Scab-Clan Charger MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Centaur Warrior
Abilities	Bloodrush
Released	2013-02-01
Set symbol
Set name	Gatecrash
Set code	GTC
Power	2
Toughness	4
Number	131
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Nils Hamm

Key Takeaways

Scab-Clan Charger’s instant speed bloodrush ability makes it a flexible combat trick.
It can force opponents to overcommit, indirectly accelerating your resources.
The card’s versatility allows it to adapt to different game situations.

Text of card

Bloodrush — , Discard Scab-Clan Charger: Target attacking creature gets +2/+4 until end of turn.

"The only roads I wish to see are those beaten flat by wild hooves."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Scab-Clan Charger doesn’t directly contribute to card advantage in the traditional sense, it provides potential two-for-one scenarios against your opponent. As a creature with the ability to be cast using its bloodrush ability, it can serve as either a creature on the board or a combat trick, essentially fulfilling two roles with one card and potentially saving or trading favorably during combat for advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Scab-Clan Charger can contribute to resource acceleration by forcing your opponent to overcommit resources. If they must use more cards to handle what seems like one threat, this indirect effect can put you ahead in terms of available resources and pave the way to outpace your opponent in deploying threats to the battlefield.

Instant Speed: The bloodrush ability of Scab-Clan Charger operates at instant speed, providing you with the flexibility to decide the best time to give another creature a surprise boost in power and toughness during combat. This can lead to advantageous trades or extra damage sneaked past an opponent’s defenses, making this a versatile tool in any player’s arsenal.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Scab-Clan Charger demands that you discard another card if you want to use its bloodrush ability. This can deplete your hand when you need to maintain options against opponents.

Specific Mana Cost: To cast Scab-Clan Charger, you need both green and red mana. This specific requirement can be restrictive, limiting its inclusion to only certain types of decks, typically those that operate on a Gruul (red-green) mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Four mana for a creature with its stats and effects is on the costlier side. There are other creatures or spells available that may provide more immediate impact or better value for the same or less mana investment.

Reasons to Include Scab-Clan Charger in Your Collection

Versatility: Scab-Clan Charger offers flexible defensive capabilities, which can adapt to a variety of game situations. Its ability to be played as an instant provides an excellent surprise element, potentially foiling your opponent’s attacks or strategies.

Combo Potential: Scab-Clan Charger can synergize well with decks looking to benefit from Bloodrush abilities or those that aim to enhance creature’s power. Its Bloodrush ability can also be key in strategies involving creatures with trample or other combat-related triggers.

Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment where aggressive decks are prevalent, Scab-Clan Charger serves as a solid response. Its Bloodrush ability can be particularly effective in turning the tide during critical combat phases, making it a worthy inclusion for its meta-centric defensiveness.

How to beat

Scab-Clan Charger could potentially pose a challenge on the battlefield with its ability to pump itself through its bloodrush ability. This card allows players to give a creature +2/+4 until end of turn by discarding it and paying its bloodrush cost. To effectively counter this tactic, maintaining open mana for instant speed removal spells can be key. By removing the target creature in response to the bloodrush activation, you not only negate the Charger’s effect but also gain a significant advantage by effectively dealing with two of your opponent’s cards with one of yours.

Another strategy includes the use of counterspells to prevent the creature from hitting the board in the first place. This pro-active approach requires less mana and can disrupt your opponent’s strategy by keeping their creatures off the table. Consider also creatures with reach or flying to discourage attacking, or employ enchantments that debuff opposing creatures, making it less profitable for your opponent to invest in the bloodrush ability.

As always, understanding the dynamics of your deck and adapting your playstyle is crucial. By prioritizing threats and managing resources efficiently, you can ensure that Scab-Clan Charger doesn’t overrun your defenses in the strategic world of Magic: The Gathering.

Cards like Scab-Clan Charger

Scab-Clan Charger serves as an interesting creature within the vast array of Green spells in Magic: The Gathering. It finds its relatives in cards like Slaughterhorn, which shares the 3/2 body and comes with a similar Bloodrush ability that can provide a sudden boost to another creature on the battlefield. However, Scab-Clan Charger offers a small twist by giving the targeted creature a +2/+4, slightly favoring defense over offense when compared to Slaughterhorn’s +3/+2 Bloodrush effect.

Other cards worth noting are cards like Giant Growth, a classic spell that boosts a creature’s power and defense for less mana. While Giant Growth is not a creature itself, the flexibility of an instant speed buff it provides can be quite significant during combat. Then we have Zhur-Taa Druid that not only acts as a spell with similar mana cost but also taps for mana and chips away at the opponent’s life total, though it doesn’t provide the combat trick utility of Scab-Clan Charger.

Assessing the advantages and unique attributes of Scab-Clan Charger compared to these cards reveals its potential to create pivotal defensive moments in the game. This aspect can be particularly useful in MTG’s limited formats, where creature combat is often the deciding factor.

Cards similar to Scab-Clan Charger by color, type and mana cost

Ulvenwald Oddity // Ulvenwald Behemoth - MTG Card versions

Viridian Lorebearers - MTG Card versions

Monkey Monkey Monkey - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scab-Clan Charger 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 Scab-Clan Charger and other MTG cards: