Rathi Intimidator MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Phyrexian Horror Mercenary
Abilities	Fear
Released	2000-02-14
Set symbol
Set name	Nemesis
Set code	NEM
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	69
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mike Ploog

Key Takeaways

Forcing opponents to discard disrupts their strategies and tilts the card advantage in your favor.
Its specific mana cost and high activation charge may constrain deck building options and efficiency.
The Rathi Intimidator fits well in aggressive decks, disrupting opponents’ blocking with warrior synergy.

Text of card

Rathi Intimidator can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and black creatures. , oc T: Search your library for a Mercenary card with converted mana cost 2 or less and put that card into play. Then shuffle your library.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rathi Intimidator has the potential to disrupt your opponent’s hand, making them discard, which can often lead to a significant card advantage. This type of disruption can interfere with your opponent’s game plan while boosting your own strategic options.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly a resource accelerator, Rathi Intimidator forces resource denial on your opponent. By making it more difficult for them to retain a strong hand, you indirectly accelerate your own resource advantage, pushing towards a swifter victory.

Instant Speed: If Rathi Intimidator could be played at instant speed, it would be immensely powerful, allowing for disruptive plays during your opponent’s turn. Despite this, the tactical advantage of this card played at the right moment can mimic the flexibility that instant speed interactions offer—choosing the perfect moment to weaken your opponent’s defenses.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Players must discard a card from their hand to activate the Rathi Intimidator’s abilities. This can be particularly disadvantageous when your hand is already depleted, forcing you to sacrifice essential cards for a single activation.

Specific Mana Cost: The Rathi Intimidator demands a precise mana investment to summon. Its color identity restricts it to black-centered decks, limiting its versatility across the diverse array of MTG decks and strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost of the Rathi Intimidator can be considered steep, especially when evaluated against other creatures in its mana range. This may reduce its competitive viability when building a mana-efficient deck.

Reasons to Include Rathi Intimidator in Your Collection

Versatility: Rathi Intimidator is a card that can seamlessly integrate into an array of deck styles, particularly those that thrive on aggressive strategies and warrior synergy. Its ability to hamper blocking strategies of your opponent makes it a valuable addition to your arsenal.

Combo Potential: This card boasts potential synergies with other cards that capitalize on creature types or unblocked attackers, providing you with the tools to design a combo that can outmaneuver your opponents.

Meta-Relevance: If your local game scene or the broader competitive environment favors decks that rely on creature-based tactics, Rathi Intimidator’s role in disrupting enemy defenses could give you the upper hand in crucial matchups.

How to beat

Confronting a Rathi Intimidator on the battlefield requires a strategy that mitigates its power to disrupt your gameplay. The card is a formidable force, often giving players the upper hand by undermining the defenses of those facing it. To effectively combat this threat, one must consider options that limit its ability to control the flow of the game.

For instance, removal spells are a savvy choice to deal with the Rathi Intimidator directly, negating the problematic abilities that it possesses. Cards with instant speed removal grant the ability to act swiftly and prevent your opponent from leveraging Rathi Intimidator’s abilities to their advantage. Alternatively, utilizing counterspells when the Rathi Intimidator is on the stack prevents it from entering the battlefield entirely. It’s essential to have these responses ready, as the timing of interruption could be the deciding factor between maintaining control or succumbing to the opponent’s strategies.

In summary, countering the Rathi Intimidator’s intimidation tactics boils down to preparedness and precise action. Players who can anticipate and interrupt these plays will find themselves holding the reins, directing the game away from their opponent’s anticipated plan of domination.

Cards like Rathi Intimidator

The Rathi Intimidator card is an intriguing option for players seeking control over the flow of combat within Magic: The Gathering. When looking at cards with analogous abilities, it bears a resemblance to cards like Intimidation Bolt, which also impedes combat by preventing multiple creatures from attacking. However, Rathi Intimidator offers more flexibility, enabling ongoing creature disruption turn by turn rather than a one-time effect.

In relation to this, Prickleboar shares a common thread in limiting opponent’s blocking choices by having inherent intimidate. Unlike Rathi Intimidator, Prickleboar is a creature itself with a static ability rather than an activatable ability. This means Rathi Intimidator can impact the board without needing to enter the combat fray directly. Lastly, Taunting Elf is another card to consider. Like the Intimidator, Taunting Elf affects how opponents block, but it forces all creatures to block the Elf if able, rather than selectively limiting blocking choices.

Reviewing these similarities, Rathi Intimidator holds a valuable position for strategic gameplay, allowing players to dictate combat phases over several turns, thus disrupting opponents’ defenses in a controlled manner.

Cards similar to Rathi Intimidator by color, type and mana cost

Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rathi Intimidator MTG card by a specific set like Nemesis, 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 Rathi Intimidator and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rathi Intimidator has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Rathi Intimidator card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2004-10-04	Because the “search” requires you to find a card with certain characteristics, you don’t have to find the card if you don’t want to.