Ruin-Lurker Bat MTG Card


Ruin-Lurker Bat provides card advantage and can disrupt opponents through repeatable discard effects. The bat’s instant speed activation allows for sudden, strategic plays, adding depth to games. High mana cost and specific mana needs may limit Ruin-Lurker Bat’s inclusion in diverse decks.
Ruin-Lurker Bat - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Bat
Abilities Flying,Lifelink,Scry
Released2023-11-17
Set symbol
Set nameThe Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Set codeLCI
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number33
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byCamille Alquier

Text of card

Flying, lifelink At the beginning of your end step, if you descended this turn, scry 1. (You descended if a permanent card was put into your graveyard from anywhere.)

"Look! Aclazotz sends his children to watch over our pilgrimage." —Clavileño, First of the Blessed


Cards like Ruin-Lurker Bat

Ruin-Lurker Bat introduces an intriguing dynamic to creature cards within Magic: The Gathering, reminiscent of other flying nocturnal creatures like Vampire Nighthawk. Well-suited for those game strategies that hinge on aerial supremacy, Ruin-Lurker Bat, much like Vampire Nighthawk, provides players with a flying creature, but it trades lifelink and deathtouch for a potentially repeatable discard effect. This effect can be incredibly advantageous in the right deck by disrupting the opponent’s hand while deploying a flying threat.

Another card that draws parallels is the Burglar Rat, a staple in strategies revolving around forcing opponents to discard their cards. While Burglar Rat doesn’t benefit from flying like Ruin-Lurker Bat, it guarantees an opponent’s discard upon entry. Then there’s Liliana’s Specter, sharing the ability to cause discards and flying, although it hits all opponents, which can be decisive in a multiplayer setting.

In terms of implementing a discard strategy with added board presence, Ruin-Lurker Bat competes closely with these cards. While each has unique abilities, they all contribute to a strategy that aims at dwindling an opponent’s options. Ruin-Lurker Bat enhances this archetype, offering a recurring mechanism for discard, pending certain conditions, and thus establishing its place in MTG decks focused on hand disruption.

Vampire Nighthawk - MTG Card versions
Burglar Rat - MTG Card versions
Liliana's Specter - MTG Card versions
Vampire Nighthawk - MTG Card versions
Burglar Rat - MTG Card versions
Liliana's Specter - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Ruin-Lurker Bat by color, type and mana cost

Savannah Lions - MTG Card versions
Benalish Hero - MTG Card versions
Icatian Infantry - MTG Card versions
Icatian Scout - MTG Card versions
Icatian Javelineers - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Warrior - MTG Card versions
Trade Caravan - MTG Card versions
Vigilant Martyr - MTG Card versions
Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Volunteer Militia - MTG Card versions
Nomads en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Soul Warden - MTG Card versions
Resistance Fighter - MTG Card versions
Honorable Scout - MTG Card versions
Devoted Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Faerie Guidemother // Gift of the Fae - MTG Card versions
Kor Duelist - MTG Card versions
Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful - MTG Card versions
Mother of Runes - MTG Card versions
Daru Mender - MTG Card versions
Savannah Lions - MTG Card versions
Benalish Hero - MTG Card versions
Icatian Infantry - MTG Card versions
Icatian Scout - MTG Card versions
Icatian Javelineers - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Warrior - MTG Card versions
Trade Caravan - MTG Card versions
Vigilant Martyr - MTG Card versions
Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Volunteer Militia - MTG Card versions
Nomads en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Soul Warden - MTG Card versions
Resistance Fighter - MTG Card versions
Honorable Scout - MTG Card versions
Devoted Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Faerie Guidemother // Gift of the Fae - MTG Card versions
Kor Duelist - MTG Card versions
Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful - MTG Card versions
Mother of Runes - MTG Card versions
Daru Mender - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Ruin-Lurker Bat. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
WUWU StandardTraditional Standard Ranked Decklists: March 25, 2024
Boros MidrangeBoros Midrange StandardThe Pizza Box Open: Standard
Boros AggroBoros Aggro StandardBoros AggroStandard Qualifier 2024-01-01
Orzhov AggroOrzhov Aggro StandardOrzhov AggroReCQ - Standard - SCG CON Philadelphia - Saturday - 12:00 pm (Bronze)
Orzhov LifegainOrzhov Lifegain StandardLifegainThe Pizza Box Open: Standard
DecklistDecklist Free formTorino Tournament - Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Five-colorFive-color Free formTorino Tournament - Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Esper MidrangeEsper Midrange StandardEsper MidrangeStandard League 2024-01-30
Azorius AggroAzorius Aggro StandardAzorius HeroicJapan Standard Cup: Murders at Karlov Manor
Azorius TempoAzorius Tempo StandardAzorius Flash2023Players Convention Aichi 2023 Standard Open

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Ruin-Lurker Bat offers a unique opportunity for players to gain card advantage through its bat-related synergies. By interacting with other bat creature types, you can manipulate the battlefield and possibly draw cards from specific bat-centric mechanics or abilities.

