Junktroller MTG Card
2005-10-07 - Number 264
2019-01-25 - Number 235
2024-01-12 - Number 262
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Golem |
| Abilities | Defender |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 6 |
Key Takeaways
- Junktroller provides card advantage by recycling valuable spells or creatures from the graveyard into the library.
- The card’s instant speed allows for strategic play and unpredictable defense against opponents.
- Despite its benefits, Junktroller demands careful deck construction and can clash with mana flexibility in multicolor decks.
Text of card
Defender (This creature can't attack.) : Put target card in a graveyard on the bottom of its owner's library.
One man's trash is another man's troller.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Junktroller has a unique ability to reorder any card from your graveyard back into your library. This effect can be particularly beneficial in long games where key spells or creatures may be needed again, ensuring you have access to vital resources throughout the match.
Resource Acceleration: Despite Junktroller not directly generating mana or tokens, its ability effectively recycles your cards, which can be pivotal when building up your defenses or preparing for a powerful late-game strategy. This reusable action can help you maintain a steady pace against opponents, giving you a form of indirect resource acceleration through your library’s recursion.
Instant Speed: The ability of Junktroller to use its effect at instant speed provides a strategic advantage. You can wait until the end of your opponent’s turn to decide which card to put back into your library, granting you flexibility and surprise factor in response to your opponent’s actions, all while keeping your defenses solidified.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Junktroller doesn’t demand that players discard cards, but it requires precise deck construction to fully utilize its ability. This may force players into keeping particular cards in their hand solely for the Junktroller synergy, limiting dynamic play.
Specific Mana Cost: Junktroller’s casting cost, which includes colorless mana, can be prohibitive in multicolor decks where mana flexibility is key. Its specific cost demands a solid mana base, which might not always be feasible, especially in formats with stricter mana requirements.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing four mana to play, Junktroller comes with a steep price for its defensive stats and graveyard interaction. Other cards at lower mana costs can provide similar or better utility, making Junktroller a less attractive option for players seeking efficient graveyard manipulation or board presence.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Junktroller offers a unique function by allowing you to recycle key cards from your graveyard back into your library. This adaptability makes it a useful inclusion in decks that aim to reuse powerful spells or creatures.
Combo Potential: As a piece in intricate combos, this card interacts skillfully with effects that care about the order of your library or require specific cards to be at the bottom. It can become a cornerstone in decks that exploit such synergies.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where graveyard strategies prevail, Junktroller serves as a strategic deterrent. Its ability to selectively remove opponents’ graveyard resources can interfere with their plans and give you an edge in the game.
How to beat
Junktroller is a unique card that quite literally turns the game of Magic: The Gathering on its head by reshuffling cards from a graveyard back into a player’s library. To effectively counter this card, it’s crucial to limit its activation opportunities or completely remove it from play. Strategies such as using artifact destruction spells or abilities can swiftly take Junktroller out of the equation. Enchantments like Stony Silence also hinder Junktroller’s tap ability, rendering the card ineffective during crucial moments of the game.
Moreover, employing graveyard hate cards can preemptively curb Junktroller’s utility, targeting the resource it seeks to manipulate before it becomes a threat. Additionally, board control cards and direct removal spells are particularly useful against Junktroller. Cards like Shatter or Naturalize provide an inexpensive means to dispose of problematic artifacts such as Junktroller, maintaining tempo and board advantage.
In essence, proactively incorporating cards that target the graveyard or directly deal with artifacts into your deck can act as a safeguard against Junktroller’s disruptive capabilities, ensuring smoother gameplay and keeping your strategy intact amidst the disorder Junktroller aims to introduce.
Cards like Junktroller
Junktroller stands as a unique artifact creature in Magic: The Gathering, with functionalities that reminds players of cards like Reito Lantern and Reclaim. Both of these cards allow players to put cards from their graveyard back into their library, but they do so in different manners. Reito Lantern offers a persistent ability without tapping, though it requires mana investment each time you wish to use it. In contrast, Junktroller doesn’t need mana for its ability, but it requires tapping and affects only creatures.
We also witness an affinity with Epitaph Golem, a creature with a similar graveyard-to-library ability. However, Junktroller differentiates itself with a defensive edge thanks to its higher toughness, making it a better blocker. The golem’s ability is a bit more flexible though, as it can target any card type, not just creatures.
Assessing the value and utility of these cards, Junktroller can be seen as a vital piece for decks focused on defending while subtly manipulating the graveyard, presenting a strategic dimension that these similar cards offer in varied measures. Each card provides a unique approach to the concept of recycling cards, highlighting Junktroller’s role in the tactical positioning of creature cards within a match.
Cards similar to Junktroller by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Junktroller MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds and Ravnica Allegiance, 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 Junktroller 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Junktroller Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005-10-07 | Ravnica: City of Guilds | RAV | 264 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Chippy | |
| 2 | 2019-01-25 | Ravnica Allegiance | RNA | 235 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chris Seaman | |
| 3 | 2024-01-12 | Ravnica Remastered | RVR | 262 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chippy |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Junktroller has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
