Corpse Traders MTG Card

Corpse Traders gives you control by forcing an opponent’s discard at instant speed. High mana cost and self-discarding make it less efficient than similar cards. Strategic use in discard-focused decks can significantly disrupt opponents.

Avacyn Restored (AVR)
2012-05-04 - Number 90

Corpse Traders - Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska (DDM)

Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska (DDM)
2014-03-14 - Number 58

Jumpstart (JMP)
2020-07-17 - Number 220

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Rogue
Power	3
Toughness	3

Text of card

, Sacrifice a creature: Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose a card from it. That player discards that card. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.

Those without breath can't complain.

Cards like Corpse Traders

Corpse Traders emerges as an interesting choice for players looking to delve into the subtleties of Magic: The Gathering’s creature-based strategies. This card mirrors the mechanics of cards like Liliana’s Specter – both creatures compel a discard when they hit the battlefield. However, unlike Liliana’s Specter, which affects each opponent and is free upon entering, Corpse Traders requires an investment of mana and a sacrifice to trigger its ability.

Another card striking a resemblance is Sadistic Hypnotist, offering repeatable discard at the sacrifice of a creature. Although the Hypnotist does not need mana to activate its power, it cannot be employed at instant speed, a flexibility that Corpse Traders holds. Additionally, Brain Maggot presents a related concept, where the emphasis is on exiling a card from an opponent’s hand until Brain Maggot leaves the field, providing a type of hand disruption that is more temporary but doesn’t necessitate trading in your creatures.

To sum up, when evaluating cards geared towards hand disruption, Corpse Traders uniquely balances creature sacrifice with strategic timing, presenting an asset in MTG decks that capitalize on dictating opponents’ options and timing.

Cards similar to Corpse Traders by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Corpse Traders, when effectively utilized, can disturb your opponent’s strategy by compelling them to discard a card of your choice, potentially giving you an edge by stripping their hand of key resources.

Resource Acceleration: Although Corpse Traders does not directly accelerate resources, it strategically depletes opponent’s resources which can indirectly influence the pace of the game to your favor.

Instant Speed: The ability of Corpse Traders to activate at instant speed gives players the flexibility to wait until the most advantageous moment to force an opponent to discard, thereby maximizing the potential tactical advantage.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Corpse Traders demands that a player discard a card to activate its ability. This can deplete hand resources quickly, which is undesirable in situations where maintaining card advantage is key.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost includes both black mana and generic mana, making it a less flexible option for multicolored decks. Its restrictive mana requirement can impede a deck’s overall fluidity.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four-mana cost that pays for a single instance of its ability, Corpse Traders may fall behind in efficiency. Other creatures or spells offer similar or more impactful effects for a lower investment, giving them a competitive edge over Corpse Traders in many deck builds.

Reasons to Include Corpse Traders in Your Collection

Versatility: Corpse Traders is a flexible card that can be included in decks that exploit sacrificing mechanics or require manipulation of the opponent’s hand. Its ability to force a discard can be tactically important in disrupting your opposition’s strategy.

Combo Potential: The discard effect of Corpse Traders works well with various graveyard-centric strategies. It can set up or enhance combos that benefit from certain cards being in any graveyard, such as reanimation themes or enabling delve.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state that favors resource control and hand disruption, Corpse Traders serves as a useful tool. In particular against strategies that rely on having specific combos or key cards in hand, Corpse Traders ensures that nothing is safe, adding a powerful psychological edge to matches.

How to beat

Corpse Traders, a niche card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, has a distinct set of abilities centered around card advantage and strategic insight into an opponent’s hand. The card operates by allowing its controller to pay a certain amount of mana and sacrifice Corpse Traders to force an opponent to reveal their hand, subsequently discarding a card of the Corpse Traders player’s choice.

When facing Corpse Traders, the best strategy is to minimize its impact. You could employ cards with hexproof to protect your hand from being revealed or rely on instant-speed removals to dispatch the Traders before their ability is activated. You can also hold onto cards that aren’t crucial in the matchup, so if you have to discard, you lose something less valuable. Additionally, casting spells that refill your hand can mitigate Corpse Traders’ downside, ensuring you maintain card advantage.

Strategic foresight can prevent Corpse Traders from being a significant threat. Cards like Duress or Thoughtseize can preemptively remove it from the opponent’s hand. Essentially, any action that can disrupt or dilute the Corpse Traders’ ability is key to overcoming the challenge it poses, maintaining the balance in your favor throughout the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Corpse Traders MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored and Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska, 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 Corpse Traders and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Corpse Traders Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2012-05-04 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Kev Walker.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2012-05-04	Avacyn Restored	AVR	90	2003	Normal	Black	Kev Walker
2	2014-03-14	Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska	DDM	58	2003	Normal	Black	Kev Walker
3	2020-07-17	Jumpstart	JMP	220	2015	Normal	Black	Kev Walker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Corpse Traders has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Commander	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Corpse Traders card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2012-05-01	You can sacrifice Corpse Traders to pay the cost of its ability.
2013-04-15	If you cast this as normal during your main phase, it will enter the battlefield and you’ll receive priority. If no abilities trigger because of this, you can activate its ability immediately, before any other player has a chance to remove it from the battlefield.