Gray Ogre MTG Card
1993-08-05 - Number 156
1993-10-04 - Number 157
1993-12-01 - Number 157
1993-12-10 - Number 157
1993-12-10 - Number 157
1994-04-01 - Number 157
1994-04-01 - Number 157
1994-06-21 - Number 157
1995-04-01 - Number 200
1995-04-01 - Number 200
2022-11-28 - Number 152
2022-11-28 - Number 449
| Card sets | Released in 12 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Ogre |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Cards like Gray Ogre
The Gray Ogre has long been a standard in Magic: The Gathering for evaluating creature power and toughness balanced against mana cost. It’s a simple creature featuring a straightforward 2/2 for 3 mana, similar to the Hill Giant, a slightly larger 3/3 for 4 mana. Yet, when comparing Gray Ogre to more modern creatures, the power creep in MTG becomes evident.
For instance, consider the Piker creatures, like Goblin Piker or Walking Corpse, both 2/2s but for only 2 mana—a whole mana less than our Ogre friend. We must also look at cards like Leatherback Baloth, a beefy 4/5 for just 3 mana, clearly overshadowing the Gray Ogre in terms of cost efficiency. Even within its own color, red has seen creatures like Ember Hauler, not only offering the same stats for less mana but also packing a useful ability.
Ultimately, Gray Ogre serves as a baseline for creature design in MTG. It’s a reminder of the game’s evolving complexity, and while it might not compete with the efficiency of newer cards, it holds a place in MTG history as a measure for the progression of creature design.
Cards similar to Gray Ogre by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Although the Gray Ogre itself doesn’t inherently affect hand size or card draw, it can be a neutral addition to your battlefield that maintains your card parity while developing your board presence.
Resource Acceleration: The Gray Ogre may not offer direct resource acceleration, it’s a staple creature that can pave the way for more substantial plays. Its presence on the battlefield can help in conserving other resources in your deck by serving as a reliable creature for spells or abilities requiring creature sacrifice.
Instant Speed: While Gray Ogre operates at sorcery speed, understanding when to best deploy this creature can make a subtle but real difference in your gameplay. Playing such creatures during the second main phase can sometimes give the illusion of instant speed flexibility, allowing you to bluff holding up mana for actual instant-speed interactions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One limitation of the iconic Gray Ogre is its absence of any abilities that can impact the board or provide a strategic advantage. Unlike cards that may offer draw or damage features upon entering the battlefield or when discarded, Gray Ogre’s vanilla nature means it offers no such additional value.
Specific Mana Cost: Gray Ogre requires two generic mana and one red mana to cast, making it inflexible when it comes to deck-building strategies. This specific mana cost can be a hurdle in decks that aim to utilize mana from various color sources or for players who prefer a more diverse mana base.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana for a creature with only 2/2 stats, Gray Ogre falls behind in the efficiency scale. In today’s game where creatures often come with added abilities or greater power and toughness at similar mana costs, Gray Ogre’s cost-effectiveness is significantly lower.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Gray Ogre MTG card is a classic piece that fits smoothly into a range of casual decks. Its solid structure provides a dependable creature base for any player building a deck on a tight budget.
Combo Potential: While not the flashiest card for combos, Gray Ogre can hold its own in casual formats as a reliable creature that supports other, more intricate plays.
Meta-Relevance: In a shifting metagame, it’s essential to have cards that can stand the test of time. Gray Ogre embodies the fundamentals of what creature cards are about, and its very existence speaks to the core mechanics of Magic the Gathering.
How to beat
Gray Ogre, a creature that’s been part of the Magic: The Gathering landscape since the game’s inception, embodies simplicity. This classic creature offers a straightforward challenge with its 2/2 stats for three mana. While it may not boast the flashiest of abilities, it represents a solid measuring stick for creature playability, often referred to as the “vanilla test.”
To gain the upper hand against Gray Ogre, consider utilizing cost-efficient removal spells. Nowadays, removal options such as Lightning Bolt or Fatal Push far outpace the Ogre in terms of mana efficiency and impact, dispatching the creature with ease. Additionally, leveraging creatures with higher power and toughness ratios that stay within a similar mana cost can overpower an Ogre on the battlefield without expending additional resources.
In essence, overcoming Gray Ogre hinges on using the progress MTG has made since the creature’s debut. Modern cards offer more value and versatility, which is crucial to not only best the Ogre but also to maintain an advantageous position in the evolving landscape of Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Gray Ogre MTG card by a specific set like Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, 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 Gray 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Gray Ogre Magic the Gathering card was released in 11 different sets between 1993-08-05 and 2022-11-28. Illustrated by Dan Frazier.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1993-08-05 | Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | 156 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Dan Frazier | |
| 2 | 1993-10-04 | Limited Edition Beta | LEB | 157 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Dan Frazier | |
| 3 | 1993-12-01 | Unlimited Edition | 2ED | 157 | 1993 | Normal | White | Dan Frazier | |
| 4 | 1993-12-10 | Intl. Collectors' Edition | CEI | 157 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Dan Frazier | |
| 5 | 1993-12-10 | Collectors' Edition | CED | 157 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Dan Frazier | |
| 6 | 1994-04-01 | Revised Edition | 3ED | 157 | 1993 | Normal | White | Dan Frazier | |
| 7 | 1994-04-01 | Foreign Black Border | FBB | 157 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Dan Frazier | |
| 8 | 1994-06-21 | Summer Magic / Edgar | SUM | 157 | 1993 | Normal | White | Dan Frazier | |
| 9 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 200 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Dan Frazier | |
| 10 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 200 | 1993 | Normal | White | Dan Frazier | |
| 11 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 152 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Dan Frazier | |
| 12 | 2022-11-28 | 30th Anniversary Edition | 30A | 449 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Dan Frazier |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Gray 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 |