Rysorian Badger MTG Card


Rysorian Badger - Homelands
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Badger
Released1995-10-01
Set symbol
Set nameHomelands
Set codeHML
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number96
Frame1993
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byHeather Hudson

Key Takeaways

  1. Rysorian Badger offers card advantage with Forests, enhancing your hand and in-game pressure.
  2. This creature accelerates resources when paired with land ramp spells for early high-cost plays.
  3. Despite its potential, the Badger requires a discard and specific mana cost, diminishing versatility.

Text of card

If Rysorian Badger attacks and is not blocked, you may choose to have it deal no damage to defending player this turn. If you do so, remove from the game up to two target creatures from that player's graveyard. Gain 1 life for each creature removed in this way.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rysorian Badger’s ability to create incremental advantage each turn as you control more Forests can result in a steady flow of cards, keeping your hand replenished and maintaining pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: When combined with land ramp spells, Rysorian Badger can help to consistently place additional lands onto the battlefield, thereby boosting your mana resources and enabling the deployment of high-cost spells earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: While Rysorian Badger itself may not have instant speed capabilities, its interactions with instant speed land fetching spells can subtly increase resource acceleration and lead to a surprise card draw, enhancing your ability to react and adapt to the unfolding game state.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Rysorian Badger demands a card discard to unleash its ability, potentially depleting your hand when you could be advancing your board presence instead.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature’s casting cost includes a particular combination of mana which can restrict its integration outside of specific deck types, reducing its versatility across various strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At a higher mana investment compared to other creatures in its niche, the Rysorian Badger’s cost-effectiveness is a matter of some debate, especially when measured against its in-game impact and utility.


Reasons to Include Rysorian Badger in Your Collection

Versatility: Rysorian Badger is not just any creature card; its ability to untap land ensures it has a place in decks that capitalize on landfall mechanics or need extra mana for instant-speed responses.

Combo Potential: With the right setup, this badger works wonders in synergistic plays, interacting with cards that benefit from land activations or creatures tapping and untapping for value.

Meta-Relevance: As the battlefield often shifts with new releases, Rysorian Badger maintains relevance by supporting strategies that outpace opponents through efficient mana use and offering a steady form of resource acceleration.


How to beat

Understanding your opponent’s cards is key in MTG, and the Rysorian Badger is one such card that demands attention. This creature has a niche yet notable ability to give life points when it deals damage, provided a land is put into your graveyard that turn. The Badger’s strength lies in its potential to combo with land sacrificing cards, making it a minor but persistent threat on the board.

To counter the Badger’s life-gain ability, priority should be on disabling its land synergy. Graveyard disruption cards can halt the combo, hindering the Badger’s effectiveness. Additionally, keeping removal spells at the ready ensures that the Badger can be dealt with before it starts gaining momentum. It’s also wise to limit how many lands are thrown into the graveyard, as this directly feeds into its power.

Ultimately, being proactive and disrupting your opponent’s game plan by targeting their synergy pieces can effectively counter the Rysorian Badger. By using these strategies, you can minimize the threat of the Badger and maintain control of the game. Keeping the board clear of synergistic combos allows players to stabilize and work towards their victory unaffected by the Badger’s incremental life gains.


Cards like Rysorian Badger

Exploring the landscape of green creatures in Magic: The Gathering, the Rysorian Badger offers a unique take on life gain mechanics embedded within combat abilities. It mirrors the function of other cards like Loxodon Hierarch, which not only provides a life boost but also brings significant board presence. On the contrary, the Rysorian Badger hinges on fighting other creatures to activate its life-gaining feature, potentially removing threats at the same time.

Comparably, The Scavenging Ooze stands as another creature that combines the aspect of growth with incremental life increases. While Rysorian Badger necessitates combat for its benefits, Scavenging Ooze grants life and power through simple exile of cards from graveyards. This allows for a more passive and versatile strategy, undermining the need for direct combat.

Although Rysorian Badger does not see widespread play like these alternatives, it presents a distinctive approach for players who favor an aggressive game plan with the added benefit of life gain. It can turn each creature combat into an opportunity to stabilize and even tip the scales in prolonged matches where every point of life counts.

Loxodon Hierarch - MTG Card versions
Loxodon Hierarch - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rysorian Badger MTG card by a specific set like Homelands, 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 Rysorian Badger and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rysorian Badger has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Rysorian Badger card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2013-04-15 An ability that triggers when something “attacks and isn’t blocked” triggers in the declare blockers step after blockers are declared if (1) that creature is attacking and (2) no creatures are declared to block it. It will trigger even if that creature was put onto the battlefield attacking rather than having been declared as an attacker in the declare attackers step.

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