Skarrg Guildmage MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Shaman |
| Released | 2013-02-01 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Gatecrash |
| Set code | GTC |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 196 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Aleksi Briclot |
Key Takeaways
- Transforms excess lands into creatures, flipping the board state in your favor with Skarrg Guildmage.
- Instant speed ability of this Guildmage offers strategic advantage during key moments of the game.
- High activation cost can limit other gameplay options, presenting a strategic choice for players.
Text of card
: Creatures you control gain trample until end of turn. : Target land you control becomes a 4/4 Elemental creature until end of turn. It's still a land.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Skarrg Guildmage offers versatility on the battlefield, allowing you to transform excess land draws into aggressive creatures. This shift from a static resource to an active threat can effectively tilt the balance in your favor during longer matches.
Resource Acceleration: This Guildmage provides a significant boost in red and green based decks by enabling your lands to produce creatures. As you turn lands into 4/4 creatures, you’re accelerating your on-board resources, giving you the means to overwhelm opponents with an expanded, more formidable presence.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate Skarrg Guildmage’s powers at instant speed gives you the tactical edge to adapt during the ever-changing dynamics of a game. Whether it’s creating a surprise blocker or applying pressure before the combat phase, this instant flexibility can catch opponents off guard and tip the scales in crucial moments.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: With Skarrg Guildmage, players often overlook the drawback of having to discard a card to activate its ability. This can lead to a depleted hand, particularly if the match drags on and resource management becomes critical.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation of Skarrg Guildmage’s abilities requires a specific combination of red and green mana. This can be restrictive as it demands a commitment to a two-color mana base, making it less versatile for decks with a broader color scheme.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although the abilities provided by Skarrg Guildmage are beneficial, the cost of activation is relatively high when compared to other options available within the same mana range. This can lead to situations where the mana invested into using Skarrg Guildmage’s abilities could have been used for more impactful plays.
Reasons to Include Skarrg Guildmage in Your Collection
Versatility: Skarrg Guildmage serves as a multifunctional addition to your deck that can adapt to various board states. Capable of turning lands into 4/4 creatures, it offers both offensive and defensive options, turning late-game land draws into potential threats.
Combo Potential: Pairing well with cards that benefit from creature presence or land interaction, this Guildmage can be a linchpin in a combo that amplifies the power of your creatures or leverages land-base tactics to overtake opponents.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where board presence can dictate the flow of victory, Skarrg Guildmage has utility that can prove pivotal. Especially in formats where creature-heavy decks are predominant, its ability to empower your field can be game-changing, ensuring its relevance in a diverse meta.
How to beat Skarrg Guildmage
Skarrg Guildmage is a versatile creature within the card game landscape, capable of amplifying the power of other creatures and turning lands into formidable threats. When facing this card, the first strategy is to disrupt its ability to activate its power-boosting effects. This can mean utilizing instant-speed removal to take the Guildmage off the board before it can act or counteracting its land animation ability to prevent sudden battlefield shifts.
Controlling the pace of the game is also crucial. Employing effects that can tap or otherwise incapacitate Skarrg Guildmage or the creatures it aims to empower, denies the opponent the chance to capitalize on the synergies provided. Additionally, board wipes or other spells that reset the board can eliminate the accumulated advantages, thus blunting the Guildmage’s impact and maintaining a level playing field.
Last but not least, evasion abilities such as flying or unblockable, can often bypass the enhanced ground forces, allowing you to press for victory even against a strengthened opposition. Recognizing the right moment to transition from defense to offense can be the key to outmaneuvering a deck utilizing Skarrg Guildmage.
Cards like Skarrg Guildmage
Skarrg Guildmage sits comfortably within the roster of two-mana creatures that offer versatile abilities in Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to Zhur-Taa Druid, which also belongs to the Gruul guild, the druid taps not only for mana but also damages opponents in the process. Skarrg Guildmage differs with its option to equip your land with a 4/4 creature ability, which can be a game-changer by turning a land into an unexpected attacker or blocker.
Looking at Izzet Guildmage from the Izzet guild, we see another creature with a cost-effective arsenal of abilities. This mage focuses on assisting spells rather than enhancing creatures or lands. Although not directly comparable in function, the flexibility offered by both the Guildmages embodies the spirit of adaptability in the game. Then there’s Vitu-Ghazi Guildmage, with its ability to populate, creating copies of tokens that can overwhelm the battlefield. While Skarrg Guildmage lacks the token duplication, it compensates with the potential for instantaneous large threat generation.
In scrutinizing the strengths of similar cards, Skarrg Guildmage emerges as a noteworthy choice for players aiming to exploit land utility and apply pressure with sizeable creature generation in their MTG strategies.
Cards similar to Skarrg Guildmage by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Skarrg Guildmage 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 Skarrg Guildmage and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Skarrg Guildmage has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Skarrg Guildmage card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-01-24 | Only creatures you control when the first ability resolves will gain trample. Creatures that come under your control later in the turn won’t have trample. Lands you control that aren’t creatures also won’t gain trample, even if you use the second ability to turn them into creatures later in the turn. |
| 2013-01-24 | Skarrg Guildmage’s second ability doesn’t affect the land’s name or any other types, subtypes, or supertypes (such as basic or legendary) the land may have. The land will also keep any abilities it had. |