Sky Scourer MTG Card


Sky Scourer - Oath of the Gatewatch
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Eldrazi Drone
Abilities Devoid,Flying
Released2016-01-22
Set symbol
Set nameOath of the Gatewatch
Set codeOGW
Power 1
Toughness 2
Number78
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byWinona Nelson

Key Takeaways

  1. Encourages synergistic deckbuilding focusing on ingest, exile, and spellcasting to potentially disrupt opponents.
  2. Accessible for aggressive strategies, yet constrained by colorless mana and specific deck types.
  3. Its versatile nature offers both combo potential and adaptation to shifting metagames.

Text of card

Devoid (This card has no color.) Flying Whenever you cast a colorless spell, Sky Scourer gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

"The Eldrazi are nothing if not thorough." —Jace Beleren


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Sky Scourer itself may not directly give you extra cards, it encourages a deck build around ingest and exile mechanics that can lead to card advantage by disrupting your opponent’s plans.

Resource Acceleration: Sky Scourer doesn’t accelerate your resources in the traditional sense, but its low mana cost allows for an aggressive early game, letting you allocate resources more freely to other threats and board presence.

Instant Speed: Although Sky Scourer isn’t an instant, its ability to benefit from instant-speed spells like colorless noncreature spells, thanks to its quick pump trait, effectively makes it a threat at any phase of the game. This means an opponent must always consider your untapped lands and potential combat tricks that may enhance Sky Scourer.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Demands sacrificing another colorless card to trigger its prowess-like ability. This condition can deplete your hand and resources quickly, which is particularly detrimental when you’re behind in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: Requires colorless mana, which ties it to a Devoid or Eldrazi-focused strategy, potentially restricting its utility in a broader range of decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At two mana for a 1/2 creature, Sky Scourer might not provide the level of impact you expect for such an investment when there are more cost-effective threats available.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Sky Scourer can slip into various deck types due to its low mana cost. This enables early threats in aggressive strategies and fuels the battlefield presence for Eldrazi or colorless-centric decks, making it a versatile addition to any collection.

Combo Potential: Its ability to gain additional power whenever you cast a colorless spell presents combo potential with cheap artifacts or other colorless spells. This could rapidly turn Sky Scourer into a formidable attacker, making it a card that synergizes well with decks looking to capitalize on casting multiple spells in a single turn.

Meta-Relevance: With a constantly shifting metagame, Sky Scourer’s efficacy can fluctuate. However, its low cost and scaling power make it potentially relevant in formats where building a quick board presence is crucial or where colorless spells are prevalent.


How to beat

Sky Scourer, hailing from the set Oath of the Gatewatch, poses as a nifty little menace in Magic: The Gathering. This Eldrazi Drone, with its flying ability, becomes quite a threat once you start churning out colorless spells. Its key feature is the power boost it receives whenever you cast a colorless spell, making it beefier with each portrayal.

To topple this sky-bound adversary, removal spells are your prime weapons. Sweep the skies clean with cards like Silkwrap or Grasp of Darkness, which swiftly deal with creatures of Sky Scourer’s ilk. Despite its potential for growth, Sky Scourer remains vulnerable to these types of targeted removal due to its modest base stats. Alternatively, you could employ board wipes like Languish or Kozilek’s Return to manage the field when facing multiple threats, including Sky Scourer.

Ultimately, while Sky Scourer can spiral out of control if left unchecked, similar to proliferating weeds in a garden, a well-timed intervention keeps the playing field level. Efficient removal or controlling the board-state are effective tactics in ensuring the Scourer’s wings are clipped before it can mount a significant assault.


Cards like Sky Scourer

In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Sky Scourer joins the ranks of efficient, low-cost creatures that can quickly become dangerous threats. Much like the card Slither Blade, Sky Scourer can be played early in the game due to its low mana cost. However, Slither Blade has the advantage of being unblockable, ensuring it can consistently deal damage to opponents, whereas Sky Scourer requires additional conditions to increase its power.

Looking at Eldrazi Skyspawner, we find another Eldrazi creature with a similar mana cost; however, it provides versatility by creating a 1/1 colorless Scion creature token that can be sacrificed for mana, something Sky Scourer does not offer. Alternatively, Mist Intruder presents an intriguing comparison. Both creatures flying capability, but Mist Intruder provides a form of disruption through its ingest ability, exiling the top card of an opponent’s library when it deals combat damage.

In light of these comparisons, Sky Scourer maintains its position as a formidable combatant under the right conditions. Its dependency on colorless spells to enhance its power offers a distinctive playstyle that could appeal to players crafting a deck around synergistic Eldrazi mechanics in Magic: The Gathering.

Slither Blade - MTG Card versions
Eldrazi Skyspawner - MTG Card versions
Mist Intruder - MTG Card versions
Slither Blade - Amonkhet (AKH)
Eldrazi Skyspawner - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)
Mist Intruder - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Sky Scourer MTG card by a specific set like Oath of the Gatewatch, 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 Sky Scourer and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Sky Scourer has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

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