Grim Giganotosaurus MTG Card
2023-11-17 - Number 36
2023-11-17 - Number 11
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 7 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Dinosaur |
| Abilities | Monstrosity |
| Power | 10 |
| Toughness | 10 |
Key Takeaways
- Its board presence tilts card advantage by demanding multiple resources from opponents to be dealt with.
- Giganotosaurus acts as a deterrent, safeguarding player’s resources and disrupting opponent strategies.
- Though lacking flash, its entry onto the battlefield often forces quick, potentially disruptive opponent responses.
Text of card
: Monstrosity 10. This ability costs less to activate for each creature with power 4 or greater your opponents control. (If this creature isn't monstrous, put ten +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.) When Grim Giganotosaurus becomes monstrous, destroy all artifacts and creatures other than Grim Giganotosaurus.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The sheer power of Grim Giganotosaurus lies in its ability to impact the board significantly once played. Its gargantuan presence can potentially force your opponent to expend multiple cards to deal with it, tilting the card advantage in your favor as they struggle to contain this behemoth.
Resource Acceleration: Although Grim Giganotosaurus doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, its intimidating stature can act as a deterrent, preserving your other resources on the board. By demanding answers quickly, it allows your lesser threats to continue attacking or your other resources to remain untapped for longer.
Instant Speed: Grim Giganotosaurus may not have flash or an ability to be played at instant speed, but its formidable presence often necessitates an instant response from opponents. It forces your adversary to react quickly, potentially at suboptimal times, disrupting their strategy and giving you the upper hand.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Grim Giganotosaurus poses a tough entry condition by demanding that you discard another card to bring this behemoth onto the battlefield. This can deplete your hand and leave you at a disadvantage, especially when your resources are already stretched thin.
Specific Mana Cost: Casting Grim Giganotosaurus requires a hefty amount of specific mana type, in this case, green. It is not just a question of quantity but also of color dependence, which could hinder the card’s usefulness in a multi-color deck or when facing a mana shortage of the required hue.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a significant mana demand, Grim Giganotosaurus marches into play at a steep cost. This can affect your game plan and pacing, as there are alternative creatures or spells that could be more mana-efficient or pack a similar punch for less resource investment, thus offering potentially greater flexibility or immediate board impact.
Reasons to Include Grim Giganotosaurus in Your Collection
Versatility: Grim Giganotosaurus may not be the most flexible choice for every MTG deck out there, but for those looking to up their game with a hefty creature, it’s a great pick. Its sheer size can make it a formidable threat on the battlefield, making it a valuable addition to decks that capitalize on overwhelming opponents with powerful creatures.
Combo Potential: Known for its monstrous power, Grim Giganotosaurus can be the lynchpin in an array of combo strategies. It works particularly well in tandem with cards that allow you to cheat huge creatures into play or those that reward you for controlling the biggest creature on the board.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment that’s heavy on creature play, Grim Giganotosaurus can stand tall as a top-tier threat. It’s ability to become the apex predator on the board makes it relevant, especially in metas where commanding a dominant board presence is key to victory.
How to Beat Grim Giganotosaurus
Overcoming the colossal might of Grim Giganotosaurus in your MTG match is a formidable undertaking, given its massive power and toughness. Deck builders often include this juggernaut for its raw strength, but tacticians have strategies to bypass such brute force. Control decks lean on removal spells like Swords to Plowshares and Path to Exile that can handle any threat, no matter its size. These efficient solutions negate the power of Grim Giganotosaurus by removing it from the game entirely instead of facing it in combat.
Alternatively, blue mages take a different route, employing counterspells such as Counterspell or Negate, stopping the dinosaur in its tracks before it even stomps onto the battlefield. For those favoring wider strategies, board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation effectively reset the playing field, ensuring the Giganotosaurus’s dominance is short-lived. Yet, some players prefer subtle manipulations, opting for enchantments like Pacifism to neutralize the threat without having to remove the creature completely.
Evoking fear and awe, Grim Giganotosaurus requires players to craft their decks with precise answers or face its overwhelming assault. Whether through targeted removal, strategic counters, or full-scale board wipes, the key to besting this behemoth lies in preparedness and deck versatility.
Cards like Grim Giganotosaurus
Grim Giganotosaurus emerges as a mighty presence on the battlefield with its sheer power level in MTG. It echoes the daunting nature of creatures like Colossal Dreadmaw, which also offers a substantial body for its mana cost. Yet, Grim Giganotosaurus differentiates itself with an even larger power and toughness, cementing its role as a dominant force. Colossal Dreadmaw may invoke fear with Trample, however, the Giganotosaurus overshadows it in raw stats, potentially turning the tide of any game.
Encompassing similar territory, we encounter Pelakka Wurm, another behemoth that boasts a range of beneficial effects upon entry to the battlefield, such as life gain and card draw. While it provides value on multiple fronts, it doesn’t match the Giganotosaurus in sheer offensive potential. Additionally, Verdant Sun’s Avatar is notable for its life gain linked directly to creature presence, but often lacks the overwhelming board influence that a titan like Grim Giganotosaurus commands.
Analyzing these comparable giants, Grim Giganotosaurus stands out for its ability to make an immediate and formidable impact solely based on its size, which in MTG can be an invaluable asset for any player aiming to exert pressure and control with monumental creatures.
Cards similar to Grim Giganotosaurus by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Grim Giganotosaurus MTG card by a specific set like Jurassic World Collection and Jurassic World Collection, 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 Grim Giganotosaurus 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
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Printings
The Grim Giganotosaurus Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-11-17 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by Daren Bader.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-11-17 | Jurassic World Collection | REX | 36 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Daren Bader | |
| 2 | 2023-11-17 | Jurassic World Collection | REX | 11 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Daren Bader |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Grim Giganotosaurus has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Grim Giganotosaurus card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-11-10 | An ability that triggers when a creature becomes monstrous won't trigger if that creature isn't on the battlefield when its monstrosity ability resolves. |
| 2023-11-10 | Monstrous isn't an ability that a creature has. It's just something true about that creature. If the creature stops being a creature or loses its abilities, it will continue to be monstrous. |
| 2023-11-10 | Once a creature becomes monstrous, it can't become monstrous again. If the creature is already monstrous when the monstrosity ability resolves, nothing happens. |