Sawblade Slinger MTG Card
2021-11-19 - Number 217
2022-01-28 - Number 484
2021-11-19 - Number 54
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Archer |
| Abilities | Fight |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Sawblade Slinger offers card advantage by outmatching opponents and preserving hand resources.
- Cast at instant speed, it provides tactical flexibility and surprise during pivotal game moments.
- The four mana cost and discard prerequisite can limit its use in certain deck types.
Text of card
When Sawblade Slinger enters the battlefield, choose up to one — • Destroy target artifact an opponent controls. • Sawblade Slinger fights target Zombie an opponent controls.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sawblade Slinger lets you potentially eliminate an opponent’s creature, effectively providing a two-for-one scenario where you remove a threat while maintaining the creatures in your hand.
Resource Acceleration: This card, when played optimally, accelerates your board state by maintaining or improving your creature count while disrupting your opponent’s battlefield, which can translate into a resource lead.
Instant Speed: Sawblade Slinger can be cast at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s actions during their turn or end step, thereby keeping up the element of surprise and tactical advantage.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Sawblade Slinger comes with a condition where discarding a card is needed to activate its bloodthirsty ability, making it a less attractive option if your hand is already depleted.
Specific Mana Cost: This creature card requires a blend of generic and red mana, which can sometimes be restrictive and not align well with multi-color deck strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The four mana needed to cast Sawblade Slinger might prove to be costly considering the card’s overall impact on the game, especially when there are lower mana cost creatures that offer similar or better benefits.
Reasons to Include Sawblade Slinger in Your Collection
Versatility: Sawblade Slinger can seamlessly integrate into a broad range of decks, especially those harnessing the power of direct damage or requiring flexible answers to creature threats. Its utility shines in both offensive and defensive plays, allowing you to adapt to shifting board states.
Combo Potential: This card’s ability to deal damage contingent on Coven could become a linchpin for strategies that capitalize on creature synergies. Additionally, pairing it with ways to manipulate creature power could unlock new avenues for combo plays.
Meta-Relevance: With the game’s evolution, creatures often play a pivotal role, and Sawblade Slinger’s direct damage ability proves to be a crucial asset. If the meta game leans towards decks with numerous targets for its ability, its value surges, clearing the path for your victory.
How to Beat Sawblade Slinger
Sawblade Slinger presents itself as a unique creature card that offers both offensive and defensive advantages in Magic: The Gathering. It comes with an intriguing ability that deals damage to target attacking or blocking creature. This makes it a potential game-changer during combat phases. However, like all strategically deep games, there are ways to navigate against such threats.
To effectively best Sawblade Slinger, consider deploying removal spells that bypass its triggered ability. Direct damage spells that can eliminate it before it becomes a blocker or before declaring attackers are highly effective. Alternatively, using instant-speed removal can give you the upper hand during combat, negating the damage it could deal. Spells like Doom Blade or Path to Exile can efficiently handle the Slinger before it influences the board.
Flying creatures also offer an edge, as Sawblade Slinger does not have reach, and thus cannot block aerial assaults. Furthermore, utilizing cards that grant your creatures hexproof or indestructible temporarily can outmaneuver the Slinger’s ability, allowing you to maintain a dominant board presence. Leveraging these strategies can help turn the tide in your favor when facing a Sawblade Slinger in your MTG matches.
Cards like Sawblade Slinger
Delving into the card specifics, Sawblade Slinger emerges as a strategic option for players looking to bolster their creature-based strategies in MTG. It has echoes of Concordia Pegasus and Vampire of the Dire Moon, both of which bring their unique blend of flight and deathtouch to the battlefield. However, Sawblade Slinger presents a refreshing twist with its ‘Whenever you cast a creature spell’ trigger, creating a damage-dealing dynamic that is absent in these analogous cards.
Moreover, Skyhunter Skirmisher stands as another akin creature card, boasting double strike—a formidable ability for quick damage infliction. Despite this advantage, Skyhunter Skirmisher doesn’t offer the same direct damage facility that comes into play with Sawblade Slinger upon casting further creature spells. Nonetheless, these are both valued for their ability to escalate offensive capabilities in a deck focused on combat advantages.
When considering these creatures in MTG, it’s evident that Sawblade Slinger holds its niche in providing direct and immediate impact on the game state, capitalizing on the frequency of creature casting to whittle down opponent defenses. This integration of direct damage as a contingent ability can be pivotal, setting the card apart within its counterparts.
Cards similar to Sawblade Slinger by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sawblade Slinger // Sawblade Slinger MTG card by a specific set like Crimson Vow Art Series and Innistrad: Crimson Vow, 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 Sawblade Slinger // Sawblade Slinger 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 Magic products
Printings
The Sawblade Slinger // Sawblade Slinger Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-11-19 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Joshua Raphael.
| # | Release | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crimson Vow Art Series | AVOW | 54 | 2015 | art_series | borderless | Joshua Raphael | ||
| 2 | 2021-11-19 | Innistrad: Crimson Vow | VOW | 217 | 2015 | normal | black | Joshua Raphael | |
| 3 | 2022-01-28 | Innistrad: Double Feature | DBL | 484 | 2015 | normal | black | Joshua Raphael |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sawblade Slinger has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
