Sluiceway Scorpion MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Scorpion |
| Abilities | Deathtouch,Scavenge |
| Released | 2012-10-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Return to Ravnica |
| Set code | RTR |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 198 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | normal |
| Border | black |
| Illustred by | Slawomir Maniak |
Key Takeaways
- Grants card utility twice — upon entry and via scavenge from the graveyard.
- Deathtouch provides strategic advantage by influencing opponent’s creature placement.
- Instant-speed scavenge offers flexible, tactical decision-making in-game.
Text of card
Deathtouch (Any amount of damage this deals to a creature is enough to destroy it.) 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: Sluiceway Scorpion contributes to card advantage by presenting two opportunities for card utility; first upon entering the battlefield and later using its scavenge ability. Scavenge lets you exile the creature from the graveyard to put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the creature’s power on target creature, ensuring Sluiceway Scorpion has an impactful presence even from the graveyard.
Resource Acceleration: The deathtouch ability of Sluiceway Scorpion allows for effective resource acceleration by clearing the way of potential blockers. This can make your opponents hesitant to place valuable creatures in its path, potentially accelerating your board state without the need to invest additional cards.
Instant Speed: While Sluiceway Scorpion itself is not an instant, the scavenge ability can be used at instant speed. This flexibility ensures that you can make the decision at the most strategic moment during your turn or even in response to your opponent’s actions, thus optimizing the impact of resource allocation throughout the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Sluiceway Scorpion demands a creature card to be discarded from your graveyard in order to leverage its scavenge ability. This could be a drawback when your graveyard is empty or if you need to keep certain creatures in the graveyard for other strategies.
Specific Mana Cost: The activation of Sluiceway Scorpion’s scavenge ability requires both black and green mana. This can restrict its inclusion to decks that are running these colors or that have the ability to generate any type of mana, potentially reducing its versatility in gameplay.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two color-specific mana and two generic mana, along with an additional scavenge cost equal to its casting cost, Sluiceway Scorpion can be considered mana-intensive, especially when compared to other creatures or spells that may offer more impactful effects or stats for the same or less mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Sluiceway Scorpion’s adaptability is a key asset, finding its place in a variety of green and black deck strategies. Its deathtouch ability makes it a formidable blocker, while its scavenge ability ensures that it remains useful even from the graveyard.
Combo Potential: The scavenge ability of this card works wonders in decks that capitalize on +1/+1 counters. Pair Sluiceway Scorpion with cards that proliferate or leverage counters for a powerful board presence over time.
Meta-Relevance: In environments that favor creature-based combat, a cheap creature with deathtouch like Sluiceway Scorpion can serve as an effective deterrent. Its graveyard utility via scavenge also ensures ongoing relevance throughout the match.
How to beat
Sluiceway Scorpion can be a tricky foe on the battlefield with its deathtouch ability, posing a threat to even the mightiest creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Facing this card, one must strategize to avoid costly combat encounters. Removal spells that bypass the battlefield, like “Murder” or “Path to Exile”, are effective ways to get rid of the Scorpion without engaging it directly.
Alternatively, spells that neutralize creature abilities, such as “Turn to Frog,” can strip the Scorpion of deathtouch, making it far less menacing. In games where combat is inevitable, employing flying creatures or those with ranged abilities can help you maintain board control while keeping a safe distance from the venomous Scorpion.
Lastly, countering Sluiceway Scorpion’s graveyard recursion is critical. Graveyard hate cards like “Relic of Progenitus” can prevent the Scorpion from returning to the fray once it hits the graveyard, ensuring that once defeated, it stays that way.
Cards like Sluiceway Scorpion
Sluiceway Scorpion carves its niche in Magic: The Gathering as a creature known for its synergy with graveyard and scavenge mechanics. It finds its parallels with other creatures like Sewer Shambler, which also carries a scavenge ability, albeit at a different cost and stat line-up. What sets Sluiceway Scorpion apart is its deathtouch ability, making it a potent blocker and a threat to any size of creature your opponent controls.
Another card that echoes similarities is Dreg Mangler. This creature hastens the pace with its haste attribute and scavenge ability, giving it an edge in aggressive decks looking to do damage quickly. Although it lacks deathtouch, it compensates with a swifter impact on the game. Additionally, the Varolz, the Scar-Striped card provides an interesting compare-and-contrast scenario. While not possessing the scavenge ability itself, it allows creatures in your graveyard to be scavenged and thus complements the innate abilities of Sluiceway Scorpion.
Exploring these comparisons, it’s evident that Sluiceway Scorpion holds a valuable place among MTG creatures that focus on leveraging graveyard benefits. Its unique combination of deathtouch and scavenge allows for strategic plays that can influence the state of the board in significant ways.
Cards similar to Sluiceway Scorpion by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sluiceway Scorpion MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica, 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 Sluiceway Scorpion 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 Magic products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sluiceway Scorpion 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 Sluiceway Scorpion 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. |
