Plague Dogs MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Phyrexian Zombie Dog |
| Released | 1999-06-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Urza's Destiny |
| Set code | UDS |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 66 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Chippy & Matthew D. Wilson |
Text of card
When Plague Dogs is put into a graveyard from play, all creatures get -1/-1 until end of turn. , Sacrifice Plague Dogs: Draw a card.
They're not just retrievers, they're carriers.
Cards like Plague Dogs
Plague Dogs stand out in the pantheon of creature cards in MTG. As a comparison, we often look at cards such as Howling Banshee or Infectious Host, both of which have similar effects upon leaving the battlefield. Plague Dogs offers a unique edge with its ability to draw a card when it’s sacrificed, setting it apart from its counterparts. While Howling Banshee causes life loss to all players when it enters the battlefield, it doesn’t offer card advantage.
Another parallel can be drawn with Fleshbag Marauder, which forces each player to sacrifice a creature upon entering the battlefield, influencing the board immediately. But unlike Plague Dogs, there is no direct card gain. Then there is Vulturous Aven, offering both a sacrifice outlet and card draw. Although it provides the desired card advantage, it doesn’t affect opponents’ life totals.
In data-driven deck-building, Plague Dogs can be a versatile choice due to its dual capabilities—providing both a way to disrupt the opponent’s strategy with life loss and supporting card flow for the player. Despite other cards offering part of its functionality, the Dogs’ combination of effects makes it a rare and tactical option.
Cards similar to Plague Dogs by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Plague Dogs offers you the unique benefit of drawing a card upon departure from the battlefield. This ability fits seamlessly into strategies centered around recycling creatures or using death triggers for added value, thereby bolstering your hand size and options.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing resources in the form of mana or tokens, Plague Dogs can indirectly lead to resource acceleration by clearing the way. Its built-in ability to deal with creature-based boards means potential for swinging the game tempo in your favor.
Instant Speed: The ability of Plague Dogs to self-sacrifice at instant speed grants you the latitude to choose the most opportune moment to activate its effect. This can disrupt your opponents’ plans by forcing a mass creature discard on their turn or in response to an unexpected threat, maintaining the element of surprise and tactical depth.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Engaging with the Plague Dogs ability necessitates that you discard a card, a potentially unfavorable trade-off when your hand is already dwindling in options.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost demands both black and generic mana, restricting its integration to decks that are tuned to generate these resources efficiently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Investing four mana to bring Plague Dogs into play may be steep, especially when other creatures or spells can provide superior board presence or utility for the same or lower investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Plague Dogs offer flexibility as a creature card that adds value beyond its stats. It can be slotted into deck strategies that revolve around creature sacrifice for benefit or graveyard manipulation, enhancing the strategic depth of your deck construction.
Combo Potential: This card comes with a built-in mechanic that can potentially clear the board of smaller creatures or weaken opponents’ defenses. Combined with ways to repeatedly resurrect or reanimate Plague Dogs, you can create powerful control combos while refilling your hand with the draw effect.
Meta-Relevance: With a format that includes graveyard play or focuses on utility creatures, Plague Dogs fits nicely into the metagame. Its ability to disrupt opponents’ game plans by acting as a deterrent to using smaller creatures adds a layer of defense to your strategies.
How to beat
Plague Dogs may not be the most prominent card in Magic: The Gathering, but it can be a nuisance with its ability to force a discard when it leaves the battlefield. To counter this problematic creature, it’s wise to rely on removal spells that exile, such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares. By removing Plague Dogs without it dying, you avoid its unsettling discard effect.
Another strategy is to use graveyard disruption tools. Since Plague Dogs can be recurred from the graveyard for repeated effects, cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void prevent its activation entirely. If you’re facing a deck that works to sacrifice Plague Dogs for advantage, consider cards like Grafdigger’s Cage to limit such interactions.
Ultimately, understanding the various avenues to neutralize or circumvent the discard trigger is key in maintaining control over your hand and the board whenever Plague Dogs attempts to disrupt your game plan in MTG.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Plague Dogs MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Destiny, 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 Plague Dogs 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Plague Dogs has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |