Expendable Lackey MTG Card

Boosts hand size with its enter-the-battlefield ability, providing card advantage when you play other rogues. Expendable Lackey can advance your mana resources, enhancing your ability to execute powerful plays. Flexibility during gameplay with instant speed rogue interactions, adapting to the dynamics of each match.
Expendable Lackey - Streets of New Capenna
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Citizen
Released2022-04-29
Set symbol
Set nameStreets of New Capenna
Set codeSNC
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number43
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byRandy Gallegos

Text of card

, Exile Expendable Lackey from your graveyard: Create a 1/1 blue Fish creature token with "This creature can't be blocked." Activate only as a sorcery.

"Altonio? No, I'm sorry. No one by that name works here." —Raffine

Cards like Expendable Lackey

Expendable Lackey serves as a role player in Magic: The Gathering creature strategies. It bears a resemblance to cards like Doomed Traveler, which also boasts a replaceable feature, summoning a creature token upon death. However, Expendable Lackey offers a unique spin by requiring a tribute to draw a card if it dies during your turn, a nuance Doomed Traveler doesn’t share.

Comparing further, Mogg War Marshal enters the fray as another creature that leaves behind tokens on death. Like Expendable Lackey, it can be leveraged for card advantage albeit through different means: it creates multiple bodies instead of drawing cards directly. In contrast, Black Cat presents an alternative mode of annoyance for opponents, forcing them to discard when it dies.

Assessing the value of these creatures, Expendable Lackey proves to be an intriguing choice in decks looking to marry sacrifice benefits with card draw. Innovation in how one capitalizes on creature demise is where Expendable Lackey distinguishes itself, offering Magic: The Gathering tacticians a tool to sculpt their hand while interacting with the battlefield.

Doomed Traveler - MTG Card versions
Mogg War Marshal - MTG Card versions
Black Cat - MTG Card versions
Doomed Traveler - MTG Card versions
Mogg War Marshal - MTG Card versions
Black Cat - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Expendable Lackey’s enter the battlefield ability, you potentially draw a card when another rogue comes into play, bolstering your hand and maintaining an edge over your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: Expendable Lackey, when coupled with sacrifice synergies, can be a cog in the engine that fuels resource acceleration for your strategy, setting the stage for game-changing plays.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant itself, Expendable Lackey interacts favorably with instant speed rogue spells or abilities, offering flexible gameplay that adapts to the unfolding match.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The need to discard another card when casting Expendable Lackey can be a significant hurdle, especially when hand size is crucial to your game plan. This requirement might force players into unfavorable trades or resource depletion, reducing strategic options as the game progresses.

Specific Mana Cost: Expendable Lackey’s mana cost demands a precise mix of mana types, making it less flexible across various deck builds. Players might find it challenging to consistently have the right mana combination available, potentially causing delays or preventing the card from being played when most needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Expendable Lackey has potential in the right circumstances, its mana cost can be seen as a drawback compared to other cards with similar abilities. This may deter players from incorporating it into their decks, as there might be more mana-efficient creatures or spells that would not slow down their overall tempo and strategy.

Reasons to Include Expendable Lackey in Your Collection

Versatility: Expendable Lackey’s low casting cost makes it a flexible addition to any deck that thrives on quick deployment. Its ability to potentially deal damage while providing a creature on the board can be valuable in diverse strategies.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, Expendable Lackey can work well in combination with effects that benefit from sacrificing creatures, bolstering both sacrifice and aristocrat-style decks.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where board presence and incremental advantage matter, Expendable Lackey holds relevance. Its adeptness at being both an early game threat and a late-game enabler can adapt to various competitive scenes.

How to beat

Expendable Lackey presents a unique challenge for Magic: The Gathering players with its offering to boost other creatures’ power. As a creature known for self-sacrifice to augment others, dealing with it demands a strategy that prevents the opponent from capitalizing on its ability. Removing it before it activates, or countering the creature it aims to empower, is crucial. Cards with instant-speed removal or counterspells can effectively disrupt this strategy.

One effective tactic is timing: removing the Lackey when the opponent is committing to its ability minimizes their board presence and wastes their resources. Board wipes are especially potent, as they can address the Lackey along with the creatures that benefited from its effect. Prioritizing the management of the board and keeping removal or counters in hand is essential when facing decks utilizing creatures like Expendable Lackey.

Overall, understanding when to disrupt your opponent’s plans and maintaining control of the board is the key to overcoming the challenge posed by Expendable Lackey. With careful timing and choice of spells, Expendable Lackey’s potential can be efficiently contained.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Expendable Lackey 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 Expendable Lackey and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Expendable Lackey has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal