Ravenous Intruder MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Ravenous Intruder offers strategic advantage through artifact sacrifice, letting you thin your deck for efficiency and potentially triggering synergistic effects from the graveyard or other permanents on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: As you sacrifice artifacts with this card, certain gameplay setups could convert these actions into various forms of resource acceleration, such as additional mana or fueling powerful combos.

Instant Speed: With its ability to grow in power at instant speed, the Ravenous Intruder can unexpectedly become a significant threat during combat or in response to an opponent’s actions, making it a flexible and tactical asset during play.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Ravenous Intruder card necessitates sacrificing another artifact to activate its ability, which means you must part with valuable permanents on the battlefield. This could lead to a decline in board presence and resource availability, especially if you are unable to maintain a steady stream of artifacts to fuel its power.

Specific Mana Cost: Ravenous Intruder requires red mana for casting, making it less flexible for inclusion in multi-colored or colorless artifact-centric decks. This cost can restrict deckbuilding options, confining it primarily to red or artifact-based strategies that can consistently meet the mana requirement.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not exceedingly cost-prohibitive, the one red mana required to cast this creature card could be considered high for a 1/2 creature. Given its power level, players might find other cards at the same mana slot that provide immediate impact or greater synergy with their deck’s overall strategy.

Reasons to Include Ravenous Intruder in Your Collection

Versatility: Ravenous Intruder offers a unique dynamic to any artifact-based deck. Its ability to sacrifice an artifact for a powerful attack boost allows for tactical plays, whether you’re looking for a sudden damage spike or need to dismantle your own board for strategic reasons.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combos. It pairs well with cards that produce artifacts or artifact creatures that can be sacrificed. For example, integrate it with a deck that contains cards like “Myr Retriever” to cycle artifacts for constant pressure on your opponent.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where artifact decks are prevalent or where having sacrificial elements can disrupt an opponent’s strategy, Ravenous Intruder serves as a key player. Moreover, it’s an asset against decks that are susceptible to quick, unexpected bursts of damage, making it a useful sideboard candidate or even a main deck surprise factor.

How to beat

Ravenous Intruder presents a unique challenge in MTG due to its ability to sacrifice artifacts for a significant power boost. This sacrifice outlet can quickly turn the tide of a game if not addressed promptly. When facing a deck utilizing this card, it’s essential to limit the number of artifacts your opponent has available. Efficient artifact removal spells such as Abrade or Shatter can dismantle their strategy before they amass enough resources to overwhelm you. Additionally, keeping the board clear of small, disposable artifacts will starve them of the “ammunition” they need to fuel their Intruder’s strength.

Moreover, it’s wise to have creature removal at the ready. Instant-speed removal such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile can be pivotal. Timing these spells for when your opponent commits to sacrificing their artifacts can lead to a strategic advantage by wasting their resources while taking down the Intruder. Direct creature counters like Counterspell can also prevent the Intruder from hitting the board in the first place. By combining artifact removal with responsive creature control, you’ll effectively neutralize the threat posed by the Ravenous Intruder and safeguard your standing in the game.