Red Scarab MTG Card

Red Scarab offers card advantage against enchantment-heavy decks, fueling strategic plays. Its instant-speed play disrupts opponents, offering dynamic control of the game state. Demands balancing resource acceleration against the cost of discarding cards critically.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant
Released	1995-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Ice Age
Set code	ICE
Number	49
Frame	1993
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Sandra Everingham

Text of card

Target creature gets +2/+2 as long as any opponent controls any red cards. That creature cannot be blocked by red creatures.

Cards like Red Scarab

Red Scarab falls within the realm of intriguing enchantment cards designed to disrupt the playing field in MTG. Its effect to hinder white creatures by reducing their power shares a strategic kinship with cards like Karma, which specifically targets swamps. However, Red Scarab uniquely focuses on a color archetype, providing a situational advantage against decks heavily reliant on white creatures.

Another parallel can be drawn with the card Darkness, which operates on a color-specific disadvantage axis, although it targets lands by turning them into Swamps. While Darkness has a broader impact on gameplay by affecting land types, Red Scarab offers a more direct creature-oriented approach. There’s also Gloom, which is tuned to make white spells cost more, impacting opponents’ economic aspect rather than their creatures’ combat abilities.

Considering the advantages and effects on gameplay, Red Scarab holds its place as a strategic card for players aiming to weaken opponents’ white creature strategies while concurrently dodging the weaknesses seen in more broadly-impacting enchantments. Its niche application makes it a unique toolbox option for enchantment-focused decks in MTG.

Cards similar to Red Scarab by color, type and mana cost

Mask of Law and Grace - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Red Scarab can create situations where you gain significant card advantage. Every time an opponent’s strategy relies on enchantments, you get the chance to draw a card for each one affected, keeping your hand full and options open.

Resource Acceleration: By discouraging enchantment plays or dispatching them swiftly, Red Scarab ensures you’re not bogged down by potential threats, indirectly maintaining your pace and accelerating your resource deployment.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of being able to play Red Scarab at instant speed is a major tactical advantage. It lets you react promptly to your opponent’s moves, disrupting their strategy at a critical moment and maintaining the upper hand in rapid succession.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Red Scarab card demands that you discard another card to utilize its full potential. This requirement could unexpectedly deplete your hand, leaving you with fewer options as the game progresses. For players who value card retention, this trade-off might be too costly and potentially harm your overall strategy, especially when faced with an opponent who can capitalize on your reduced hand size.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Red Scarab requires a precise combination of mana, including red mana. This specification can be restrictive when building a deck, as it may necessitate a commitment to red mana resources. Those who prefer a more flexible mana base or run multicolored decks might find this requirement limiting, particularly if they rely on a diverse mana pool to cast a variety of spells.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Red Scarab enters the battle with a mana cost that could be considered steep for its effects. In the realm of MTG, where economy and efficiency are often key to victory, there are alternatives that may offer greater value or impact for the same, or less, mana investment. Experienced players will weigh these options carefully, as a high casting cost could slow down gameplay or delay the deployment of more pressing threats on the board.

Reasons to Include Red Scarab in Your Collection

Versatility: Red Scarab can be a flexible addition to various deck archetypes due to its ability to adjust combat math in your favor. Its modest casting cost also enables it to slot into many strategies with ease.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with strategies that capitalize on creature presence and attack triggers. Integrating Red Scarab into a deck that exploits these mechanics can create powerful interactions on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-based decks are commonly encountered across different formats, Red Scarab can serve as a valuable tool in those matchups, providing a boost to your attacking creatures and causing your opponent to rethink their blocks.

How to beat

Red Scarab may seem like an unassuming card at first glance, but seasoned players of Magic: The Gathering know that the simplicity of this card can be deceptive. Typically found in artifact-centric decks, Red Scarab can be a nuisance when it grants protection from red spells to the creature it’s attached to. This often means that direct damage and removal spells in red lose their effectiveness against the shielded creature.

To outmaneuver Red Scarab, players should consider utilizing non-red spells or abilities for removal. Versatile options like Oblivion Ring or Disenchant, which do not specify a color, can bypass Red Scarab’s protection, effectively neutralizing it. Another strategy is to employ board wipes that don’t target individual creatures, like Day of Judgment or Supreme Verdict, which can clear the field without being hindered by color-specific protections.

Thus, while Red Scarab could potentially turn a creature into a red spell’s worst nightmare, there are several effective strategies players can employ to overcome this obstacle. Understanding the range of removal options available across the MTG card pool is key to turning the tables on opponents using color protection tactics to their advantage.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Red Scarab MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age, 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 Red Scarab and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Red Scarab has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal