Merrow Grimeblotter MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Merfolk Wizard |
| Released | 2008-05-02 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Shadowmoor |
| Set code | SHM |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 171 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Cyril Van Der Haegen |
Text of card
{UB}, {Q}: Target creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn. ({Q} is the untap symbol.)
Grimeblotters spend so much time in the Dark Meanders that they're able to bring a piece with them wherever they go.
Cards like Merrow Grimeblotter
Merrow Grimeblotter stands as an intriguing addition to the realm of blue creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. It bears resemblance to cards like Waterfront Bouncer, which also has the ability to disrupt opponents by returning creatures to their owner’s hand. However, Merrow Grimeblotter introduces a unique twist: it creates a tapped token of itself, giving you an immediate board presence reminiscent of creating copies.
Comparable too is the card Venser, Shaper Savant. While Venser bounces any spell or permanent and is not restricted to creatures like Merrow Grimeblotter, it lacks the ability to clone itself. The distinction lies in versatility versus potential board amplification. Enclave Cryptologist is another card that finds synergy in the blue mana pool, but instead of bouncing, it enables card draw through its leveling up feature. Although it doesn’t directly influence the opponent’s board like Merrow Grimeblotter, it’s a key asset for long-term strategy.
In assessing the unique traits of Merrow Grimeblotter within the blue card cohort, we can appreciate its niche role. It offers a dual advantage of control through returning creatures and simultaneously expanding your field presence with a token creature, making it a card worth considering for MTG players looking for dynamic play options.
Cards similar to Merrow Grimeblotter by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Merrow Grimeblotter emphasizes the importance of card advantage in MTG by allowing strategic sifting through your deck. This capacity to look at multiple cards speeds up the process of finding crucial pieces for your deck’s strategy and enhances the consistency of your plays every turn.
Resource Acceleration: A key aspect of Merrow Grimeblotter lies in its ability to provide resource acceleration. By potentially freeing up mana, it lets you deploy more threats or answers into the battlefield quicker than usual. This acceleration can be the tipping point in the race against opponents.
Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of this card grants the flexibility to react to opponents’ moves or end-of-turn plays, keeping your adversaries constantly on their toes. It opens up possibilities for surprise plays and unexpected shifts in the course of a match, adding a layer of complexity and strategy to the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Merrow Grimeblotter necessitates that you discard a card, which can sometimes backfire, especially when your hand is already running thin. This requirement can lead to difficult decisions, particularly if the card you must discard is vital for your game strategy or if you’re trying to maintain card advantage over your opponent.
Specific Mana Cost: Merrow Grimeblotter comes with a blue mana cost, which means it will fit primarily into blue or blue-included decks. This specificity limits deck-building flexibility for players not running blue, reducing the card’s universality and potentially its appeal in a broader array of decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that may be considered steep relative to other options in the game, Merrow Grimeblotter can affect the tempo of your play. While providing a distinct ability, the cost-to-benefit ratio needs to be evaluated against other cards that might fulfill a similar role for less mana or provide more value, thereby affecting the card’s inclusion in competitive play.
Reasons to Include Merrow Grimeblotter in Your Collection
Versatility: Merrow Grimeblotter’s ability to be a reliable blocker in the early game while also offering late-game utility makes it adaptable across various deck strategies. Its inclusion in decks can enhance both defense and board control.
Combo Potential: This card’s synergy with tap and untap mechanics means it can be a crucial component in combos that revolve around controlling or neutralizing opponents’ creatures. Its ability to repeatedly place -1/-1 counters has excellent synergy with persist creatures and other cards that benefit from counters.
Meta-Relevance: As the MTG landscape evolves, controlling large threats often becomes crucial. Merrow Grimeblotter holds its ground by weakening and managing potential threats, making it a potent addition in a meta filled with hefty creatures.
How to beat
Merrow Grimeblotter is a creature that can bring a strategic advantage in MTG by manipulating the board with its tapping ability. Despite this tactical edge, overcoming its influence is achievable through various means. Removing it with direct creature removal spells such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile is one effective strategy. These spells can bypass the tapping ability, allowing you to retain control over your creatures.
Alternatively, employing countermeasures like hexproof or shroud can protect your creatures from becoming targets of Merrow Grimeblotter’s ability. Cards like Swiftfoot Boots or Asceticism can endow your creatures with the necessary protection. However, if your deck isn’t tailored to leverage such protective measures, focusing on overwhelming the board with creatures may dilute Merrow Grimeblotter’s impact, as its ability only targets one creature at a time.
Ultimately, while Merrow Grimeblotter can complicate gameplay, integrating removal, protection, or swarming tactics into your deck can mitigate its effectiveness and maintain your momentum on the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Merrow Grimeblotter MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor, 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 Merrow Grimeblotter and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Merrow Grimeblotter has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Merrow Grimeblotter card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-05-01 | If a creature with an {Q} ability hasn’t been under your control since your most recent turn began, you can’t activate that ability, unless the creature has haste. |
| 2008-05-01 | If the permanent is already untapped, you can’t activate its {Q} ability. That’s because you can’t pay the “Untap this permanent” cost. |
| 2008-05-01 | When you activate an {Q} ability, you untap the creature with that ability as a cost. The untap can’t be responded to. (The actual ability can be responded to, of course.) |