Scrapyard Salvo MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Sorcery
Released	2011-05-13
Set symbol
Set name	New Phyrexia
Set code	NPH
Number	94
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Austin Hsu

Key Takeaways

Scrapyard Salvo leverages graveyard artifacts for substantial damage, turning them into a strategic advantage.
It fits naturally in artifact-centric decks, synergizing well with graveyard manipulation tactics.
To mitigate its impact, manage graveyards and prioritise artifact removal in your strategy.

Text of card

Scrapyard Salvo deals damage to target player equal to the number of artifact cards in your graveyard.

"Squealstokers! Build me a glorious pile of Mirran metal. Then add yourselves to the pile." —Furnace boss, sector 11

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Scrapyard Salvo turns your graveyard into a valuable resource by counting the number of artifact cards in there, potentially delivering punishing damage and tilting the scales in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: By relying on the artifacts already expended as part of your strategic plays, this card becomes more efficient as the game progresses, acting as a resource accelerator with no additional mana investment to increase its impact.

Instant Speed: While Scrapyard Salvo operates at sorcery speed, this can strategically benefit players by setting up their graveyard with high artifact counts before the turn they unleash its power, making it a potent game-changer after laying the groundwork.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Scrapyard Salvo necessitates a substantial graveyard setup to be effective, which may pose a risk if you’re unable to consistently fill the graveyard with artifacts.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost demands both generic and red mana, potentially complicating its inclusion in multicolor decks that may not prioritize red mana generation.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two that must be red, Scrapyard Salvo could be deemed expensive for its effect, especially when compared to other options that deal damage without such specific requirements.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Scrapyard Salvo offers flexibility for decks that capitalize on graveyard resources. Its ability to deal damage equivalent to the number of artifact cards in your graveyard makes it adaptable to various game scenarios.

Combo Potential: This card shines in artifact-heavy decks, synergizing with strategies that stockpile metal pieces in the graveyard to unleash significant damage to opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where artifacts are plentiful or graveyard manipulation is a common strategy, Scrapyard Salvo can become a game-changing card by turning your discarded tools into powerful blasts against your adversary.

How to beat Scrapyard Salvo

Scrapyard Salvo stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a powerful finisher in artifact-centric decks. Its damage potential scales with the number of artifacts in your graveyard, making it a severe threat in the late game. To counteract this card effectively, it’s essential to manage the opponent’s graveyard. Employ cards like Relic of Progenitus or Tormod’s Crypt to keep the graveyard artifact count low, thus minimizing the damage output of Scrapyard Salvo.

Additionally, board presence is key. Prioritize removing your opponent’s artifacts before they hit the graveyard. This can be accomplished with removal spells or by incorporating artifact hate cards like Stony Silence or Karn, Scion of Urza, which prevents them from activating artifact abilities. To further mitigate the impact, instant-speed removal can disrupt the opponent’s strategy at crucial moments, allowing you to nimbly navigate around the potent threat that Scrapyard Salvo presents.

Understanding the matchup and being proactive with your responses can often be the difference between victory and defeat. As with any strategy in Magic: The Gathering, adaptability and foresight are your greatest allies against formidable cards like Scrapyard Salvo.

Cards like Scrapyard Salvo

Scrapyard Salvo enters the realm of red sorcery spells in MTG with an angle steeped in the graveyard mechanic. Its closest rival is Goblin Grenade, which also deals considerable damage but relies on sacrificing a Goblin. Scrapyard Salvo, though, calculates damage based on the number of artifact cards in the graveyard, offering a different strategic angle.

Comparing to other artifacts-centric cards, Galvanic Blast also harnesses the power of the graveyard, dealing damage equal to the number of artifacts you control. However, where Scrapyard Salvo functions as a late-game finisher, Galvanic Blast is more of a flexible option, capable of dealing early damage or as a quick reaction during your opponent’s turn.

Then there’s Shrapnel Blast, which presents a trade-off, requiring you to sacrifice an artifact to deal damage. Unlike Scrapyard Salvo, which purely depends on graveyard contents without losing board presence, Shrapnel Blast demands immediate payment for its effect. This can be a pivotal difference depending on the state of the game and your available resources.

Assessing each card’s unique mechanics and their impact on gameplay, Scrapyard Salvo shines as a formidable option for decks exploiting the artifact graveyard synergy within the MTG universe.

Cards similar to Scrapyard Salvo by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scrapyard Salvo MTG card by a specific set like New Phyrexia, 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 Scrapyard Salvo and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Scrapyard Salvo has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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