Sewer Shambler MTG Card
2012-10-05 - Number 75
2024-01-12 - Number 91
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Zombie |
| Abilities | Scavenge,Swampwalk |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Provides card advantage by converting graveyard resources into battlefield power through its Scavenge ability.
- Instant speed Scavenge offers surprise combat enhancements, utilizing mana effectively even during opponent’s turns.
- Specific mana cost and modest stats can limit deck inclusion, especially considering comparable cards with lower costs.
Text of card
Swampwalk (This creature is unblockable as long as defending player controls a Swamp.) Scavenge (, Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card's power on target creature. Scavenge only as a sorcery.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sewer Shambler provides a strategic edge in the late game. When you’re able to scavenge and remove it from the graveyard, you’re effectively translating a spent resource into a valuable +1/+1 counter, tipping the scales in your favor without losing card economy.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, Sewer Shambler can indirectly accelerate your resource game. Having a creature that plays well from both the battlefield and the graveyard gives you more operational flexibility, thereby allowing you to make the most out of every card.
Instant Speed: The scavenge ability of this creature can be activated at instant speed, creating surprise interactions during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn. This versatility ensures that your mana is never wasted and you can always threaten with the potential of an upgraded creature.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One limitation of Sewer Shambler is that it does not require a discard, missing potential synergy with graveyard-based strategies that could benefit from such an interaction.
Specific Mana Cost: Sewer Shambler demands a specific mana arrangement with its black and generic mana cost. This requirement can be restrictive as it necessitates a dedicated spot in black-inclusive decks, potentially excluding it from more versatile mana base builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a creature with relatively modest stats, Sewer Shambler’s casting cost might be considered on the higher side. When evaluating its overall mana efficiency, there are creatures with similar or better abilities and stats for a lower mana investment available to players.
Reasons to Include Sewer Shambler in Your Collection
Versatility: Sewer Shambler is adaptable to various strategies due to its innate Swampwalk ability, allowing it to go unblocked as long as the opponent controls a swamp. This feature is particularly useful in formats where black is a prevalent color.
Combo Potential: As a creature with the Scavenge ability, Sewer Shambler can play an integral role in graveyard-centric decks, offering a method to enhance other creatures and maximizing value from the graveyard.
Meta-Relevance: In a metagame with an abundance of black land types, Sewer Shambler could be an unanticipated threat. The ability to consistently deal combat damage can make it a tactical addition against decks that utilize black mana extensively.
How to Beat Sewer Shambler
Unraveling the strategy to overcome Sewer Shambler can be quite straightforward when examining the card’s attributes and abilities in the context of Magic: The Gathering. Sewer Shambler embodies a resilient creature with the Scavenge ability, allowing it to make a lasting impact even from the graveyard. Its synergy with the undergrowth mechanic can enhance the potency of your deck if left unchecked.
To effectively counter Sewer Shambler, consider incorporating removal spells that exile creatures. This approach nullifies the Scavenge ability, preventing your opponent from leveraging the creature’s power post-mortem. Cards such as Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void can be invaluable tools in halting grave-based strategies. Additionally, possessing an array of efficient creature blockers or removal spells can mitigate the Shambler’s on-field presence. In a more aggressive strategy, overwhelming the board with creatures can help shift the focus away from the Scavenge ability and pressure the opponent into a defensive stance, thus diminishing the effectiveness of their graveyard tactics.
When you establish control over the battlefield and stifle graveyard interactions, Sewer Shambler becomes far less imposing, allowing you to navigate around its strengths and execute a winning strategy.
Cards like Sewer Shambler
When delving into the realm of golgari synergy in MTG, Sewer Shambler emerges as an interesting card to consider. In the same vein as other cards with the scavenge ability, such as Sluiceway Scorpion, it provides dual utility both in life and beyond. Unlike its counterpart, whose scavenge cost is higher, Sewer Shambler is more economical, allowing for a timely power boost at a lesser expense. Another card worth mentioning is Drudge Beetle, which shares the same mana cost as Sewer Shambler but with a larger scavenge fee. The subtle distinctions in scavenge costs between these cards highlight Sewer Shambler’s efficient design for graveyard tactics.
Moving to its swampwalk ability, Sewer Shambler aligns closely with cards like Ogre Slumlord, conferring a strategic advantage on swamp-laden battlefields. Whereas Ogre Slumlord depends on other creature’s deaths to manifest its effect, Sewer Shambler provides consistent unblockable potential against any opponent with swamps in play. This intrinsic evasion offers significant value in matches, especially in formats where the presence of swamps is a common sight.
Assessing utility and adaptability, Sewer Shambler fits well within decks that capitalize on graveyard mechanics and evasive creatures, making it a quietly versatile element in certain MTG strategies.
Cards similar to Sewer Shambler by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sewer Shambler MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica and Ravnica Remastered, 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 Sewer Shambler 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 Sewer Shambler Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2012-10-05 and 2024-01-12. Illustrated by Nils Hamm.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012-10-05 | Return to Ravnica | RTR | 75 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Nils Hamm | |
| 2 | 2024-01-12 | Ravnica Remastered | RVR | 91 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Nils Hamm |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sewer Shambler has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sewer Shambler card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-04-15 | Exiling the creature card with scavenge is part of the cost of activating the scavenge ability. Once the ability is activated and the cost is paid, it’s too late to stop the ability from being activated by trying to remove the creature card from the graveyard. |
