Ruthless Ripper MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Assassin
Abilities Deathtouch,Morph
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Ruthless Ripper offers card advantage, posing as a latent threat without extra mana costs.
  2. Its morph ability at instant speed provides disruptive potential and strategic flexibility.
  3. Despite its benefits, the discard requirement and specific mana cost are notable drawbacks.

Text of card

Deathtouch Morph— Reveal a black card in your hand. (You may cast this card face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Ruthless Ripper is turned face up, target player loses 2 life.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ruthless Ripper offers a unique set of abilities that can result in subtle card advantage. Since it transforms from a face-down creature to its true form without needing to spend mana, you effectively bluff additional threats on the board without additional resource commitment.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly contributing to mana resources, Ruthless Ripper assists in resource acceleration by demanding answers from your opponent. When flipped, it forces opponents to deal with it immediately, potentially draining their resources and accelerating your relative advantage.

Instant Speed: The power of playing Ruthless Ripper lies in its morph ability, which can be activated at instant speed. This flexibility lets you decide the perfect moment to reveal the Ripper, disrupt your opponent’s strategy, and possibly remove a threat thanks to its deathtouch ability.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Ruthless Ripper necessitates discarding a card to take advantage of its morph ability. This condition can be problematic, especially when your hand is nearly empty or when you’re required to discard a critical piece of your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: Ruthless Ripper’s casting cost requires black mana, which can be restrictive for multi-colored decks. The need for a specific mana type can sometimes slow down the tempo when trying not to compromise the mana base of a diverse deck.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: If chosen to be played face-down and turned up by paying its morph cost, the overall mana investment in the card might be seen as steep compared to other options. The combined cost for a 1/1 deathtouch creature and the effect may not always align with the deck’s strategy or curve.


Reasons to Include Ruthless Ripper in Your Collection

Versatility: Ruthless Ripper serves multiple roles in your deck, acting as an early blocker or a surprise attacker with its morph ability. Its deathtouch ability ensures that it can trade with almost any creature, making it a useful asset in various situations.

Combo Potential: Unveiling Ruthless Ripper by revealing a black card can be orchestrated to work within intricate combo lines, particularly in decks that exploit death triggers or need to manage the opponent’s creature threats efficiently.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based combat is prevalent, Ruthless Ripper’s stealthy morph reveal and deathtouch can sway the battlefield in your favor, making it a tactically significant choice for decks focused on controlling the board.


How to beat

Ruthless Ripper is a deceptively powerful card in the world of Magic: The Gathering. At its core, it’s a creature card with morph, allowing it to be played face-down as a 2/2 creature. What makes the Ruthless Ripper a formidable foe is its ability to turn face-up at any time for just one black mana if a card is also discarded, dealing 2 damage to an opponent and unveiling itself as a 1/1 with deathtouch.

To counteract this stealthy assassin, one of the best strategies is to manage its morphing capability. Cards with the ability to reveal or exile cards from your opponent’s hand can nip the Ripper’s surprise attack in the bud. Additionally, having instant removal spells at the ready can deal with it once it’s morphed without taking unnecessary damage. Be wary of committing too many creatures against an opponent who could have this sneaky killer up their sleeve. Instead, opt for tactics that reduce hand size or board wipes that neutralize the Ripper regardless of its morph status. By playing smart and keeping removal handy, you can mitigate the impact of the Ruthless Ripper on your game plan.


Cards like Ruthless Ripper

Ruthless Ripper stands out among creatures in Magic: The Gathering with its blend of deathtouch and a morph ability. It holds a resemblance to Typhoid Rats, a creature known for its low-cost deathtouch attribute. When considering these two cards, the Ripper offers the added surprise element and potential for a free reveal, whereas the Rats is always visible threat on the board.

Another card in the conversation is Ambush Viper. Like Ruthless Ripper, it has deathtouch and can be used as a combat trick. The key difference lies in its lack of a morph option, which makes the Viper a straightforward but predictable play. Conversely, the Ripper allows for strategic flexibility, potentially bluffing opponents into unfavourable trades.

Finally, examining Vampire Nighthawk showcases a creature with deathtouch alongside flying and lifelink, elevating it to a higher status in terms of versatility and board presence. However, the Ripper’s lower mana cost and morphing ability provide unique advantages in gameplay that are not to be underestimated. In essence, while each of these cards carries the potent deathtouch mechanic, Ruthless Ripper’s secretive nature potentially offers a psychological edge in battles on the mystical planes of Magic: The Gathering.

Typhoid Rats - MTG Card versions
Ambush Viper - MTG Card versions
Vampire Nighthawk - MTG Card versions
Typhoid Rats - Innistrad (ISD)
Ambush Viper - Innistrad (ISD)
Vampire Nighthawk - Wizards Play Network 2009 (PWP09)

Cards similar to Ruthless Ripper by color, type and mana cost

Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions
Will-o'-the-Wisp - MTG Card versions
Vampire Bats - MTG Card versions
Bog Rats - MTG Card versions
Muck Rats - MTG Card versions
Vebulid - MTG Card versions
Urborg Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Carrion Rats - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Dark Supplicant - MTG Card versions
Bile Urchin - MTG Card versions
Rimebound Dead - MTG Card versions
Plague Beetle - MTG Card versions
Festering Goblin - MTG Card versions
Sleeper Agent - MTG Card versions
Knucklebone Witch - MTG Card versions
Nightshade Stinger - MTG Card versions
Smolder Initiate - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Dead - MTG Card versions
Deathgreeter - MTG Card versions
Stone-Throwing Devils - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Will-o'-the-Wisp - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Vampire Bats - Renaissance (REN)
Bog Rats - Chronicles (CHR)
Muck Rats - Portal (POR)
Vebulid - Urza's Saga (USG)
Urborg Skeleton - Invasion (INV)
Carrion Rats - Torment (TOR)
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dark Supplicant - Legions (LGN)
Bile Urchin - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Rimebound Dead - Coldsnap (CSP)
Plague Beetle - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Festering Goblin - Tenth Edition (10E)
Sleeper Agent - Tenth Edition (10E)
Knucklebone Witch - Lorwyn (LRW)
Nightshade Stinger - Lorwyn (LRW)
Smolder Initiate - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Kjeldoran Dead - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Deathgreeter - Shards of Alara (ALA)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ruthless Ripper MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Khans of Tarkir, 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 Ruthless Ripper and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ruthless Ripper Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2014-09-26 and 2018-03-16. Illustrated by Clint Cearley.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 557672015normalblackClint Cearley
22014-09-26Khans of TarkirKTK 882015normalblackClint Cearley
32018-03-16Masters 25A25 1072015normalblackClint Cearley

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ruthless Ripper has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2014-09-20 A permanent that turns face up or face down changes characteristics but is otherwise the same permanent. Spells and abilities that were targeting that permanent, as well as Auras and Equipment that were attached to the permanent, aren’t affected.
2014-09-20 Any time you have priority, you may turn the face-down creature face up by revealing what its morph cost is and paying that cost. This is a special action. It doesn’t use the stack and can’t be responded to. Only a face-down permanent can be turned face up this way; a face-down spell cannot.
2014-09-20 At any time, you can look at a face-down spell or permanent you control. You can’t look at face-down spells or permanents you don’t control unless an effect instructs you to do so.
2014-09-20 Because the permanent is on the battlefield both before and after it’s turned face up, turning a permanent face up doesn’t cause any enters-the-battlefield abilities to trigger.
2014-09-20 If a face-down permanent leaves the battlefield, you must reveal it. You must also reveal all face-down spells and permanents you control if you leave the game or if the game ends.
2014-09-20 Morph lets you cast a card face down by paying , and lets you turn the face-down permanent face up any time you have priority by paying its morph cost.
2014-09-20 The face-down spell has no mana cost and has a converted mana cost of 0. When you cast a face-down spell, put it on the stack face down so no other player knows what it is, and pay . This is an alternative cost.
2014-09-20 When the spell resolves, it enters the battlefield as a 2/2 creature with no name, mana cost, creature types, or abilities. It’s colorless and has a converted mana cost of 0. Other effects that apply to the creature can still grant it any of these characteristics.
2014-09-20 You must ensure that your face-down spells and permanents can easily be differentiated from each other. You’re not allowed to mix up the cards that represent them on the battlefield in order to confuse other players. The order they entered the battlefield should remain clear. Common methods for doing this include using markers or dice, or simply placing them in order on the battlefield.

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