Ravenous Chupacabra MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 10 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Beast Horror
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Ravenous Chupacabra delivers card advantage by removing opponent’s creatures upon its entry to the battlefield.
  2. Its versatility shines in decks designed for control, with potential for powerful enter the battlefield combos.
  3. Despite its strengths, the Chupacabra’s mana specificity and cost may restrict its use in certain deck types.

Text of card

When Ravenous Chupacabra enters the battlefield, destroy target creature an opponent controls.

Opening Orazca unleashed more horrors than just the Immortal Sun.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ravenous Chupacabra presents a significant card advantage by allowing you to remove an opponent’s creature upon entering the battlefield. This provides a two-for-one scenario where you gain a creature and your opponent loses one.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly a tool for resource acceleration, by efficiently dealing with threats, Ravenous Chupacabra enables smoother gameplay which in turn helps to maintain your resources for other pivotal plays.

Instant Speed: While Ravenous Chupacabra itself isn’t an instant, it opens the door for instant-speed interaction with cards that flash it in. This can catch opponents off guard, disrupting their strategies at crucial moments.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Ravenous Chupacabra can place you in a tight spot when it comes to maintaining card advantage. Without a discard outlet or a strategy to capitalize on self-discard, players can find themselves faltering in longer games where each card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting requirement of two black mana, Ravenous Chupacabra is confined to black-centric or multicolor decks, potentially limiting its inclusion in more color-diverse strategies that can’t reliably provide the necessary mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing four mana with two of those being specific to black, it means players often wait longer to deploy this creature. In fast-paced games, every turn counts, and there might be alternative lower-cost removal options that allow players to deal with threats more efficiently.


Reasons to Include Ravenous Chupacabra in Your Collection

Versatility: Ravenous Chupacabra is a powerhouse in any deck that looks for creature control. Its ability to remove a creature upon entering the battlefield makes it a recurring threat, especially in decks that can reuse its enter the battlefield (ETB) effect.

Combo Potential: This card thrives in strategies that capitalize on ETB triggers. It can be combined with flicker or reanimation effects to repeatedly clear opponents’ threats, thereby strengthening control over the game’s pace.

Meta-Relevance: Given the creature-centric nature of many decks in the current meta, Ravenous Chupacabra remains a relevant disruption tool. It provides immediate board impact which can be crucial in swinging the momentum of a match in your favor.


How to beat

Ravenous Chupacabra poses a unique challenge as it enters the battlefield with a built-in creature removal effect. When this creature enters play, its ability allows you to destroy a creature your opponent controls, which can drastically alter the board state. To handle this effectively, you can focus on playing creatures that have hexproof or shroud, making them untargetable by such abilities. Cards like Siren Stormtamer can also be used to counter the Chupacabra’s enter the battlefield effect, protecting your valuable creatures in the process.

Another strategy is to utilize instant-speed removal to dispatch the Chupacabra before its ability triggers, such as by casting Path to Exile in response to its summoning. You can also favor playing non-creature spells that create creature tokens since losing a token to the Chupacabra’s ability is less impactful than losing a key creature. In the event the Chupacabra is already on the board, it’s vital to assess if it’s worth removing. Since its primary utility is its entry effect, its continued presence is less menacing, especially if you’re equipped to deal with it post-entrance.

Altogether, the trick is to reduce the value Ravenous Chupacabra can extract from its entrance by making shrewd plays, thereby keeping your vital creatures safe and maintaining board control.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the intricacies of Ravenous Chupacabra’s mechanics opens up a world of strategic opportunities for MTG players. With its creature removal prowess and synergy with enter the battlefield triggers, this card is a gem for those running black or multicolor decks. As you ponder over the versatility and potential Ravenous Chupacabra adds to your arsenal, reflect on the depth it brings to gameplay. Consider including it in your collection to navigate the meta with confidence. If you’re eager to sharpen your skills and optimize your deck, we’re here to guide you further into mastering the art of control and removal. Intrigued by the endless possibilities? Learn more with us and transform your MTG strategy.


Cards like Ravenous Chupacabra

The Ravenous Chupacabra stands out as a formidable creature in Magic: The Gathering due to its instant impact on the board. When compared to other creatures like Shriekmaw, we notice similarities, such as their ability to take out a target creature upon being played. However, Shriekmaw is slightly restrictive, targeting only nonartifact, nonblack creatures. Ravenous Chupacabra, being unconditional, is more versatile in its removal.

Murderous Rider presents another point of comparison. While it also serves as a creature-based removal, Murderous Rider’s ability is not a trigger upon entrance but rather an adventure, offering a two-in-one spell and creature. Yet, Ravenous Chupacabra’s lack of life loss upon casting makes it slightly safer in terms of player health maintenance. Nekrataal, part of the older sets, provides removal in a similar vein but, like Shriekmaw, has targeting limitations.

Throughout the analysis, Ravenous Chupacabra comes across as a reliable and straightforward solution for creature problems, fitting seamlessly into a wide array of strategies without the constraints of specific targeting rules, making it an incredibly valuable asset in MTG decks focusing on control and removal.

Shriekmaw - MTG Card versions
Nekrataal - MTG Card versions
Shriekmaw - Lorwyn (LRW)
Nekrataal - Visions (VIS)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ravenous Chupacabra MTG card by a specific set like Rivals of Ixalan and Masters 25, 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 Ravenous Chupacabra and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ravenous Chupacabra Magic the Gathering card was released in 10 different sets between 2018-01-19 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12018-01-19Rivals of IxalanRIX 822015normalblackDaarken
22018-03-16Masters 25A25 1042015normalblackDaarken
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 7452015normalblackDaarken
42019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 3052015normalborderlessCrocodile Jackson
52020-07-17JumpstartJMP 2692015normalblackDaarken
62020-09-26The ListPLST RIX-822015normalblackDaarken
72022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 7702015normalblackDaarken
82022-10-14Game Night: Free-for-AllGN3 592015normalblackDaarken
92023-01-01Wizards Play Network 2023PW23 101997normalblackDaarken
102024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 1362015normalblackDaarken

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ravenous Chupacabra has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

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