Rot Wolf MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Phyrexian Wolf
Abilities Infect
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Rot Wolf rewards combat success by offering card draw, enhancing player resource management.
  2. Its specific green mana cost may challenge deck mana bases, requiring careful deck construction.
  3. Incorporating Rot Wolf into a collection adds strategic depth to infect-themed decks.

Text of card

Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.) Whenever a creature dealt damage by Rot Wolf this turn is put into a graveyard, you may draw a card.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: When Rot Wolf deals damage to a creature, it prompts you to draw a card, rewarding any successful combat it’s engaged in and bolstering your hand with more options.

Resource Acceleration: The interaction provides an edge in resource management, as drawing extra cards can be equated to gaining more resources, giving you a wider array of choices for your following turns.

Instant Speed: While Rot Wolf itself does not function at instant speed, the mechanic inherent to this card allows for value generation during the combat phase, which aligns with the reactive nature of MTG’s instant-speed plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Rot Wolf’s infect ability can be less impactful if you’re forced to discard cards to enable other parts of your strategy or to fulfill the conditions of surrounding spells and effects within your deck.

Specific Mana Cost: Rot Wolf requires a precise combination of green mana to cast. For players running multi-colored decks, this can present challenges in mana flexibility and may delay casting this creature on the desired turn.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Rot Wolf may compete with other three-drop creatures or spells that could potentially offer a greater immediate impact on the game state. While its poison counters are detrimental to the opponent, in terms of raw power and utility, there might be more cost-effective options available.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Rot Wolf has the unique ability to blend into various deck strategies, particularly those centered around +1/+1 counters or infect mechanics. Its capability to draw a card upon dealing damage makes it valuable for maintaining hand advantage.

Combo Potential: In combination with proliferate effects or other infect creatures, Rot Wolf can become a key part of a powerful and synergistic combo, turning it into a recurring threat that opponents must address.

Meta-Relevance: Against creature-heavy decks, Rot Wolf shines by trading beneficially and cycling through your deck. As players navigate fluctuating metas, a card with the capability to disrupt opponent’s strategies while enhancing your own can be a game-changer.


How to beat

Rot Wolf poses a unique challenge on the battlefield with its infectious bite that spreads poison counters alongside card draw abilities when it damages creatures. To effectively neutralize this wolf, it’s crucial to hinder its combat interactions. One means to achieve this is through board control spells or abilities that can contain or remove Rot Wolf before it inflicts damage. A card such as Shock that deals direct damage works well to take down the wolf due to its lower toughness.

Alternatively, prevent Rot Wolf from engaging in combat by using cards that tap creatures or remove them from combat phases altogether. This approach allows you to sidestep the poisonous exchange and its card drawing effect entirely. Substitute cards with power enough to eliminate Rot Wolf without enabling its effect are effective here, as are spells that can counter creature spells, ensuring that Rot Wolf never even sets paw on the field. Employing these tactics can contain the threat and keep Rot Wolf from running rampant.

Swift action and strategic planning are keys to ensuring this virulent creature does not disrupt the flow of your game. With the right cards and moves, Rot Wolf can be managed before its poison spreads too far.


BurnMana Recommendations

The intricate tactics of MTG invite players to adapt and evolve with each card they encounter. Rot Wolf poses a two-fold boon for its wielders — infecting opponents while enriching your strategic options with card draws. Balancing resource acceleration with impact, it’s a creature that beckons clever play within the combat phase. Versatility, the potential for combos, and meta relevance give Rot Wolf a distinct place in certain deck builds. To achieve dominance in your duels, it’s essential to understand both the strengths and the intricacies of every card, Rot Wolf included. Delve deeper into your MTG journey with us and optimize your gameplay. Every card matters, and every match is a step towards victory.


Cards like Rot Wolf

Rot Wolf brings a unique aspect to the Infect creature lineup in Magic: The Gathering. Much like its counterparts Plague Stinger and Ichorclaw Myr, Rot Wolf carries the feared Infect ability, allowing it to deal damage in the form of -1/-1 counters to creatures or poison counters to players. Where Plague Stinger brings flying to the table, giving it an evasion advantage, Rot Wolf lacks this but compensates with its card-drawing ability whenever it deals combat damage to a creature.

Other creatures like Blight Mamba share the snake type with Rot Wolf and come with the added benefit of regeneration, providing durability that Rot Wolf does not possess. However, Rot Wolf edges out in the resource advantage game, particularly in a deck that emphasizes creature combat and enjoys added value from drawn cards. Corpse Cur is another Infect creature that allows for recursion rather than card draw, presenting a trade-off between generating card advantage and returning key creatures from the graveyard.

In analyzing Infect creatures across the landscape of MTG, Rot Wolf may not be the fastest or the toughest, but its card-drawing capability in combat presents a strategic tool that can sustain a player’s hand while applying pressure with poison counters.

Plague Stinger - MTG Card versions
Ichorclaw Myr - MTG Card versions
Blight Mamba - MTG Card versions
Corpse Cur - MTG Card versions
Plague Stinger - Wizards Play Network 2010 (PWP10)
Ichorclaw Myr - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Blight Mamba - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)
Corpse Cur - Scars of Mirrodin (SOM)

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Timberwatch Elf - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Pincher Beetles - Tenth Edition (10E)
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Brindle Boar - Magic 2011 (M11)
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Nullmage Advocate - Planechase Anthology (PCA)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rot Wolf MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged and Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia, 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 Rot Wolf and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Rot Wolf Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2011-02-04 and 2011-05-14. Illustrated by Nils Hamm.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12011-02-04Mirrodin BesiegedMBS 902003normalblackNils Hamm
22011-05-14Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New PhyrexiaTD2 542003normalblackNils Hamm

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rot Wolf has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2011-06-01 If Rot Wolf and a creature dealt damage by Rot Wolf go to the graveyard at the same time, Rot Wolf’s ability will trigger.

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