Ratadrabik of Urborg MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Zombie Wizard
Abilities Ward, Vigilance
Power 3
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Grants consistent card advantage by creating token copies of non-Token creatures that perish.
  2. Ratadrabik’s instant speed ability threatens opponents, enhancing your timing and plays.
  3. Its mana cost and discard requirement may restrict deck inclusion and strategy complexity.

Text of card

Vigilance, ward Other Zombies you control have vigilance. Whenever another legendary creature you control dies, create a token that's a copy of that creature, except it's not legendary and it's a 2/2 black Zombie in addition to its other colors and types.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Ratadrabik of Urborg offers consistent card advantage through its unique ability to create a creature token copy of non-Token creatures that die. This mechanic ensures players have a continuous presence on the board while maintaining hand resources.

Resource Acceleration: By leveraging Ratadrabik’s token-generating ability, you gain valuable fodder for sacrifice mechanics. These tokens can be converted into additional resources such as mana or used in synergistic strategies, thereby accelerating your available resources considerably.

Instant Speed: Ratadrabik of Urborg’s ability functions at instant speed, meaning it is always a threat on the board. It enables you to react promptly to changes in the game state by capitalizing on end-of-turn strategies, maximizing the effectiveness of each card played and the timing of plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of using Ratadrabik of Urborg is its inherent discard requirement. This condition obliges players to bid farewell to a card from their hand which might otherwise be crucial for their game strategy. In tight situations, where each card counts, this can set a player back, particularly if they are already running low on card options.

Specific Mana Cost: Ratadrabik of Urborg demands a precise blend of mana types for casting. Featuring both generic and black mana in its cost, it can be somewhat restrictive and necessitates a commitment to swamps or mana-fixing resources. For decks not heavily skewed towards black, the inclusion of Ratadrabik could lead to inconsistencies and potentially hinder the deck’s overall mana curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Clocking in at five mana—three of which are generic and two black—Ratadrabik of Urborg comes with a comparably high cost. While the effects it brings to the table are potent, there are times when a player might consider alternative creatures or spells that offer similar benefits for a less taxing investment, allowing for a more streamlined and efficient deployment of resources throughout the match.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Ratadrabik of Urborg demonstrates a broad utility as it can serve multiple roles within various deck archetypes. Its ability to generate tokens lends itself to strategies that capitalize on creature-based synergies or sacrifice outlets.

Combo Potential: Ratadrabik’s unique mechanics open up opportunities for interesting combos. It aligns seamlessly with decks that are built around legendary creatures or graveyard interactions, enhancing long-term play value through creative pairing options.

Meta-Relevance: With an evolving competitive scene, Ratadrabik of Urborg holds its own by adapting to various meta shifts. It can provide a resilient threat against control and offers a substantive board presence that can challenge many tempo and aggro opponents.


How to beat

Ratadrabik of Urborg is a card that demands strategic finesse to tackle effectively in the MTG universe. It presents a unique mechanic, allowing players to exert control over opponents’ creatures upon their death. To come out ahead when facing this powerful legendary creature, understanding removal timing is key. Utilizing instant-speed removal or counterspells when Ratadrabik attempts to enact its conquering ability can thwart your opponent’s plans, ensuring that their creatures find their way to the graveyard without the added complication. Moreover, exile effects become exceptionally potent here, bypassing Ratadrabik’s trigger altogether by ensuring that opponents’ monsters do not hit the graveyard in the first place.

Bear in mind that graveyard hate cards are another route to counteract Ratadrabik’s influence. Cards that purge graveyards or exile cards directly from them can dismantle the decks built around this commander. Typically, well-timed plays can minimize the impact of Ratadrabik, leaving your opponent with fewer resources and you in a favorable position. As always, awareness and anticipation of Ratadrabik’s ability will equip you to make the right moves and maintain the upper hand.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re deep into MTG and looking to harness the power of Ratadrabik of Urborg, it’s crucial to assess your deck’s synergy and match-up potential. As a commander, Ratadrabik offers card advantage and resilience, fostering strategies that capitalize on creature death and token generation. For those with a penchant for graveyard play, this legendary creature can be a linchpin in your collection. For advice on deck building, optimizing your Ratadrabik strategy, and more MTG tactical insights, dive into our comprehensive guides. Expand your knowledge, explore new deck techs, and enhance your MTG experience with us today.