Resource Acceleration: While the Ruin-Lurker Bat itself may not directly offer resource acceleration, it could potentially fit into a deck that emphasizes speed and low-cost creatures, thus allowing for quicker board development and enabling a more aggressive game strategy.

Instant Speed: If the Ruin-Lurker Bat has an ability that can be activated at instant speed, it can provide strategic flexibility. This allows a player to wait until the most opportune moment to make a move, thereby catching opponents off guard and maximizing the effectiveness of their plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Ruin-Lurker Bat demands that you discard a card as part of its casting cost. This can be a significant setback when your hand is already depleted or if you’re relying on maintaining card advantage over your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Ruin-Lurker Bat’s mana cost is split between black and generic mana, which might not be a smooth fit in multicolored decks that don’t consistently produce black mana. This can make the bat a challenging choice outside of mono-black or heavily black-focused decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost that competes with other creatures and spells in the four-mana zone, Ruin-Lurker Bat may seem less attractive. Other creatures or spells could offer more impact on the game state, making the bat a less efficient use of your precious mana resources.


Reasons to Include Ruin-Lurker Bat in Your Collection

Versatility: Ruin-Lurker Bat is a flexible addition, able to slot into various deck archetypes. Its flying ability gives evasive power, making it a solid choice for those needing reach in their creature lineup.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with strategies that capitalize on creature death or graveyard manipulation. Utilize it as part of a larger combo that benefits from having creatures in the graveyard or as a recurring threat.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment teeming with players who use their graveyards as a resource, Ruin-Lurker Bat can serve as an effective counter. Its ability to benefit from death triggers makes it particularly useful in the current meta where creatures often come and go from the battlefield.


How to beat

Ruin-Lurker Bat brings a distinct ability to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering, marking its territory within black creatures known for their sneaky and opportunistic gameplay. Where this nocturnal flyer shines is in its power to exploit the demise of opponent’s creatures, growing stronger with each that falls. Despite this, understanding its weaknesses can be the key to overcoming this winged threat.

The bat’s reliance on opponent creatures dying can be turned against it. Ensuring that your creatures are durable or possess indestructible can stifle the bat’s power gain. Board wipes like Wrath of God or single-target removals that exile, such as Path to Exile, bypass the bat’s growth mechanism by not sending creatures to the graveyard. Alternatively, leveraging graveyard hate with cards like Rest in Peace can neuter the bat’s effectiveness, halting its power boost regardless of creatures’ fates. Utilizing enchantments that prevent counters or employing creature abilities that remove or nullify them, such as Vampire Hexmage’s ability, can also defang Ruin-Lurker Bat. By putting a lid on its momentum, you secure a better chance at outpacing your opponent in each match where this elusive bat flutters into play.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Ruin-Lurker Bat MTG card by a specific set like The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, 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 Ruin-Lurker Bat and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Ruin-Lurker Bat has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ruin-Lurker Bat card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2023-11-10 A permanent card is an artifact, battle, creature, enchantment, land, or planeswalker card. Tokens are not cards, and while tokens are put into the graveyard before ceasing to exist, that action doesn't count as a player having descended.
2023-11-10 Abilities that begin with "At the beginning of your end step, if you descended this turn" will trigger only once during your end step, no matter how many times you descended this turn. However, if you haven't descended this turn as your end step begins, the ability won't trigger at all. It's not possible to put a permanent card into your graveyard during the end step in time to have the ability trigger.
2023-11-10 In either case, it doesn't matter if those cards are still in that player's graveyard.
2023-11-10 Multiple cards have abilities that begin with "At the beginning of your end step, if you descended this turn." These cards don't need to have been under your control at the time you descended. For example, if a permanent card is put into your graveyard during your first main phase and you cast Stalactite Stalker your second main phase, its ability will trigger at the beginning of your end step.
2023-11-10 Some cards refer to a player who has "descended this turn." This means that a permanent card has been put into that player's graveyard from anywhere this turn.
2023-11-10 Some cards refer to the number of times a player descended this turn. Those cards care about the number of permanent cards put into that player's graveyard from anywhere this turn.