Cutthroat Contender MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Vampire Warrior |
| Released | 2022-04-29 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Streets of New Capenna |
| Set code | SNC |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 73 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Mark Behm |
Key Takeaways
- Cutthroat Contender offers important card advantage by drawing extra cards when dealing combat damage.
- Its ability to create Treasure tokens accelerates players’ mana, enabling quicker high-cost spell plays.
- Being castable at instant speed adds a surprise element, enriching strategic combat options.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Cutthroat Contender 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 Cutthroat Contender and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Text of card
Pay 1 life: Cutthroat Contender gets +1/+0 until end of turn. Activate only once each turn.
The fights may sometimes be rigged, but the front-row spectators know the wounds are real.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Cutthroat Contender ensures you keep a full grip of options, thanks to its ability to potentially draw a card upon dealing combat damage to a player. This type of advantage can tilt the tide of a game by providing consistently fresh resources.
Resource Acceleration: Aside from adding to your hand, this creature can ramp up your available mana. By potentially dealing combat damage, it can add a Treasure token to your reserve, which not only accelerates your mana resources but can also be a catalyst for casting higher-cost spells earlier in the game.
Instant Speed: The versatility of Cutthroat Contender is further enhanced by its flash ability, allowing you to cast it at instant speed. This enables strategic plays by surprising your opponent with an unexpected blocker or by simply flashing in a threat at the end of their turn to apply pressure on your next turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Cutthroat Contender necessitates discarding another card to activate its key ability. This can strain your hand, especially if you’re struggling to maintain card advantage during the game.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both black and red mana narrows its compatibility, demanding a dedicated deck build or compromising mana bases in multicolor decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its abilities, the cost to get Cutthroat Contender in play might be steep. Competing cards could provide more immediate or significant impact on the battlefield for the same, or lower, mana investment.
Reasons to Include Cutthroat Contender in Your Collection
Versatility: Cutthroat Contender is a flexible card that can easily find a home in various deck types. With its balanced stats and potential for creature interaction, it can be a solid addition to both aggressive and midrange decks.
Combo Potential: Owing to its capabilities, Cutthroat Contender can synergize with strategies that capitalize on combat tricks or abilities triggering whenever a creature deals combat damage to a player. It fits seamlessly into decks that aim to manipulate and take advantage of these moments.
Meta-Relevance: Given that the card can adapt to diverse playstyles, its relevance in the meta cannot be understated. If the current competitive scene favors creature-based tactics or decks that require versatile threats, Cutthroat Contender is likely to thrive, making it a worthy pick for players looking to stay ahead.
How to beat
The strategic landscape of Magic: The Gathering boasts a myriad of tactics to triumph over your opponents, and facing the prowess of Cutthroat Contender requires a well-thought-out plan. This formidable card, which thrives in combat situations, can be a challenge to deal with once it’s bolstering the ranks of your adversary’s battlefield.
To overcome this obstacle, consider employing removal spells that can target it before it accrues too many bonuses or becomes too large a threat. Spot removal, such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile, can dispatch Cutthroat Contender efficiently. Control strategies also excel in these scenarios, where counterspells like Mana Leak or the timely use of board wipes, like Wrath of God, prevent your opponent from gaining the upper hand. Don’t underestimate the value of a strong defense either. Deploy blockers with enough toughness to withstand the assault, circumventing the need for direct confrontation and biding your time to strategize.
Acknowledging the potential of Cutthroat Contender is crucial, yet with careful deck construction and a keener awareness during play, victory remains within reach. Navigating past this challenge exemplifies the depth and complexity of Magic: The Gathering, where each card can be met with a countermove, maintaining the dynamic balance of power.
Cards like Cutthroat Contender
Cutthroat Contender enters the array of creature cards in MTG with a robust array of abilities, inviting comparison to other efficient creatures. Its prowess in combat is akin to that of Fencing Ace, which also doubles damage through its double strike ability. However, Cutthroat Contender introduces a twist with its duel-winning potential, rewarding you for outperforming your opponent in battle.
Similarly, Combat Celebrant offers a dynamic approach to combat, providing an extra combat phase, which contrasts the Cutthroat Contender’s focus on individual duels. While Combat Celebrant can affect the broader scope of a game turn, Cutthroat Contender hones in on winning a singular, decisive clash. Also of note is Swiftblade Vindicator, a creature with both double strike and vigilance, providing both offensive and defensive utility, yet Cutthroat Contender’s ability to draw a card upon winning a duel adds an element of card advantage not seen in the Vindicator’s skill set.
Ultimately, though these creatures all share a focus on enhancing combat capabilities, Cutthroat Contender sets itself apart with an emphasis on one-on-one combat and the card advantage which can tip the scales in a tightly contested match in MTG. Its specialized duel-centric ability neatly carves a niche for itself among its counterparts.
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Cutthroat Contender 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 |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |