Kraul Foragers MTG Card
2018-10-05 - Number 135
2019-11-07 - Number 1252
2022-12-02 - Number 682
2020-09-26 - Number GRN-135
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Insect Scout |
| Abilities | Undergrowth |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Text of card
Undergrowth — When Kraul Foragers enters the battlefield, you gain 1 life for each creature card in your graveyard.
Feed on food, you eventually rot. Feed on rot, you live forever. —Kraul saying
Cards like Kraul Foragers
Kraul Foragers serves as a vital lifeline in MTG, offering both a solid body on the field and a significant life boost upon entering the battlefield. Synonymous with cards such as Pulse of Murasa, the Foragers offer life gain, although in contrast, Pulse of Murasa grants the additional utility of retrieving creatures or lands from the graveyard. While Pulse of Murasa is instant speed, the Foragers, being a creature, bring the added benefit of providing a presence on the board.
Another comparable card is Thragtusk, which provides life upon entering and leaves a creature token behind when it leaves the battlefield. Thragtusk edges ahead with its immediate impact regardless of the graveyard, unlike the Foragers, which is dependent on a graveyard with creature cards. Centaur Healer is also in this family, granting life upon its arrival. However, though the Healer comes with a lower casting cost, it offers less life gained compared to the Kraul Foragers, assuming a stocked graveyard.
When sizing up the options for life-gaining cards in the green slice of MTG, Kraul Foragers undoubtedly holds its own, particularly in decks where creature cards frequently end up in the graveyard, allowing its undergrowth ability to maximize its potential.
Cards similar to Kraul Foragers by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Kraul Foragers grants a unique edge by letting you gain life equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard. This not only bolsters your life total but effectively turns your graveyard into a resource, providing you an indirect form of card advantage in longer matches.
Resource Acceleration: As a 4/4 creature for five mana, Kraul Foragers fits nicely on the curve, especially in Golgari (black-green) decks focused on self-milling or sacrificing creatures. While it doesn’t provide mana or tokens, it accelerates your game plan by ensuring your life total gives you more time to deploy other resources without the pressure of a dwindling life count.
Instant Speed: Although Kraul Foragers is a creature and not an instant, its undergrowth ability effectively uses the graveyard as a resource at any point in the game once it enters the battlefield. This function akin to instant speed interaction can swing the momentum of the game in your favor, especially when played after a block or combat trick that fills the graveyard.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Kraul Foragers demands a particular setup to reap its benefits, specifically having a creature card you’re willing to discard. This can be limiting, especially if your hand is already empty or populated with critical non-creature spells.
Specific Mana Cost: With a conversion cost that leans heavily into green mana, Kraul Foragers may not be as versatile in multicolor decks that need to balance their mana resources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing five mana to cast, Kraul Foragers come at a moment in the game when you could be deploying more impactful, game-changing spells. Given the mana investment, its abilities may seem underwhelming when facing faster, low-cost decks.
Reasons to Include Kraul Foragers in Your Collection
Versatility: Kraul Foragers offers both a solid body and a life-gain ability upon entry, making it a flexible pick for decks that require survivability against aggressive strategies. Its undergrowth ability scales well in longer games, making it useful in various situations.
Combo Potential: In decks that focus on creature cycling or graveyard synergy, Kraul Foragers can be an important piece. Its ability to gain you life equal to the number of creature cards in your graveyard can combo with self-mill or dredge strategies to provide a significant health buffer.
Meta-Relevance: Given the shifting dynamics of gameplay, having a creature that acts as a life buffer while contributing to board presence can be crucial. Against burn decks or other high-damage strategies, the life gain from Kraul Foragers can often give you the extra turns needed to execute your game plan.
How to beat
Kraul Foragers is a creature card known for its undergrowth ability in MTG, offering life gain that scales with the number of creature cards in a player’s graveyard. This presents a unique challenge as the card can be a powerful source of sustain for decks that fill their graveyard quickly. Beating Kraul Foragers often requires a proactive approach focused on graveyard disruption.
Effective strategies include employing cards that exile creatures from the graveyard, thus reducing the life gained when Kraul Foragers enters the battlefield. Cards with graveyard hate functionalities, like Rest in Peace or Scavenging Ooze, can significantly weaken the impact of undergrowth abilities. Another method is to apply pressure early in the game, reducing the opponent’s opportunity to build up their graveyard. Taking down Kraul Foragers can also be done through conventional removal spells; however, one must be prepared for the life gain upon its cast. It’s essential to mitigate this life gain’s impact by maintaining board control and pressuring your opponent’s life total consistently.
Understanding when to disrupt the graveyard and when to focus on board control is crucial in managing creatures like Kraul Foragers. Anticipating the undergrowth trigger and preparing a plan to counteract it is key to overcoming its potential game-swinging effect.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Kraul Foragers MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Mystery Booster, 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 Kraul Foragers and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
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- MTG Mint Card
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- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Kraul Foragers Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Aaron Miller.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018-10-05 | Guilds of Ravnica | GRN | 135 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Aaron Miller | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1252 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Aaron Miller | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | GRN-135 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Aaron Miller | ||
| 4 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 682 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Aaron Miller |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Kraul Foragers 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 |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Kraul Foragers card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-10-05 | Because tokens aren’t cards, they never count for undergrowth abilities. |
| 2018-10-05 | Creature cards with other types, such as artifact creature cards, count for undergrowth abilities. |