Orcish Captain MTG Card
1994-11-01 - Number 60
1997-03-24 - Number 254
2008-09-22 - Number 139
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Orc Warrior |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
o1: Choose a target Orc. Flip a coin; opponent calls heads or tails while coin is in the air. If the flip ends up in your favor, that Orc gets +2/+0 until end of turn. Otherwise, that Orc gets -0/-2 until end of turn.
There's a chance to win every battle.
Cards like Orcish Captain
Orcish Captain, a unique MTG card, opens strategic avenues within the red creature-focused decks. It bears resemblance to cards that affect creature power, like Goblin Bushwhacker, which offers a temporary power boost to your creatures. Orcish Captain, however, leverages its ability to influence not just the power, but also the chance element with coin flipping determining a creature’s fate.
Similar in theme, Frenzied Goblin provides a different tactical approach by restricting blockers, enhancing the damage output potential during your turn. Though it doesn’t involve coin flipping, it still manipulates combat outcomes. On another front, Ogre Battledriver boasts a more direct approach, providing a consistent power and speed bonus to creatures as they enter the battlefield, bypassing Orcish Captain’s randomness.
Within the Magic gameplay, Ogre Battledriver offers predictability while both Frenzied Goblin and Orcish Captain serve their roles in more opportunistic and interactive strategies. Whichever card a player prefers hinges on their tolerance for chance in a match, where Orcish Captain may either lead to grand victories or stochastic defeats.
Cards similar to Orcish Captain by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Orcish Captain provides a unique edge in card advantage as it offers the ability to manipulate the top of the deck – the so-called “stacking” effect. This increases the chance to draw the needed cards for the turn, keeping you a step ahead of your opponent. It ensures you make the most out of each draw, particularly in formats where single card efficiency can determine the outcome.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting your mana pool, Orcish Captain’s ability to manipulate chance and power up orcs can indirectly lead to resource acceleration by enabling quicker wins. More combat wins can result in less need for extensive mana investments, optimizing your play strategy and resource management.
Instant Speed: The ability to activate Orcish Captain’s skill at instant speed gives you the flexibility to respond to your opponent’s actions during their turn. This places you at an advantage as you can adapt to the game’s current state and maximize the effect of your orcs before any crucial combat or key decision.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Orcish Captain’s ability necessitates discarding at random, which can result in losing critical cards needed for your gameplay strategy. This kind of unpredictability tends to be unfavorable, as it can disrupt well-laid plans and diminish your hand, impacting your ability to respond to opponents’ actions.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation cost demands red mana, which means it aligns predominantly with red decks or those able to generate multiple mana colors. If your mana base isn’t diverse enough or heavily skewed towards other colors, consistently casting Orcish Captain might become challenging.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The initial cost of Orcish Captain might not seem exorbitant at a single red mana, but the cumulative mana needed to maximize its ability can be steep. As a player, you might find that investing in Orcish Captain’s ability throughout the game may not be as mana-efficient as other options available, making it a less desirable choice when optimizing your deck’s performance.
Reasons to Include Orcish Captain in Your Collection
Versatility: Orcish Captain can easily fit into a variety of red decks that emphasize aggressive playstyles or those seeking to utilize Orc tribal synergies. Its ability to pump up your Orc creatures can be a game-changer on the battlefield, making it flexible for inclusion in various strategies.
Combo Potential: With its chance-based ability to boost an Orc’s power and toughness, Orcish Captain can be integral in combos that rely on creature size. Additionally, it can be valuable in decks that interact with coin flips, offering an enjoyable mix of risk and reward.
Meta-Relevance: Given its low cost and potential for high payoff, Orcish Captain could find a place in metas where quick, powerful creatures are essential. It’s particularly relevant in formats where summoning multiple creatures quickly can overwhelm opponents unprepared for such a rush.
How to beat Orcish Captain
Orcish Captain is a niche card that often appeals to players who appreciate randomness and chance in their Magic: The Gathering decks. This card allows players to manipulate luck with its ability to influence coin tosses, a mechanism that can either be beneficial or detrimental to the player’s strategy. Defeating a deck that includes Orcish Captain requires a tactical approach, focusing on reducing the card’s impact on the game.
The key to overcoming Orcish Captain lies in either removing it from the battlefield or disrupting the coin-flipping strategy. Efficient removal spells or abilities that can target creatures at instant speed, thereby interrupting the Captain’s ability before the effect resolves, are particularly effective. Consistency in your deck’s strategy may also outpace the unpredictable outcomes generated by the Orcish Captain’s coin tosses. Therefore, countering the randomness with reliable card interactions and maintaining board control can greatly reduce the challenges posed by this card.
Ultimately, the Orcish Captain can be an exciting card to play against, and sporting a deck that remains steadfast and versatile in its game plan is the best tactic to nullify its potential. Managing the whims of chance and maintaining strategic focus will often lead you to victory against a deck wielding this unpredictable MTG Commander staple.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Orcish Captain MTG card by a specific set like Fallen Empires and Fifth Edition, 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 Orcish Captain 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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Printings
The Orcish Captain Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1994-11-01 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-11-01 | Fallen Empires | FEM | 60 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Mark Tedin | |
| 2 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 254 | 1997 | Normal | White | Charles Gillespie | |
| 3 | 2008-09-22 | Masters Edition II | ME2 | 139 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Mark Tedin |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Orcish Captain has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Orcish Captain card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2008-10-01 | You choose the target when you activate the ability. You don’t flip a coin until the ability resolves. |