Odunos River Trawler MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Zombie |
| Released | 2014-02-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Born of the Gods |
| Set code | BNG |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 79 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Seb McKinnon |
Text of card
When Odunos River Trawler enters the battlefield, return target enchantment creature card from your graveyard to your hand. , Sacrifice Odunos River Trawler: Return target enchantment creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
Cards like Odunos River Trawler
Odunos River Trawler holds its own within Magic: The Gathering’s array of creatures that have resurrection abilities. This card can be a strategic addition to decks centering around graveyard mechanics. When compared to cards like Doomed Necromancer, which also brings creatures back from the graveyard, Odunos River Trawler offers a lower casting cost. However, Necromancer allows the player to reanimate any creature card without a restriction on mana cost.
Another card worthy of comparison is Gravedigger, a creature that also brings back another creature from the graveyard to the player’s hand. Gravedigger doesn’t have the same targeted restriction as Odunos River Trawler, which can only return enchantment creatures. Nonetheless, the Trawler comes with an additional benefit — the self-recurring ability when an enchantment goes to your graveyard from play, enhancing synergies in enchantment-focused decks.
When examining these creatures side by side, Magic: The Gathering players must weigh Odunos River Trawler’s restrictions against its lower cost and recursive potential within the right deck structure. Its precision and synergistic capabilities can provide a tactical edge, making it a niche but potent tool in enchantment-heavy strategies.
Cards similar to Odunos River Trawler by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Odunos River Trawler has the ability to return another target enchantment creature card from your graveyard to your hand when it enters the battlefield. This innate ability provides an immediate edge by recuperating valuable assets, thus potentially shifting the balance in your favor by increasing your hand options without costing an extra card.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly a resource accelerator, Odunos River Trawler contributes to your mana efficiency. By paying one white mana and sacrificing it, you can retrieve an enchantment creature from your graveyard straight to the battlefield. This synergizes well in decks that exploit graveyard mechanics, effectively saving mana typically used for casting spells from hand.
Instant Speed: The ability to sacrifice Odunos River Trawler is not tied to sorcery speed, which means you can use it at the most opportune moment, such as in response to an opponent’s action or at the end of their turn. This flexibility allows strategic players to hold up their resources and make informed decisions based on the developing game state, utilizing the Trawler’s effect with timing that can catch an adversary unprepared.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Odunos River Trawler’s reanimation ability only triggers when it enters the battlefield, necessitating a premature discard to fully utilize its potential. This can put players at a disadvantage, especially if they’re strategically holding significant cards for later use or if their hand is already depleted.
Specific Mana Cost: This card necessitates both white and black mana for casting, which can complicate its inclusion in decks that do not run both colors. Moreover, the activation of its ability requires white mana, potentially limiting its synergy in a multicolored deck that might not always have the necessary mana readily available.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including one white and one black, Odunos River Trawler comes at a higher cost compared to other creatures in its class. Given that its ability is conditional upon another creature being in the graveyard, it may not always represent the most mana-efficient option for reanimation strategies.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Odunos River Trawler adapts well to various decks, making it an exceptional choice for those that utilize graveyard mechanics. It can seamlessly blend into white or black-based decks, expediting the retrieval of key enchantment creatures or other valuable cards from your graveyard.
Combo Potential: With this card, you can unlock powerful synergies. It specifically shines when combined with cards that have “eternalize” or “embalm” abilities, triggering recurring value plays that can overwhelm your opponents.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where games tend to drag out or where graveyard strategies prevail, Odunos River Trawler stands out as a resilient inclusion. It can facilitate a comeback from seemingly depleted positions, ensuring your arsenal is never truly diminished.
How to Beat
Encountering the Odunos River Trawler in Magic: The Gathering can be a significant hurdle, especially when it’s returning zombie comrades from the graveyard to the battlefield. To effectively navigate this challenge, it’s key to target the card before it fully utilizes its potent ability. Graveyard hate cards like Rest in Peace or Relic of Progenitus can exile the Trawler’s targets permanently, nullifying the threat posed by its recursion ability.
Another approach is to use instant-speed removal spells such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push to eliminate the Trawler in response to its enters-the-battlefield trigger, ensuring it doesn’t get the opportunity to return anything significant. It’s also advisable to manage the battlefield by keeping the number of zombies in check, as this limits the Trawler’s impact when it does make an appearance.
Ultimately, staying one step ahead by using disruptive or preemptive measures can keep the Trawler from turning the tides in your opponent’s favor. As with any card in Magic: The Gathering, understanding the specific mechanics and having a counter-strategy ready is the key to success.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Odunos River Trawler MTG card by a specific set like Born of the Gods, 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 Odunos River Trawler and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Odunos River Trawler has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |