Trusty Retriever MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Dog |
| Released | 2020-07-17 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Jumpstart |
| Set code | JMP |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 8 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Ralph Horsley |
Key Takeaways
- Trusty Retriever excels in resource management by effectively bringing back key permanents from the graveyard.
- The card offers strategic instant-speed play, enhancing reaction time and in-game tactical flexibility.
- Despite a discard requirement and specific mana cost, its utility in deck strategies is substantial.
Text of card
When Trusty Retriever enters the battlefield, choose one — • Put a +1/+1 counter on Trusty Retriever. • Return target artifact or enchantment card from your graveyard to your hand.
Wipe away the slobber and it's as good as new, give or take a few bite marks.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Trusty Retriever provides utility in digging through your deck by returning a permanent card from your graveyard to your hand. This recovery capability ensures you maintain an edge in card resource without losing pace in the gameplay.
Resource Acceleration: With the retriever, you notch up your resource game. Activating its ability from hand not only retrieves a vital card but also propels you forward with a land drop acceleration. This subtle advantage can be the difference between victory and defeat.
Instant Speed: The flexibility of Trusty Retriever is that it can be played at instant speed, emboldening your playmaking potential. It allows you to react effectively to the evolving battlefield, optimizing the timing of your plays for maximum impact without preempting other strategic moves.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Trusty Retriever demands that you discard another card for its reanimation effect. This can be a setback during the game when your hand size is already diminished or crucial resources are at stake.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires one white mana, which means it fits best in a white or multicolored deck, potentially hindering its inclusion in mono-colored decks of other colors. Accessing the necessary white mana can sometimes be problematic, especially in a mana-base limited environment.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Trusty Retriever has a mana value of three, including the white mana, which may be considered steep for its abilities. There are other creatures or spells available that can retrieve cards from the graveyard or provide value at a lower cost, making this card less appealing if mana efficiency is a priority in your deck strategy.
Reasons to Include Trusty Retriever in Your Collection
Versatility: Trusty Retriever is a card that can seamlessly integrate into a variety of decks, particularly those that focus on using creature abilities or require a return mechanism for key pieces from the graveyard.
Combo Potential: This fetching canine can spark numerous combos with its ability to retrieve both artifacts and enchantments. Players can leverage it to recur combo pieces or to simply gain value over time.
Meta-Relevance: Within the current playing environment, the ability to recover important cards from the graveyard is highly beneficial, allowing Trusty Retriever to shine against numerous strategies that rely on card attrition.
How to Beat
Trusty Retriever is a versatile creature card that can support card advantage in Magic: The Gathering decks. When you’re facing a Trusty Retriever, it’s crucial to disrupt its ability to recuperate key pieces from the graveyard. One strategy is to use graveyard hate tools such as Relic of Progenitus or Tormod’s Crypt which can exile cards before the Retriever’s ability triggers. Moreover, instant removal spells like Murder or Fatal Push can effectively deal with the Retriever before its ability is used.
Additionally, countering it with spells like Negate or Essence Scatter can prevent it from hitting the battlefield in the first place. It’s important to prioritize immediate threats first, but if you have the means to suppress or negate Trusty Retriever’s abilities, it’s a wise move to do so early on. This ensures that the card’s potential for recurring valuable spells or creatures is kept in check, maintaining your control over the game state.
Implementing a consistent approach to thwarting graveyard-based strategies can markedly weaken the presence of Trusty Retriever in the match. By cutting off access to fallback options and forcing your opponent to play from the hand rather than the graveyard, you can diminish the card’s impact and sail towards victory.
Cards like Trusty Retriever
Trusty Retriever is a compelling creature card in Magic: The Gathering, offering players an interesting blend of utility and strategy. Like Trusty Retriever, Salvage Scout stands out as a creature that allows players to retrieve certain types of cards from their graveyard to their hand. While Salvage Scout focuses solely on artifacts, Trusty Retriever provides flexibility by also giving the option to return enchantments, making it a more versatile pick for decks capitalizing on such synergies.
Another card worth mentioning is Auramancer, a creature sharing the ability to recover enchantments from the graveyard. Trusty Retriever distinguishes itself with the additional choice to retrieve artifacts, widening its applicability. However, unlike these single-focused retrieval cards, Trusty Retriever has an added layer of value — it doubles as a lifeline for both artifact-dominated and enchantment-heavy decks. As opposed to its peers, Trusty Retriever’s adaptability makes it a solid backup for a variety of game scenarios.
Comparing these options, Trusty Retriever demonstrates its potential to be a multi-use asset in any MTG player’s arsenal. Its strength lies in its flexibility and the strategic advantage it offers by affecting two different card types, thereby elevating its role within decks utilizing both artifacts and enchantments.
Cards similar to Trusty Retriever by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Trusty Retriever MTG card by a specific set like Jumpstart, 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 Trusty Retriever 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 Trusty Retriever has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
