Flailing Ogre MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Ogre
Released	1999-10-04
Set symbol
Set name	Mercadian Masques
Set code	MMQ
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	188
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Daniel R. Horne

Key Takeaways

Flailing Ogre creates card advantage opportunities through resource trading and strategic pressure.
Optimized cost-to-power ratio allows rapid deployment, integral for board control and strategic plays.
Strategic play around the Ogre’s ability can lead to advantage despite its high mana cost.

Text of card

o1: Flailing Ogre gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Any player may play this ability. o1: Flailing Ogre gets -1/-1 until end of turn. Any player may play this ability.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Flailing Ogre enables you to leverage the trading of resources effectively. Despite not directly offering card draw, its ability to pressure opponents can disrupt their hand, potentially leading to a card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: With a cost-to-power ratio that’s optimized for quick deployment, this creature can hit the battlefield swiftly, ensuring you’re not falling behind in the race for board dominance and allowing you to reallocate resources towards other game-winning strategies.

Instant Speed: Although Flailing Ogre doesn’t operate at instant speed, its presence can force opponents to play spells prematurely or deter them from playing certain cards altogether, offering you a strategic edge as you navigate through each turn with heightened awareness of your opponent’s potential responses.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Flailing Ogre demands a strategic maneuver as you’re obliged to part with another card from your hand. This requirement may backfire, particularly during late-game scenarios where your hand size is crucial for maintaining board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: Tailoring a deck around Flailing Ogre means being mindful of its red mana alignment. This specificity could restrict deck variety and force players into a narrower strategic path, potentially limiting the card’s adaptability across various deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing the mana investment against the benefits Flailing Ogre offers, its cost may prove steep. Players must track if the trade-off aligns with their deck’s tempo and if other creatures or spells in the same cost bracket wouldn’t serve their strategy more efficiently.

Reasons to Include Flailing Ogre in Your Collection

Versatility: Flailing Ogre offers flexibility for deck builders with its ability to fit into a variety of strategies. It’s not just a simple creature; its ability to pump its attack at the cost of defending could turn it into a surprise game-changer in certain situations.

Combo Potential: This card can synergize with effects that benefit from voluntarily adjusting a creature’s power. It works well with cards that leverage high power creatures and serves as fodder for sacrifice strategies or to fuel abilities that trigger on power changes.

Meta-Relevance: When the gameplay slows down and larger creatures begin to dominate the field, Flailing Ogre becomes a valuable asset. Its size-adjusting ability allows it to contend with or surpass other creatures in battle, giving it a niche role in specific meta environments.

How to beat

Flailing Ogre presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to alter its power and toughness. Understanding the mechanics behind this card is crucial for developing an effective strategy against it. Similar to other creatures that rely on adjusting stats, Flailing Ogre requires a keen sense of timing and resource management from both the player controlling it and their opponent.

Deck-building choices play a pivotal role here. Consider incorporating removal spells that don’t rely on damage, such as Path to Exile or Murder, to cleanly handle the Ogre without engaging in a mana war. In contrast, situational cards like Humble or Oust can neutralize the Ogre temporarily and provide a window of opportunity to gain board control. It’s also worth noting that in multi-player games, diplomatic skills might turn the tide as you can encourage other players to spend resources to weaken the Ogre.

Ultimately, your success against Flailing Ogre relies on a balance of strategic removal and timing. By carefully choosing when to act, you can minimize the impact of this daunting creature and maintain superiority on the battlefield.

Cards like Flailing Ogre

Flailing Ogre enters the realm of two-for-one creatures in Magic the Gathering with a unique twist of its own. This creature bears a resemblance to other cards that allow players to adjust power or toughness, such as Flowstone Sculpture. Both creatures share the ability to modify their stats at a cost, however, Flailing Ogre presents a greater risk and reward by letting each player control its power.

Comparing to other MTG cards in the category, Raging Goblin is another, though it doesn’t have the player interaction or the power alteration ability present in Flailing Ogre. Where Raging Goblin offers the advantage of haste, trading off the dynamic power adjusting seen in Flailing Ogre can significantly alter the pace and strategy of a game. On the other side of the spectrum, there’s Spikeshot Goblin, which like Flailing Ogre benefits from increased power, but instead uses it to deal direct damage, providing a different angle of board influence.

While each of these creatures offers a unique edge to a player’s deck in MTG, Flailing Ogre’s interactive playstyle offers both an unpredictable challenge and an opportunity, standing out in its own right within the array of creature cards designed for strategic combat advantages.

Cards similar to Flailing Ogre by color, type and mana cost

Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions

Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions

Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - MTG Card versions

Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions

Shinen of Fury's Fire - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Flailing Ogre MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Flailing Ogre and other MTG cards: