Species Gorger MTG Card


Species Gorger - Dragon's Maze
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Frog Beast
Released2013-05-03
Set symbol
Set nameDragon's Maze
Set codeDGM
Power 6
Toughness 6
Number105
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byMin Yum

Key Takeaways

  1. Boasts reusable enter-the-battlefield effects, enabling strategic advantages with each upkeep.
  2. Can hinder board presence, especially if no other creatures are available to replay.
  3. Offers powerful synergy in decks utilizing creature bounce mechanics for control.

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, return a creature you control to its owner's hand.

"We raised eelhawks to control the squidflies, then waspcrabs to prey on the eelhawks. Now what do we do with all these waspcrabs?" —Gulistan, Simic biomancer


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Species Gorger provides a consistent mechanism to return a creature to your hand at the beginning of your upkeep. This can be particularly potent with creatures that have valuable enter-the-battlefield effects, essentially allowing you to trigger those abilities repeatedly for persistent card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing resource acceleration, Species Gorger can indirectly contribute to it. By returning mana dorks or creatures with cost-reducing abilities to your hand, you can re-deploy them for an effective mana boost on subsequent turns, thus facilitating larger plays earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: While Species Gorger itself doesn’t have instant speed, it synergizes well with instant-speed spells and abilities. By bouncing your own creatures, you can save them from removal, or you can free up mana by replaying creatures with tap abilities at instant speed. This can add an element of surprise and flexibility to your strategy.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Despite not mandating a card to be discarded, Species Gorger requires you to return a creature you control to your hand during each upkeep. This process can set back your board presence, particularly if you have no other creatures to play or if the returned creature has summoning sickness upon its replay.

Specific Mana Cost: With a green and blue mana cost, Species Gorger’s playability is constrained within those color combinations. This limitation may not sync well with decks that do not focus on or support Simic guild mechanics or themes, potentially affecting the card’s utility in various multi-colored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a total of five mana which includes both green and blue specifics, Species Gorger commands a relatively high cost for its 6/6 body. Considering the current meta where there are creatures with lower costs and impactful enters-the-battlefield effects or other evasive abilities, the cost-efficiency of Species Gorger might be viewed as less favorable.


Reasons to Include Species Gorger in Your Collection

Versatility: Species Gorger offers a unique flexibility in decks that thrive on bouncing creatures back to hand. This can be particularly useful when reusing enter-the-battlefield abilities or saving key creatures from removal.

Combo Potential: This card opens up dynamic combo routes, interacting seamlessly with creatures that have powerful effects when they enter the battlefield or when other creatures are returned to a player’s hand.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where games tend to go longer, Species Gorger provides recurring value, making it a worthwhile addition against decks that struggle to permanently deal with repeated threats.


How to beat

The Species Gorger poses an interesting challenge for players looking to maintain control on the battlefield. This amphibious creature card has the bounce ability, enabling a return to the owner’s hand at the beginning of each upkeep, which can be strategically advantageous for deck rotation but also a vulnerability. The key to outmaneuvering Species Gorger lies in timing and resource management. It’s essential to exploit the moments it’s off the board, as it consumes significant mana resources upon each return. Efficient removal spells and quick creatures can put pressure on an opponent relying on the Gorger’s rhythm.

Counterspells are also a highly effective tool. By interrupting the cycle of the Species Gorger, players can force opponents to either commit more mana to replay it or to deal with a growing threat on the other side of the board. Permanent lockdown tactics, such as enchantments that prevent creatures from untapping or cards that impose summoning costs, can turn the Species Gorger’s ability from an asset to a liability. By anticipating your opponent’s plays and maintaining board presence, the imposing Species Gorger can be rendered less of a threat and more of a strategic misstep.


Cards like Species Gorger

Species Gorger, within the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering, swims in a pool shared with several other creatures that bounce themselves or other creatures back to their owner’s hand. Compared to Roaring Primadox, which also returns a creature each turn, Species Gorger offers a larger body on the battlefield. Roaring Primadox might be more accessible in terms of mana cost, yet Species Gorger provides a more formidable presence.

Stampeding Wildebeests and Stampeding Serow share the same recurring mechanic as well, although being creatures with lesser power and toughness, they fall short in direct combat with Species Gorger. The upside to these alternatives lies in their lower casting cost, granting decks a faster cycle of creature plays. Contrary to Species Gorger, which commands a considerable five mana, these two can be played earlier in the game.

Within gameplay strategies, Species Gorger excels in decks exploiting enter-the-battlefield effects. It can repeatedly trigger these abilities each turn, an advantage not to be overlooked. Therefore, while it may require a larger mana investment, Species Gorger’s functionality in specific deck types offers a compelling reason to include it in your creature lineup.

Roaring Primadox - MTG Card versions
Stampeding Wildebeests - MTG Card versions
Stampeding Serow - MTG Card versions
Roaring Primadox - Magic 2013 (M13)
Stampeding Wildebeests - Visions (VIS)
Stampeding Serow - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)

Cards similar to Species Gorger by color, type and mana cost

Moritte of the Frost - MTG Card versions
Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty - MTG Card versions
Prophet of Kruphix - MTG Card versions
Tanazir Quandrix - MTG Card versions
Tawnos, the Toymaker - MTG Card versions
Overbeing of Myth - MTG Card versions
Keruga, the Macrosage - MTG Card versions
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary - MTG Card versions
Murkfiend Liege - MTG Card versions
Sages of the Anima - MTG Card versions
Fleetfeather Cockatrice - MTG Card versions
Tatyova, Benthic Druid - MTG Card versions
Galloping Lizrog - MTG Card versions
Bioessence Hydra - MTG Card versions
A-Tanazir Quandrix - MTG Card versions
Wavesifter - MTG Card versions
Roalesk, Apex Hybrid - MTG Card versions
Gale, Primeval Conduit - MTG Card versions
Alora, Cheerful Scout - MTG Card versions
Ambassador Blorpityblorpboop - MTG Card versions
Moritte of the Frost - Kaldheim (KHM)
Imoti, Celebrant of Bounty - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
Prophet of Kruphix - Magic 2015 Clash Pack (CP1)
Tanazir Quandrix - Strixhaven: School of Mages Promos (PSTX)
Tawnos, the Toymaker - The Brothers' War (BRO)
Overbeing of Myth - Eventide Promos (PEVE)
Keruga, the Macrosage - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary - RNA Guild Kit (GK2)
Murkfiend Liege - Double Masters 2022 (2X2)
Sages of the Anima - Alara Reborn (ARB)
Fleetfeather Cockatrice - Journey into Nyx (JOU)
Tatyova, Benthic Druid - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC)
Galloping Lizrog - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)
Bioessence Hydra - War of the Spark Promos (PWAR)
A-Tanazir Quandrix - Strixhaven: School of Mages (STX)
Wavesifter - Murders at Karlov Manor Commander (MKC)
Roalesk, Apex Hybrid - New Capenna Commander (NCC)
Gale, Primeval Conduit - Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate (HBG)
Alora, Cheerful Scout - Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate (HBG)
Ambassador Blorpityblorpboop - Unfinity (UNF)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Species Gorger MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze, 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 Species Gorger and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Species Gorger has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks