Crooked Custodian MTG Card

Adaptability through copying permanents enhances board strategy and creates indirect card advantage. Resource ramp is possible by imitating permanents with beneficial mana abilities or effects. Though not instant-speed itself, Custodian incentivizes decks structured around such interactions.

Crooked Custodian - Streets of New Capenna

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Ogre Rogue
Released	2022-04-29
Set symbol
Set name	Streets of New Capenna
Set code	SNC
Power	3
Toughness	2
Number	71
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Tony Foti

Text of card

Crooked Custodian enters the battlefield tapped.

"Nothing to see here. Just carrying a carpet. Yes, the carpet wears boots. Stop asking questions."

Cards like Crooked Custodian

The Crooked Custodian adds an intriguing angle to the pool of creatures in MTG. In terms of creature functionality, it might remind players of Deranged Assistant, which also assists in the process of self-mill. Deranged Assistant provides the upside of milling each turn, similar to Crooked Custodian. Yet, there’s no mana ability associated with our Custodian, setting them apart in deck synergy and game dynamics.

Looking at Sultai Emissary, we find another creature that dumps cards into the graveyard but through a different trigger — upon its death, rather than an activated ability like Crooked Custodian. While Sultai Emissary offers a manifest mechanic, putting Crooked Custodian in a separate strategic position for graveyard setup and resource management.

Dusk Legion Zealot presents a parallel in card economy. Although this vampire ally doesn’t mill, it offers card draw at the cost of life rather than the strategic mill the Custodian offers. The Crooked Custodian balances graveyard strategy with creature utility, making it a versatile choice for decks looking to exploit graveyard resources without losing board presence.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Crooked Custodian doesn’t directly let you draw cards, its ability to become a copy of any permanent you control with a mana value of 3 or less offers strategic versatility on the board. This adaptability frequently results in potent combinations and indirect card advantage by maximizing the utility of your existing cards.

Resource Acceleration: The Crooked Custodian isn’t designed to accelerate resources in the typical sense of producing mana or treasure tokens. However, by copying permanents with mana abilities or other resource-generating effects, this card can indirectly contribute to ramping up your available resources each turn, aligning well with decks that leverage multiple permanents with beneficial static abilities or entering the battlefield effects.

Instant Speed: As a creature, Crooked Custodian can’t be played at instant speed, but it synergizes well with cards that do. It beckons for strategic deck building around instant-speed plays, allowing you to surprise opponents by copying a newly played permanent or one that has gained an advantageous ability at a pivotal moment of the game.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Crooked Custodian demands a card discard as part of its casting cost. This condition can deplete your hand, potentially causing a setback if your deck relies on having multiple options available per turn.

Specific Mana Cost: The Custodian’s mana cost necessitates two black mana, making it challenging to fit into multicolored decks without a well-tuned mana base. Players not committed to black might find this requirement restrictive.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two black, Crooked Custodian has a steeper entry on the battlefield compared to some other creatures in its category. This might not always align with a deck’s tempo, especially when more cost-efficient creatures could be played instead.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Crooked Custodian can easily integrate into diverse deck builds, notably those requiring a resilient blocker or a creature that benefits from graveyard synergy.

Combo Potential: With its ability to potentially recur from the graveyard, this card is a solid component in strategies centered around creature sacrifice and recursion, amplifying such combos.

Meta-Relevance: Given its durable nature and synergy with popular graveyard-based strategies, Crooked Custodian is poised to make an impact in a meta where such tactics are flourishing.

How to beat

Crooked Custodian brings a unique layer of strategy to a Magic: The Gathering match. A formidable adversary with its Ward—Discard a card ability, neutralizing it demands calculated counters. To outplay this persistent guard, leverage removal spells that don’t target, such as board wipes like Shatter the Sky or Doomskar. These allow you to avoid the ward cost entirely.

Another effective strategy involves spells or creatures possessing hexproof or shroud, ensuring your attacks aren’t hindered by its abilities. Consider settling small creatures quickly or employing indirect damage through abilities or spells that can bypass the custodian’s ward, maintaining pressure without the need to discard. Lastly, hand disruption plays can be pivotal, stripping away a card that protects the custodian or employing graveyard tactics could turn the table in your favor.

Understanding the intricacies and employing the right countermeasures will make Crooked Custodian less of an obstacle. Whether through sweeping destruction or strategic nullifying of its advantages, the way to regain control of the board from its grasps lies within adept deck building and timely plays.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Crooked Custodian MTG card by a specific set like Streets of New Capenna, 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 Crooked Custodian and other MTG cards:

BUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Crooked Custodian has restrictions

Format	Legality
Standard	Legal
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Future	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Timeless	Legal