Rapacious Dragon MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Dragon
Abilities Flying,Treasure
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Rapacious Dragon provides card advantage by creating two Treasure tokens upon entry.
  2. The Treasure tokens can be used at instant speed, offering strategic flexibility.
  3. Despite its benefits, the dragon’s specific mana requirements may limit its use.

Text of card

Flying When Rapacious Dragon enters the battlefield, create two Treasure tokens. (They're artifacts with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")

"Surely it won't notice if I take—" —Theria the Sly, last words


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Rapacious Dragon enters the battlefield, it brings with it two Treasure tokens, effectively drawing you into additional resources. This can be crucial for staying ahead or catching up on board presence by offering extra options in subsequent turns.

Resource Acceleration: The two Treasure tokens generated by this card are key for ramping up your mana capabilities quickly. Not only does this facilitate casting higher-cost cards earlier than usual, but it also gives you the versatility to adapt to diverse color requirements that your deck may demand.

Instant Speed: Although Rapacious Dragon acts at sorcery speed, the Treasure tokens it creates can be utilized at instant speed. This means you have the flexibility to respond to opponents’ actions during their turn, keeping your strategy adaptable and unpredictable.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Rapacious Dragon comes with a specific mana cost that includes both generic and red mana. This could dictate its inclusion to decks that are heavily red or have a mana base that can comfortably support red-centric cards, excluding it from more color-diverse decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, Rapacious Dragon can be considered quite costly, particularly in faster-paced games where lower-cost creatures and spells can lead to quicker starts and more immediate board presence. Players may opt for alternative mid-game cards that provide a more formidable impact upon arrival on the battlefield.

Discard Requirement: While not directly applicable in the case of Rapacious Dragon, akin to other cards that have discard requirements, a hypothetical downside is the self-handicap of reducing your card advantage, which could be detrimental in prolonged games where every card counts.


Reasons to Include Rapacious Dragon in Your Collection

Versatility: Rapacious Dragon offers a flexible role in your deck, serving as both a threat and a ramp mechanism. It’s a solid fit in dragon tribal or artifact-themed decks, thanks to its ability to generate Treasure tokens.

Combo Potential: The two Treasure tokens provided by Rapacious Dragon can fuel combos by offering both mana acceleration and artifacts to sacrifice. They synergize well with mechanics like improvise or can enable a quick ramp into larger threats.

Meta-Relevance: With many decks focusing on building value over time, Rapacious Dragon can be an unexpected boon. It helps you stay ahead on mana while providing a sizable creature presence. Its relevance in the meta is further emphasized in matches where tempo is key.


How to beat

Rapacious Dragon is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, offering both a respectable body on the battlefield and a Treasure token-generating ability upon entering the play. This dual-threat capability can quickly turn the scales of a match by ramping up your opponent’s mana capacity and strengthening their subsequent plays.

When facing off against a Rapacious Dragon, you’ll find that effective removal spells are key to mitigating its impact. Instant-speed answers such as Cast Down or Path to Exile can eliminate the dragon before it can support any significant advantage. It’s also crucial to control the number of Treasure tokens in play, if possible, as these can accelerate the casting of expensive spells or enable multi-colored deck strategies. Artifacts like Karn, Scion of Urza can be instrumental in controlling or exploiting these tokens, while cards like By Force or Shatterstorm can clear them away entirely.

A thorough understanding of the deck type you’re playing against and a strategy that includes artifact interaction will go a long way in controlling a Rapacious Dragon’s influence on the game. Swift action combined with effective artifact management can ensure the dragon’s treasures don’t lead to your downfall.


BurnMana Recommendations

Unlocking the full potential of Rapacious Dragon can reshape your gameplay, fuel faster deck strategies, and elicit a robust board presence. With its ability to ramp up mana and its synergy with various mechanics, this standout creature is a keystone in dynamic deck builds. Incorporate it into your collection to master the dance of mana acceleration and artifact utilization, enhancing your MTG strategies. We encourage you to delve further into the depth of this fiery dragon’s capabilities and the creative combos it can ignite. Discover more ways to optimize your deck with Rapacious Dragon by joining our community of players seeking to conquer the MTG arena.


Cards like Rapacious Dragon

Rapacious Dragon stands out in the world of Magic: The Gathering as a unique creature that combines the aspects of resource generation and artwork. It shares some common ground with Dragonspeaker Shaman, another dragon-related card that reduces the cost of dragon spells. While Dragonspeaker Shaman focuses on making your dragons easier to cast, Rapacious Dragon takes a different approach by providing an immediate benefit in the form of Treasure tokens when it enters the battlefield.

Another similar card is Dockside Extortionist which also specializes in producing Treasure tokens. The Extortionist has the potential to create a larger number of tokens based on the number of artifacts and enchantments your opponents control. However, unlike the Extortionist, Rapacious Dragon adds a 3/3 flying body to the board, which can be crucial for maintaining board presence.

Then there’s Stormwing Dragon, offering a mix of flying prowess and a bolster mechanic to make itself or other creatures tougher. While it doesn’t produce Treasure tokens, it does provide a different type of tactical advantage. Each of these cards caters to different strategies within MTG, yet Rapacious Dragon remains a favored choice for its balance of immediate impact and aerial threat.

Dragonspeaker Shaman - MTG Card versions
Dockside Extortionist - MTG Card versions
Stormwing Dragon - MTG Card versions
Dragonspeaker Shaman - Scourge (SCG)
Dockside Extortionist - Commander 2019 (C19)
Stormwing Dragon - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rapacious Dragon MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2020 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 Rapacious Dragon and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Rapacious Dragon Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2019-07-12 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-07-12Core Set 2020M20 1532015normalblackJohan Grenier
22020-07-17JumpstartJMP 3582015normalblackJohan Grenier
32020-08-07Double Masters2XM 1402015normalblackJohan Grenier
42022-10-14Game Night: Free-for-AllGN3 852015normalblackJohan Grenier
52022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 802015normalblackYumi Ozuno
62023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 2482015normalblackJohan Grenier

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rapacious Dragon has restrictions

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

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