Ghazbán Ogre MTG Card
1993-12-17 - Number 49
1995-07-01 - Number 65
1995-08-01 - Number 121
1997-03-24 - Number 298
1997-08-13 - Number sg298
2007-09-10 - Number 120
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Ogre |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
During its current controller's upkeep, the player with the highest life total takes control of Ghazbán Ogre.
Cards like Ghazbán Ogre
The Ghazbán Ogre carves a niche for itself in the ecosystem of Magic: The Gathering creatures due to its fluctuating allegiance. Its most direct comparison is to the likes of Jackal Familiar. While the Jackal Familiar is also a one-mana creature, it requires you to control another creature to attack, a restriction absent in the Ghazbán Ogre’s mechanics. Instead, the Ogre’s loyalty shifts whenever a life total is the highest, adding a layer of strategic planning to its use.
Delving into creature cards that thrive on life totals, we encounter Ajani’s Pridemate. It grows stronger with each instance of life gain, presenting a different yet relevant dynamics tied to player life. While the Pridemate does not have the zero upfront cost of the Ogre, its potential for growth can outweigh the initial investment. Similarly, the Evolving Wilds echoes the theme of change but through land cycling, shaping the gameplay through mana accessibility rather than confronting shifting alliances.
Ultimately, Ghazbán Ogre stands out among its counterparts with its unique life-triggered playstyle, offering Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts a creature that demands attention to life totals and table dynamics.
Cards similar to Ghazbán Ogre by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ghazbán Ogre offers an interesting dynamic in the early game. Dropping onto the battlefield as soon as your life total is higher than your opponent’s, it can provide an immediate board presence without costing a card from your hand. This can translate into a tactical advantage as you deploy threats while maintaining a full grip of options.
Resource Acceleration: As a one-drop creature with a considerable 2/2 body, Ghazbán Ogre allows you to apply pressure from the very first turns. Its cost-efficiency helps you maximize mana usage, enabling you to cast more spells or develop your board presence quickly without compromising your pace.
Instant Speed: While the Ghazbán Ogre itself isn’t played at instant speed, its ability to enter the battlefield depends on a condition that can be met instantly after an opponent’s life total changes. This can lead to surprising shifts in board state right after an exchange of blows, potentially at the end of your opponent’s turn if you’ve employed other cards to alter life totals reactively.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Ghazbán Ogre’s ability to become an opponent’s creature when they have a higher life total is a significant drawback. This effect can feel like a discard given that it turns the creature against you unexpectedly.
Specific Mana Cost: Ghazbán Ogre comes with a green mana requirement, making it exclusive to decks that run green mana sources. This can be restrictive when building a mana base, especially for multicolored decks that may not prioritize green.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While it’s a 2/2 for one green mana, in the context of fast-paced games, its downside often outweighs its cost efficiency. There are alternatives that might offer better stability without the risk of losing the creature to an opponent.
Reasons to Include Ghazbán Ogre in Your Collection
Versatility: Ghazbán Ogre’s ability to be a 2/2 creature for a single green mana makes it an efficient early drop in a variety of deck types. Its adaptability in different strategies, such as aggressive green decks or as an inclusion in budget builds, adds value to your collection.
Combo Potential: This card can synergize with setups that capitalize on life total disparities, such as leveraging cards that swap life totals or utilizing mechanics where having a higher life total than your opponent is beneficial.
Meta-Relevance: In formats where games may swing in life points quickly, Ghazbán Ogre can be surprisingly relevant. It can thrive in metas with an emphasis on life manipulation or as a quick-response creature to pressure life-total-based strategies.
How to beat
Ghazbán Ogre is a unique creature from the classic sets of Magic the Gathering, known for its aggressive one green mana cost for a 2/2 creature. This card can give your opponent an edge in the early game with its quick damage potential. However, remember that this Ogre has a peculiar drawback; when an opponent gains life, the Ogre switches sides to join the healthiest player. To turn the tides, consider using life gain strategies or cards that can alter life totals quickly.
Cards such as Essence Warden or Authority of the Consuls can efficiently nullify the benefits the Ogre provides, as they tend to increase your life total consistently, especially in a deck that plays numerous creatures. Moreover, instant spells that cause life swings or cards that incentivize life gain like Chaplain’s Blessing can swiftly change the allegiance of Ghazbán Ogre, often at a critical point in the match where board control is paramount.
Overall, defeating a deck utilizing Ghazbán Ogre involves smart play around life totals and timing your life gain effects strategically. By doing so, the Ogre becomes as much a liability for your opponent as it can be an early game threat, ensuring you maintain the upper hand.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ghazbán Ogre MTG card by a specific set like Arabian Nights and Chronicles, 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 Ghazbán Ogre and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Printings
The Ghazbán Ogre Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 1993-12-17 and 2007-09-10. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-12-17 | Arabian Nights | ARN | 49 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 2 | 1995-07-01 | Chronicles | CHR | 65 | 1993 | Normal | White | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 3 | 1995-08-01 | Rinascimento | RIN | 121 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors | |
| 4 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 298 | 1997 | Normal | White | Mike Raabe | |
| 5 | 1997-08-13 | World Championship Decks 1997 | WC97 | sg298 | 1997 | Normal | Gold | Mike Raabe | |
| 6 | 2007-09-10 | Masters Edition | ME1 | 120 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Jesper Myrfors |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ghazbán Ogre has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |