straightforward approach is to remove it directly from play using removal spells before it has the chance to feed and strengthen. Instant-speed removal, such as naturalize effects that target flying creatures or kill spells like Doom Blade, ensures that you can respond to her feeding before your opponent’s end step.

Additionally, dealing with the fodder for the Harpy’s power-up is essential. Limiting the number of expendable creatures on your opponent’s side can stymie the Harpy’s growth, making it easier to manage or defeat in combat. Board wipes or spot removal can suppress the resources needed for her to become a threat. Prioritizing the defeat of a Ravenous Harpy is key, as an unchecked Harpy can rapidly become a dominant force, particularly in a deck built to exploit its sacrifice synergy. In sum, quick removal and control over the board state are your best allies in conquering a Ravenous Harpy.


Cards like Ravenous Harpy

Ravenous Harpy serves as an intriguing creature within the vast array of options for sacrifice synergy in Magic: The Gathering. Reflecting upon Harpy’s ability to gain a +1/+1 counter whenever you sacrifice another creature, we can examine comparable cards such as Bloodthrone Vampire. Both cards prosper in decks built around self-sacrifice for value, but Bloodthrone Vampire lacks the persistent growth offered by Ravenous Harpy’s counter accumulation.

Another card that springs to mind is Viscera Seer, which shares the sacrifice mechanic yet steers it towards scrying to improve card quality rather than bolstering its own power as Ravenous Harpy does. While both have their uses, they serve different roles within their respective strategies. Lastly, Carrion Feeder emerges as a candidate, also growing with each creature sacrifice, akin to Ravenous Harpy. However, it’s immune to being sacrificed itself, which can be a pivotal advantage depending on the situation.

Overall, Ravenous Harpy boasts a unique combination of sacrifice-driven growth, carving out its niche in MTG decks focusing on incremental advantage through creature control.

Bloodthrone Vampire - MTG Card versions
Viscera Seer - MTG Card versions
Carrion Feeder - MTG Card versions
Bloodthrone Vampire - URL/Convention Promos (PURL)
Viscera Seer - Magic 2011 (M11)
Carrion Feeder - Scourge (SCG)

Cards similar to Ravenous Harpy by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Dusk Imp - MTG Card versions
Severed Legion - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hypnotic Specter - Magic Player Rewards 2006 (P06)
Dusk Imp - Tenth Edition (10E)
Severed Legion - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ravenous Harpy MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2019, 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 Ravenous Harpy and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ravenous Harpy has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

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