Drainpipe Vermin MTG Card
2012-10-05 - Number 66
2020-07-17 - Number 224
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Rat |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
When Drainpipe Vermin dies, you may pay . If you do, target player discards a card.
When times are tough, the poor eat the rats. When times are tougher, the rats eat the poor.
Cards like Drainpipe Vermin
Drainpipe Vermin brings an intriguing dynamic to the realm of creature spells in MTG, closely relating to cards like Typhoid Rats. Both creatures are low-cost, one-mana investments with the deathtouch ability, making them formidable blockers against more powerful creatures. However, Drainpipe Vermin offers an additional edge when it’s sacrificed, forcing your opponent to discard a card, a valuable effect in disrupting their hand.
Comparatively, Burglar Rat enters the field with a similar hand disruption effect but without the requirement of being sacrificed to trigger the discard. Though it costs more mana, the effect is immediate upon its entrance. Another variant is Black Cat, which also causes discarding upon death, but the discard is at random, adding a layer of unpredictability to the strategy.
Ultimately, Drainpipe Vermin’s versatility in both defense and strategic hand disruption makes it a noteworthy option for players seeking to combine board presence with psychological warfare, impacting the opponent’s plans and resources during gameplay.
Cards similar to Drainpipe Vermin by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Drainpipe Vermin has the ability to provide a card advantage when it dies, allowing for a potential trade-off that can disrupt your opponent’s hand while maintaining your own resources.
Resource Acceleration: Though not directly providing mana, the utility of the card can help in accelerating your board presence by clearing the way for more impactful creatures.
Instant Speed: The activation of Drainpipe Vermin’s ability can be utilized at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to decide the most opportune moment to force your opponent to discard, perhaps foiling their plans at a critical juncture.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While activating the ability of Drainpipe Vermin can disrupt your opponent’s hand, it comes at the cost of discarding your own card. This can potentially put you at a card disadvantage, especially if you’re not running a deck designed to capitalize on your own graveyard or discard strategies.
Specific Mana Cost: Drainpipe Vermin requires black mana to play. This specificity ties the card strictly to black-themed or multicolor decks that include black mana. If your mana base can’t reliably produce black mana, then this card might be a dead draw.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its activated ability cost and the creature’s base cost, you may find yourself investing more mana than you’d prefer for the card’s overall effect. Other creatures or spells in the same mana slot might offer more impact on the game, which makes Drainpipe Vermin a less appealing choice in terms of mana efficiency.
Reasons to Include Drainpipe Vermin in Your Collection
Versatility: Drainpipe Vermin can be a great asset in decks that thrive on creature synergy. Its rat creature type means it’s a perfect fit for tribal strategies, and since it’s a one-drop with a black mana requirement, it’s easy to play early in the game.
Combo Potential: This card becomes especially potent with effects that care about creatures dying. Pairing it with sacrifice outlets can create a cycle of disruption for your opponent, forcing them to discard while you potentially reap additional benefits from other cards reacting to the death of the vermin.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where opponents rely on finely-tuned hands, the discard effect from Drainpipe Vermin can disrupt their plans. It’s a small threat that can have a big impact in the early game, making it a relevant choice for decks looking to unsettle an opponent’s strategy from the start.
How to beat
Drainpipe Vermin presents a pesky challenge on the battlefield, with its ability to nudge players into discarding when partnered with the right conditions. It’s a common rat creature card that tends to sneak into decks focused on incremental advantages. While this creature may appear insignificant, it proves more than a nuisance when its power is fully utilized.
To effectively counter this card, players should consider removal spells that can sweep away multiple creatures at once, thus minimizing the impact of its loss-triggered ability. Alternatively, imposing card advantage through efficient draw mechanics or utilizing graveyard retrieval options can mitigate the discard effects imposed by the Vermin. Keeping a close eye on your hand size and not overextending on the board can also be key strategies, as they limit the advantage your opponent can gain from sacrificing the Vermin.
In essence, overcoming the subtle influence of Drainpipe Vermin requires attention to managing your resources with care and employing prompt removal when necessary, ensuring that this small but tricky creature doesn’t corrode your game plan.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Drainpipe Vermin MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica 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 Drainpipe Vermin and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Drainpipe Vermin Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2012-10-05 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Trevor Claxton.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012-10-05 | Return to Ravnica | RTR | 66 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Trevor Claxton | |
| 2 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart | JMP | 224 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Trevor Claxton |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Drainpipe Vermin has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Drainpipe Vermin card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2012-10-01 | You may pay only once. The target player will discard a maximum of one card because of Drainpipe Vermin’s ability. |