Rasaad, Shadow Monk MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Human Monk |
| Released | 2022-07-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate |
| Set code | HBG |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 4b |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Dan Scott |
Key Takeaways
- Card advantage through Monk tokens helps maintain hand size and battlefield presence.
- Instant speed token generation offers strategic adaptability and board control.
- Rasaad requires careful deck building due to specific mana and discard costs.
Text of card
When Rasaad, Shadow Monk dies, create a 4/1 black Skeleton creature token with menace.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: With Rasaad, Shadow Monk in your deck, you’re able to create card value through its ability to summon Monk tokens. These tokens are not just creatures to defend or attack but can be seen as an extension of your hand, providing you strategic benefits on the battlefield without costing you extra cards from your hand.
Resource Acceleration: Rasaad’s abilities can play a pivotal role in boosting your resources. By giving you an extra body on the field each time you cast a noncreature spell, Rasaad effectively accelerates your board presence, a critical resource in MTG where quantity can be as powerful as quality.
Instant Speed: This character’s ability to interact at instant speed, allowing you to spawn a Monk token during the end step of your opponent’s turn, ensures that you are always maximizing your resource utilization. By doing so, it gives you a nuanced control of the game’s pace, allowing you to adapt and respond to threats immediately as they arise.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Despite the intrigue that Rasaad, Shadow Monk can garner, it has a challenging discard requirement which may force players to part with a potentially crucial card. This may not always align with the strategy you have in place or could hinder your ability to maintain a card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Rasaad, Shadow Monk necessitates a defined mana investment inclusive of black mana. Such a requirement can restrict its integration into a diverse array of decks, particularly those that do not support black or are not tailored towards a mono-black strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: There’s no ignoring the fact that Rasaad, Shadow Monk comes into play with a mana curve that’s substantially steep. Due to this, you might find that other cards are more capable of providing similar benefits or synergies at a lower cost, increasing the overall efficiency of your deck’s performance.
Reasons to Include Rasaad, Shadow Monk in Your Collection
Versatility: Rasaad, Shadow Monk offers flexible gameplay across various deck styles. Whether you’re crafting a deck focused on monk synergies or need a defensively strong creature, Rasaad can adapt to your strategic needs with ease.
Combo Potential: Integrating Rasaad into monk-centric combos or using its abilities to control the battlefield can be a game-changer. Rasaad’s skill to tap and untap other creatures amplifies existing combos, unlocking new levels of interaction within your deck.
Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, so does the importance of key cards. In an environment teeming with aggressive strategies, having Rasaad can help stabilize your position while you set the stage for a powerful counter-attack or decisive winning combination.
How to beat
Rasaad, Shadow Monk introduces a unique dynamic to the battlefield in MTG. With the card’s ability to give creatures you control with a power of 2 or less the menace and lifelink abilities, it can quickly turn a swarm of smaller creatures into a formidable force. Facing down this monk means adapting your strategy to deal with an army that’s hard to block and keeps your opponent’s health total climbing.
To effectively counteract Rasaad, control decks with plentiful removal spells prove to be a strong match-up. Board wipes like Wrath of God or Damnation can clear the field of multiple threats at once, negating the advantage Rasaad provides. Spot removal, such as Swords to Plowshares or Terminate, can also eliminate Rasaad directly, disrupting synergy before it takes over the game. Additionally, utilizing enchantments that prevent life gain, such as Tainted Remedy, can turn the lifelink provided by Rasaad into a liability instead of an asset.
Consistent application of these tactics can neutralize Rasaad’s influence on the match. By maintaining pressure and keeping the board clear, you cut off the lifeline Rasaad offers, bringing you closer to victory against decks relying on this shadowy monk’s abilities.
Cards like Rasaad, Shadow Monk
In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Rasaad, Shadow Monk brings unique dynamics to the battlefield. If we consider cards with shared traits, a notable comparison would be with Aven Wind Guide. Both creatures provide utility beyond straightforward combat, with Aven Wind Guide offering flying and vigilance to your token creatures. Rasaad differs by bolstering your tokens with lifelink, potentially swaying the outcome of longer games in your favor.
Comparing Rasaad, Shadow Monk to Mentor of the Meek reveals a distinction in their approach to card advantage. Where Mentor of the Meek allows for card draw when low-power creatures enter the battlefield, Rasaad instead offers consistent support to your tokens without the necessity of drawing extra cards.
Lastly, the comparison with Oathsworn Knight brings out Rasaad’s strategic flexibility. While Oathsworn Knight is a stalwart physical defender, Rasaad relies on his ability to empower multiple creatures and create value across various phases of gameplay.
Through careful examination of features and strategic benefit, we can see Rasaad, Shadow Monk stands quite competitively among creatures that enhance token strategies, marking it as a card with potentially high impact on MTG games focused on such tactics.
Cards similar to Rasaad, Shadow Monk by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Rasaad, Shadow Monk MTG card by a specific set like Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate, 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 Rasaad, Shadow Monk and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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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