Predator's Rapport MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Released	2013-02-01
Set symbol
Set name	Gatecrash
Set code	GTC
Number	129
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Matt Stewart

Key Takeaways

Predator’s Rapport grants life based on creature size, offering a strategic edge in certain MTG decks.
Its instant speed provides flexibility, yet it requires a creature on board to be effective.
While specific to green mana decks, it presents combo potential and meta relevance.

Text of card

Choose target creature you control. You gain life equal to that creature's power plus its toughness.

"Other guilds say the Gruul are savages, no better than the beasts we live with. I say we've found friends who won't stab us in the back." —Domri Rade

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Predator’s Rapport can offer a substantial gain in life points, potentially turning a precarious game state into a secure lead. This creates a form of advantage not through additional cards, but through the increased sustainability it offers players.

Resource Acceleration: While Predator’s Rapport doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the form of mana, the significant life buffer it can provide affords players more time to develop their board and deploy resources without the pressure of a low life total.

Instant Speed: As an instant, Predator’s Rapport allows players to wait until the most opportune moment, such as in response to damage, to maximize life gain. The flexibility to cast it during an opponent’s turn adds a layer of surprise and strategic depth to gameplay.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Predator’s Rapport doesn’t force you to discard cards, it does require a creature on the battlefield to target, possibly leaving you with a dead card if your board is empty.

Specific Mana Cost: Predator’s Rapport comes with a specific mana cost of two green and one of any color, which might not easily slot into decks not focused on green mana production.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Priced at three mana, Predator’s Rapport can be costly for its effect when compared to other life gain spells, particularly in a scenario where the targeted creature has a low power and toughness.

Reasons to Include Predator’s Rapport in Your Collection

Versatility: Predator’s Rapport offers a significant life gain that can be pivotal in any deck featuring large creatures. This makes it a highly adaptable card in green decks focused on big creatures or token generation, helping sustain your life total against aggressive strategies.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with high-powered creatures or ones with enter-the-battlefield effects that put multiple creatures onto the battlefield. Integrating Predator’s Rapport into combos can give you a substantial life advantage, often turning the tide in your favor in a single turn.

Meta-Relevance: With numerous creature-heavy decks in circulation, having Predator’s Rapport can be a game-changer, especially if the meta favors long, creature-based engagements. Its capacity to counteract damage and provide a buffer can be a strategic asset in many matches.

How to beat

Predator’s Rapport is a niche card in Magic: The Gathering, offering a substantial life gain boost by measuring the power of a creature and doubling that value in life points. This card can be a headache if you’re up against a deck that aims to generate massive amounts of life points, often enabling them to outlast you in the game. But like every card in MTG, Predator’s Rapport has its weaknesses that can be exploited.

One straightforward strategy to counteract Predator’s Rapport is to limit the size of your opponent’s creatures. Cards that keep creature power in check or remove threats before Predator’s Rapport can be cast are key. Removal spells, counter spells, or board wipes disrupt the strategy that Predator’s Rapport aims to amplify. Moreover, using cards that punish your opponent for gaining life, such as Tainted Remedy, can turn their life-gain tactics against them. It’s also beneficial to have a fast, aggressive deck that can defeat your opponent before they’re able to make proper use of Predator’s Rapport’s life-gain ability.

Overall, understanding and preventing the circumstances where Predator’s Rapport would be most beneficial is a solid plan. Managing the board state effectively ensures that Predator’s Rapport won’t tip the scales in your opponent’s favor. Remember, knowing the cards and strategies that synergize with your opponent’s key cards can give you the upper hand in any MTG matchup.

Cards like Predator's Rapport

Predator’s Rapport stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a unique card catering to life gain strategies. This card shines in the right deck, particularly when commanding massive creatures with long shadowing over the battlefield. Similar to Predator’s Rapport is Heroes’ Reunion, which also gifts a substantial bump in life points. However, Heroes’ Reunion doesn’t scale with creature size, as it fixes the life gain at seven points.

Another analogous card is Essence Warden, consistently gaining you life as creatures enter the battlefield. It’s subtler but can accumulate a significant amount of life over time, unlike Predator’s Rapport’s potential for a sudden, massive life boost. Then, there’s Feed the Clan, which can offer a quick five or even ten life points if you have a creature with power four or greater, but it still lacks Predator’s Rapport’s potential for higher gain in decks with truly colossal creatures.

To sum up, while there are several cards that can help players gain life in Magic: The Gathering, Predator’s Rapport offers a unique advantage in specific decks where creatures’ size can turn this card into a game-changer.

Cards similar to Predator's Rapport by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Predator's Rapport MTG card by a specific set like Gatecrash, 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 Predator's Rapport and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Predator's Rapport has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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