Orcish Squatters MTG Card

Orcish Squatters can provide significant card advantage, disrupting your opponent’s mana base. Its ability for resource acceleration can lead to more powerful plays earlier in the game. Instant speed land theft during combat adds an element of surprise, potentially throwing opponents off balance.

Ice Age (ICE)
1995-06-03 - Number 211

Fifth Edition (5ED)
1997-03-24 - Number 258

Orcish Squatters - Masters Edition II (ME2)

Masters Edition II (ME2)
2008-09-22 - Number 143

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Orc
Power	2
Toughness	3

Text of card

If Orcish Squatters attacks and is not blocked, you may gain control of target land controlled by defending player. If you do so, Orcish Squatters deals no damage in combat this turn. Lose control of that land if Orcish Squatters leaves play or if you lose control of Orcish Squatters.

Cards like Orcish Squatters

Orcish Squatters offers a unique approach to resource denial in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to potentially steal mana resources from opponents draws a parallel to cards like Avalanche Riders. While both cards disrupt land, the Riders provide an immediate land destruction effect. Orcish Squatters, in contrast, grants an ongoing benefit when it successfully deals combat damage to a player.

Comparing it with Stone Rain, another card with land destruction capabilities, the Squatters require a more strategic setup but have the advantage of repeatable land targeting. Both require a specific set up to maximize their potential, considering the Squatters’ need for successful combat and Stone Rain’s single-use nature.

In examining these strategies, Orcish Squatters represents an intriguing option in the MTG universe. While it doesn’t have the straightforward impact of other land disruption cards, its ability to systematically dismantle an opponent’s mana base can prove invaluable in the right deck composition. The card requires careful play but can be incredibly rewarding in terms of board control and strategic advantage.

Cards similar to Orcish Squatters by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Orcish Squatters provides a strategic edge by potentially converting successful attacks into control over your opponent’s lands. This can result in depriving them of crucial resources while simultaneously bolstering your own land base.

Resource Acceleration: By seizing control of an opponent’s lands through Orcish Squatters’ ability, you indirectly accelerate your resource pool. This can lead to casting more impactful spells sooner than usual or unleashing powerful abilities that require a substantial mana investment.

Instant Speed: While Orcish Squatters itself is not an instant, its ability to steal lands upon dealing combat damage can disrupt opponent’s plans at a crucial moment. Effectively, it can remove lands before they can be tapped for instant speed spells on your opponent’s turn, reducing their ability to react or use counter strategies.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One significant drawback to Orcish Squatters is the necessity to discard a card for certain abilities or strategies associated with the card. When playing a resource-driven game, being forced to deplete your hand can place you at a disadvantage, leaving you with fewer options for future turns.

Specific Mana Cost: Orcish Squatters requires a specific combination of mana to play, including a double red mana cost. This requirement can be restrictive, making it a potentially challenging fit for multi-colored decks or those that don’t heavily feature red mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that might be considered steep for its abilities, Orcish Squatters can be seen as less cost-effective compared to other cards you could include in your deck. For the mana investment, players might expect a more immediate or impactful board presence, making this card potentially less appealing in fast-paced or highly competitive settings.

Reasons to Include Orcish Squatters in Your Collection

Versatility: Orcish Squatters offers a unique form of control, as it allows players to sneak in damage while potentially disrupting an opponent’s mana base. It can be an interesting addition to red decks that focus on land interaction or indirect damage strategies.

Combo Potential: The card’s ability to steal control of lands during combat offers intriguing combo possibilities. It pairs well with cards that benefit from land control or those that amplify damage during combat, creating opportunities for powerful synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where land-based strategies are prevalent, Orcish Squatters gains relevance. It can act as a countermeasure against decks that rely heavily on specific lands, making it a strategic sideboard card in certain matchups.

How to Beat Orcish Squatters

Orcish Squatters is a unique card in MTG that can be a real nuisance if you’re facing it on the battlefield. This card has the ability to effectively bypass your defenses, turning what may seem like a simple attack into a situation where you could lose control of your lands. To counteract this, players need a good strategy, as dealing with this card can be less about brute force and more about smart play.

The key to beating Orcish Squatters is to prevent it from declaring an attack. Utilizing removal spells that can target the creature before it becomes a threat is essential. Cards like Path to Exile or Murder are effective against it. Additionally, having instant-speed removal is crucial, as you can respond to the attack declaration before the Squatters’ ability triggers. Playing counterspells can also be a preventive measure, ensuring that the Orcish Squatters never make it to the battlefield in the first place.

Another angle is to limit the Squatters’ abilities directly – effects that nullify abilities or cards like Pithing Needle can shut down their land-grabbing mechanic. Ultimately, understanding the timing of the game and having the right answers in your deck will ensure you’re not caught off guard by this aggressive red card.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Orcish Squatters MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age 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 Squatters and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Orcish Squatters Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by Richard Kane Ferguson.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1995-06-03	Ice Age	ICE	211	1993	Normal	Black	Richard Kane Ferguson
2	1997-03-24	Fifth Edition	5ED	258	1997	Normal	White	Richard Kane Ferguson
3	2008-09-22	Masters Edition II	ME2	143	1997	Normal	Black	Richard Kane Ferguson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Orcish Squatters has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Orcish Squatters 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	The ability triggers on the declaration of blockers if no blockers are declared for it.
2008-10-01	If you lose control of Orcish Squatters before its ability resolves, you won’t gain control of the targeted land at all.
2013-04-15	An ability that triggers when something “attacks and isn’t blocked” triggers in the declare blockers step after blockers are declared if (1) that creature is attacking and (2) no creatures are declared to block it. It will trigger even if that creature was put onto the battlefield attacking rather than having been declared as an attacker in the declare attackers step.