Rubblebelt Boar MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Boar |
| Released | 2018-10-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Guilds of Ravnica |
| Set code | GRN |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 114 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Tomasz Jedruszek |
Key Takeaways
- Rubblebelt Boar excels in providing an immediate impact with its ability to strengthen attacks as it enters play.
- Its solid stats and cost-effective nature make it a compelling choice for maintaining tempo in aggro decks.
- Despite its strengths, Rubblebelt Boar can be tactically outmaneuvered with instant-speed removals and strategic play.
Text of card
When Rubblebelt Boar enters the battlefield, target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn.
Some Gruul druids believe that boars are spawn of the great Ilharg, the mighty Raze-Boar who will one day rise and level the city.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While the Rubblebelt Boar itself does not directly provide card draw, it can offer indirect card advantage by being a robust presence on the battlefield. This forces your opponent to deal with it, potentially using more than one card in the process.
Resource Acceleration: The Rubblebelt Boar provides a significant boost in your board state as a 3/3 creature for a mere four mana. This solid body for the cost accelerates your resource deployment, allowing you to maintain tempo and place more pressure on your opponent faster than some other four-mana options.
Instant Speed: While the Rubblebelt Boar isn’t an instant itself, its effect of granting +2/+0 to another target attacking creature until the end of the turn can skew combat in your favor unexpectedly. This can catch an opponent off guard, particularly if they don’t anticipate the sudden increase in the attacking creature’s power, and can turn the tide of a tight game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Rubblebelt Boar does not have a discard requirement, it is essential to note that managing hand resources efficiently is crucial in MTG. Cards that necessitate discarding can hinder your game strategy, especially when you are trying to maintain card advantage over your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: Rubblebelt Boar demands a specific mana combination to cast. Requiring two generic and one red mana can be restrictive and may fit only in decks that can consistently produce both types of mana early in the game.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana for a creature that provides a 3/3 body, Rubblebelt Boar may not be the most mana-efficient card in your deck. This is especially evident when you compare it to other creatures in the same cost bracket that may offer additional abilities or higher stats.
Reasons to Include Rubblebelt Boar in Your Collection
Versatility: Rubblebelt Boar is more than just a denizen of the Gruul Clans; it’s a creature that can slide seamlessly into various aggro and mid-range decks. With its solid power and haste feature, it can swiftly become a valuable asset, providing immediate pressure on the battlefield.
Combo Potential: Thanks to its abilities, this boar synergizes well with strategies emphasizing the “bloodrush” mechanic or those that benefit from creatures with haste. It can strengthen your offensive lineup and potentially combo with cards that leverage creatures entering or leaving the battlefield.
Meta-Relevance: As the MTG landscape changes, having ready-to-attack creatures like Rubblebelt Boar can drastically improve your adaptability. Its relevance grows in environments where tempo plays and creature-based strategies dominate. Having Rubblebelt Boar in your arsenal ensures you’ve got the means to contend with shifting metas.
How to beat
Rubblebelt Boar emerges as an aggressive inclusion for creature-based decks in Magic: The Gathering. Featuring a sturdy presence with 3/3 stats and an ability that gives a friendly creature a +2/+0 boost when it enters the battlefield, it’s crafted to bolster your attacks swiftly. However, despite its sheer force, a shrewd player can employ several tactics to outmaneuver this boar’s impact on the game.
One effective strategy is to utilize instant-speed removal spells that can disrupt the boar before buffs can be fully utilized. Spells that cause creatures to tap or that rob them of their abilities for a turn also serve as efficient methods to tempo out an opponent’s plan, giving you the upper hand. Another approach includes playing defensively superior creatures, better known as “walls”, or creatures with reach or flying to keep the pesky boar at bay. By anticipating the boar’s deployment and adapting your plays accordingly, the advantage can shift back into your corner, showcasing the depth and adaptability in Magic: The Gathering strategy.
Ultimately, Rubblebelt Boar’s potency lies in its immediate board effect, but clever deck building and tactical precision can neutralize its threat, emphasizing the strategic complexity and the layers of counterplay available to players in the game.
Cards like Rubblebelt Boar
Rubblebelt Boar finds its place in the vast menagerie of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. Its most direct comparison would likely be to cards like Gore Swine, which also boasts an aggressive 4/1 stat line for the same four mana cost. However, Rubblebelt Boar edges ahead with its additional perk – granting another target creature +2/+0 until end of turn, providing a nice tempo boost in creature-heavy strategies.
Another similar creature to consider is the Havoc Devils, which features trample and a sturdier 4/3 body but lacks the immediate impact on the board that Rubblebelt Boar offers. On the other hand, Wojek Halberdiers provide a different dynamic. Although they cost less mana and can potentially have first strike, they don’t match the raw power Rubblebelt Boar brings to the field without battalion being active.
Ultimately, in evaluating creatures with a strong attack value for their cost, Rubblebelt Boar holds its own, especially when combined with the strategy of swarming an opponent with multiple threats. It’s the immediate board influence of its enter-the-battlefield ability that sets it apart in games that favor a quick and powerful offense.
Cards similar to Rubblebelt Boar by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Rubblebelt Boar MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica, 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 Rubblebelt Boar 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 Rubblebelt Boar has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
