Desperate Castaways MTG Card

Ixalan (XLN)
2017-09-29 - Number 101

Desperate Castaways - Mystery Booster (MB1)

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 623

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number XLN-101

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Pirate
Power	2
Toughness	3

Key Takeaways

Desperate Castaways offers card advantage and fits in artifact-synergy decks, boosting both offense and strategic depth.
The card requires careful hand management due to its discard condition, and its specific mana cost may limit its playability.
With its combo potential and meta-relevancy, Desperate Castaways is a versatile addition to MTG collections that focus on artifact themes.

Text of card

Desperate Castaways can't attack unless you control an artifact.

A pirate crew without a ship is a crew that will do anything to get one.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Desperate Castaways can be a strategic addition to your deck when it comes to card advantage. Its ability to potentially unlock further options or answers within your deck might bolster your position during gameplay.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing mana or treasure, Desperate Castaways can contribute to resource acceleration by fulfilling artifact synergy strategies, indirectly leading to smoother and potentially faster plays.

Instant Speed: While Desperate Castaways itself is not an instant, it can synergize well with instant speed interactions, giving you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s moves while setting up your own board to leverage its abilities.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Desperate Castaways demands a card discard to unleash its full potential. This could pressure players, particularly if they’re managing a slim hand or aiming to preserve pivotal pieces for later strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: The card calls for a precise blend of mana to cast, which can be challenging in decks running multiple colors. This may narrow the range of decks in which Desperate Castaways can perform optimally.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the abilities of Desperate Castaways might tempt many, its mana cost stands on the higher side compared to other options in the same category. Players could find themselves prioritizing alternative cards that offer similar benefits for less mana, allowing for a more efficient use of resources.

Reasons to Include Desperate Castaways in Your Collection

Versatility: Desperate Castaways offers flexibility to your deck, as it’s a creature that easily fits into pirate-themed or artifact-centric strategies.

Combo Potential: This card interacts well with artifacts, enabling you to craft combinations that unlock synergy with artifact manipulation and sacrifice mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: With a shifting landscape in competitive play, Desperate Castaways aligns well against certain matchups that struggle with early-aggressive strategies and artifact interactions.

How to beat

Desperate Castaways stands out as a unique creature card in the landscape of MTG. With its dependency on having an artifact to attack, players can craft strategies centered around this weakness. Tackling Desperate Castaways effectively requires a thoughtful approach to artifact management. Disallowing your opponent to establish a robust artifact presence on the battlefield could render Desperate Castaways an immobile threat.

Artifact removal spells are particularly effective here; by eliminating the supporting artifacts, Desperate Castaways becomes more of a dormant card than a dynamic problem. Direct removals also offer a straightforward solution to dealing with these creatures. Cards like Naturalize or Abrade offer a swift and efficient pathway to undermine any synergy Desperate Castaways might have within an artifact-heavy deck.

Recognizing the reliance of certain cards on others for their strength is crucial in MTG. Desperate Castaways exemplifies this interdependency, and by dismantling those connections, players can mitigate its potential impact on the game, maintaining control over the match’s flow.

Cards like Desperate Castaways

Desperate Castaways from Magic: The Gathering finds itself among diverse creature cards featuring interesting limitations. Analogous to the Desperate Castaways’ inability to attack unless you control an artifact, Duskborne Skymarcher requires another Vampire on the battlefield to participate in combat. This factor introduces a strategic layer that players must navigate for optimal play.

Also in comparison, we have Headless Skaab, which can’t block unless you have another Zombie on the field. It’s remarkable how these restrictions create a dependency on other card types, compelling players to consider synergies when building their decks. Whereas Desperate Castaways restricts attacking, Headless Skaab affects defensive capabilities, showing a unique spin on conditional participation.

Assessing the dynamics, Desperate Castaways is part of a niche where its full potential is reached through an artifact-centric deck, adding a layer of tactical depth. While limitations may seem like a downside, they encourage creative deck building and can lead to rewarding gameplay for those who carefully assemble their cards with synergy in mind.

Duskborne Skymarcher - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Desperate Castaways by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Desperate Castaways MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan 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 Desperate Castaways and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Desperate Castaways Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-09-29 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Zoltan Boros.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2017-09-29	Ixalan	XLN	101	2015	Normal	Black	Zoltan Boros
2	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	623	2015	Normal	Black	Zoltan Boros
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	XLN-101	2015	Normal	Black	Zoltan Boros

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Desperate Castaways 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 Desperate Castaways card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.