Cards like Ratadrabik of Urborg

Ratadrabik of Urborg emerges as a unique legendary creature card in the MTG realm. While exuding distinct similarities with other Legendary creatures that manipulate graveyard mechanics, there are subtle differences that set it apart. Likening Ratadrabik to Tormod, the Desecrator, one can observe that both play on creature cards leaving the graveyard. Ratadrabik, however, offers a creature token that’s a copy of the exiled card, enhancing the player’s battlefield presence significantly.

Analogously, Sedris, the Traitor King, shares the theme of exploiting the graveyard by granting unearth to creature cards. However, Sedris operates on a different axis, focusing on a temporary reanimation versus Ratadrabik’s permanent token creation. The fact that Ratadrabik can also act as a resilient commander due to its ward ability makes it a uniquely appealing card for players interested in a long-term strategic position.

Upon analysis, Ratadrabik of Urborg presents an enticing option for players who lean towards graveyard synergy within their decks, providing a novel mechanism for leveraging dead creatures and reinforcing their board state with a durable and intimidating legendary creature.

Tormod, the Desecrator - MTG Card versions
Sedris, the Traitor King - MTG Card versions
Tormod, the Desecrator - MTG Card versions
Sedris, the Traitor King - MTG Card versions

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Orah, Skyclave Hierophant - MTG Card versions
Felisa, Fang of Silverquill - MTG Card versions
Elenda, the Dusk Rose - MTG Card versions
Ghost Council of Orzhova - MTG Card versions
Ostiary Thrull - MTG Card versions
Voracious Hatchling - MTG Card versions
Harvest Gwyllion - MTG Card versions
Alms Beast - MTG Card versions
Triad of Fates - MTG Card versions
Unyielding Krumar - MTG Card versions
Cliffhaven Vampire - MTG Card versions
Restoration Gearsmith - MTG Card versions
Aryel, Knight of Windgrace - MTG Card versions
Seraph of the Scales - MTG Card versions
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Basilica Bell-Haunt - MTG Card versions
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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ratadrabik of Urborg MTG card by a specific set like Dominaria United Promos and Dominaria United, 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 Ratadrabik of Urborg and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Ratadrabik of Urborg Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2022-09-09 and 2022-09-09. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12022-09-09Dominaria United PromosPDMU 213s2015NormalBlackAnna Pavleeva
22022-09-09Dominaria UnitedDMU 3532015NormalBlackNino Vecia
32022-09-09Dominaria UnitedDMU 3122015NormalBlackNino Vecia
42022-09-09Dominaria UnitedDMU 2132015NormalBlackAnna Pavleeva
52022-09-09Dominaria United PromosPDMU 213p2015NormalBlackAnna Pavleeva

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ratadrabik of Urborg has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ratadrabik of Urborg card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2022-09-09 Any enters-the-battlefield abilities of the copied creature will trigger when the token enters the battlefield. Any “as
-his creature] enters the battlefield” or “
-his creature] enters the battlefield with” abilities of the chosen creature will also work.
2022-09-09 Except for power and toughness, the token copies only what was printed on the original creature (unless that creature is copying something else; see below) and adds the color black and the creature type Zombie. It doesn’t copy whether that creature was tapped or untapped, whether it had any counters on it or Auras or Equipment attached to it, or any non-copy effects that had changed its power, toughness, types, color, or so on.
2022-09-09 If the copied creature has in its mana cost, X is considered to be 0.
2022-09-09 If the copied creature is a token, the new token that’s created copies the original characteristics of that token as stated by the effect that created that token, with the exceptions noted above.
2022-09-09 If the copied creature is copying something else, then the token enters the battlefield as whatever that creature copied, with the exceptions noted above.
2022-09-09 The token copies the creature as it last existed on the battlefield before it died, not as it exists in the graveyard.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.