Grayscaled Gharial MTG Card

Grayscaled Gharial - Ravnica: City of Guilds

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Crocodile
Abilities	Islandwalk,Landwalk
Released	2005-10-07
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica: City of Guilds
Set code	RAV
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	52
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Chris Dien

Key Takeaways

Drawing a card upon dealing damage makes Grayscaled Gharial a persistent source of card advantage.
Despite its potential, the discard requirement can be a strategic obstacle to manage effectively.
Grayscaled Gharial’s menace ability provides a tactical edge, demanding opponents’ attention during combat.

Text of card

Islandwalk

Each tooth carries enough bacteria to kill a person in a day or two. But then, gharials do have 138 teeth.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Grayscaled Gharial offers a unique mechanic that allows players to potentially draw a card whenever it deals combat damage to a player. This can be a consistent source of card advantage, especially in decks that can ensure its unblocked attacks.

Resource Acceleration: While the Grayscaled Gharial itself may not directly ramp your resources, its low casting cost can contribute to a quicker and more efficient board state, allowing players to allocate mana to other areas of play sooner.

Instant Speed: Although Grayscaled Gharial is a creature card and not cast at instant speed, its particular set often includes supporting instant-speed spells that can protect it or clear the way for an unchecked attack, indirectly contributing to the impact it can make when played at the right moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One notable drawback of Grayscaled Gharial is the need to discard a card to leverage its full potential. This cost can become a strategic hurdle, particularly in game stages where maintaining a full hand is crucial for flexibility and options.

Specific Mana Cost: Its casting requirements are very particular, demanding both blue and black mana. This specificity means it could be tough to seamlessly integrate into multicolored decks, potentially being a dead draw if the necessary mana isn’t available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its intriguing abilities, Grayscaled Gharial’s mana cost is on the upper end considering it is a creature card. Other cards at a similar mana value may offer stronger board presence or have immediate impact, which could make this card less desirable for competitive play.

Reasons to Include Grayscaled Gharial in Your Collection

Versatility: Grayscaled Gharial can adapt to a variety of decks due to its low mana cost and ability to be a consistent threat. Its presence can support strategies focused on early aggression or incrementing life total swings.

Combo Potential: Its Crocodile subtype allows synergy with other reptilian and swamp-related cards, unlocking combo possibilities within a specifically themed deck or mechanics that favor creature types.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment teeming with small creatures, Grayscaled Gharial can effectively block and survive engagements with other low-cost creatures, making it relevant in such metas and an excellent addition to decks aiming to maintain board control.

How to beat

The Grayscaled Gharial emerges as a unique creature card that can pose challenges on the board. Key to tackling this creature is understanding its menace ability, which prevents it from being blocked except by two or more creatures. To efficiently neutralize this threat, one should look into cards that either removes it without the need to block, such as targeted removal spells like ‘Doom Blade’ or ‘Terminate’, or use effects that force creatures to tap, bypassing its menace ability altogether.

Another effective strategy is to use board wipes like ‘Wrath of God’ to clear the playing field, including the Grayscaled Gharial, regardless of its abilities. Moreover, players could also opt for cards like ‘Pacifism’ or ‘Darksteel Mutation’, which neutralize enemy creatures without requiring them to leave the board. It’s essential to have such answers ready in your deck, ensuring that the Grayscaled Gharial’s potential for unblocked damage doesn’t turn the tides against you.

When you have the appropriate counters in your deck, facing off against the Grayscaled Gharial becomes less daunting, allowing you to continue your play strategy undeterred by this reptilian menace.

Cards like Grayscaled Gharial

The introduction of Grayscaled Gharial to the realm of MTG adds a captivating layer to decks that crave a blend of resilience and aggression. This card draws a parallel with other one-mana creatures that offer subtle advantages. For instance, comparing it to the likes of Suntail Hawk, both share the same converted mana cost and flying trait; however, Grayscaled Gharial shines with its significant menace ability, forcing opponents to double block if they wish to stop it.

Exploring further, Mist-Cloaked Herald stands as another one-mana blue creature, boasting unblockable prowess. Although it guarantees damage to opponents, Grayscaled Gharial takes the lead in multi-opponent scenarios where menace can prove more tactically beneficial. Another creature that comes to mind is the venerable Slither Blade, yet here, Grayscaled Gharial takes the prize for a superior battlefield presence due to the menace, crucial in decks leveraging evasion.

In summary, when weighing in the subtle strengths of one-drop creatures, Grayscaled Gharial emerges as a strong selection within MTG’s vast arsenal. Its combination of low cost, evasion, and the tactical advantage of menace offers players a powerful tool for early game board control.

Cards similar to Grayscaled Gharial by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grayscaled Gharial MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Grayscaled Gharial and other MTG cards: