Ruinous Minotaur MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Minotaur Warrior |
| Released | 2009-10-02 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Zendikar |
| Set code | ZEN |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 145 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Raymond Swanland |
Text of card
Whenever Ruinous Minotaur deals damage to an opponent, sacrifice a land.
Not every intelligent being is interested in treasure and lost knowledge . . . or even the basics of speech.
Cards like Ruinous Minotaur
Ruinous Minotaur stands as an aggressive creature card within the landscape of Magic the Gathering. It shares some battlefield presence with other formidable minotaurs such as Rageblood Shaman, which also enhances fellow minotaur creatures but without the Ruinous Minotaur’s sacrificial cost. Unlike Ruinous Minotaur, the Rageblood Shaman offers a static power and toughness boost and does not require land sacrifices upon activation.
In the same realm, we find the Ragemonger, another card that favors minotaur synergy. The Ragemonger reduces the mana cost of minotaur spells, promoting a quicker and more efficient deployment of your horned warriors. The Ruinous Minotaur does not provide cost reduction, instead focusing on raw power at the expense of your own lands. Lastly, Neheb, the Worthy enters the fray, boosting minotaur power and providing a discard mechanism but lacks the land sacrifice aspect that defines the Ruinous Minotaur.
Assessing the use-case scenarios for minotaurs in deck-building, Ruinous Minotaur has its unique role, especially in decks that can capitalize on—or mitigate—its land sacrifice drawback. Its sheer power can be a game-changer but must be weighed against other minotaur cards that foster tribal synergy without such a significant cost.
Cards similar to Ruinous Minotaur by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Ruinous Minotaur lets players wield critical strategic superiority in their matches. This powerful creature can compel opponents to discard cards, potentially leading to advantageous shifts in a player’s hand versus their rival’s resources. This could mean turning the tide of the game in your favor by depleting the adversary’s options.
Resource Acceleration: With its considerable power and toughness, Ruinous Minotaur can dominate the battlefield early in the game. This brute force allows a player to press the attack sooner, effectively speeding up the game pace and potentially overwhelming opponents before they can establish their own resources or defenses.
Instant Speed: While the Ruinous Minotaur itself is not an instant, its impact on a game is immediate and unavoidable. When it charges onto the battlefield, it commands attention and can force an immediate reaction from opponents, leveraging the sort of instantaneity usually reserved for spells cast at fleeting moments.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Ruinous Minotaur requires you to discard a card whenever it attacks, potentially depleting your hand quickly and putting you at a significant disadvantage in games that stretch longer or when you need to maintain card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting requirement that includes two red mana, this Minotaur can be challenging to play in multi-colored decks, especially those not focused heavily on red mana sources, reducing its versatility in various deck builds.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana, including two that are color-specific, this creature has a high mana investment considering the drawback it comes with. Players may find alternatives that provide a better cost-to-benefit ratio without the punishing discard effect.
Reasons to Include Ruinous Minotaur in Your Collection
Versatility: Ruinous Minotaur serves as a flexible addition, fitting smoothly into red aggro decks that capitalize on sheer power and speed. Its solid build offers a decent threat to opponents early on in the game.
Combo Potential: This card holds potential in combos, particularly in sacrifice-based strategies that utilize its requirement as an advantage. With the right synergies, you can turn its downside into a benefit, making it both a formidable creature and a strategic asset.
Meta-Relevance: In a game state where red aggro or sacrifice decks are prevalent, Ruinous Minotaur becomes a competitive choice. Its ability to provide quick and substantial pressure can align well with current trends, keeping your deck up-to-speed with the shifting meta.
How to beat Ruinous Minotaur
The Ruinous Minotaur card presents a unique challenge in MTG, featuring formidable power that can swiftly deal damage to an opponent. Its strength lies in its ability to deliver impactful punches early in the game, but it comes with a notable downside that requires a strategic approach from its controller. To effectively outplay this card, attentiveness to the minotaur’s weakness is key.
An adept opponent can exploit its sacrifice requirement, a caveat that asks the player to sacrifice a land whenever the minotaur attacks. By pressuring the Minotaur’s controller to deplete their land resources, you can stifle their board development and mana availability. Removal spells that deal with creatures before they attack, such as Path to Exile or Fatal Push, work wonders in removing the threat without triggering its land sacrifice stipulation.
Engaging with creatures that have greater toughness or proposing unfavorable trades for the minotaur’s controller can mitigate the damage its attacks deal, slowly diminishing the creature’s value. Over time, the disadvantages incurred by its controller can be leveraged to gain a strategic advantage and achieve victory. Keeping a watchful eye on land control and managing the pace of play will ensure your triumph over the Ruinous Minotaur.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ruinous Minotaur MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar, 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 Ruinous Minotaur and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ruinous Minotaur has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ruinous Minotaur card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | Ruinous Minotaur’s ability triggers when it deals any kind of damage to an opponent, not just combat damage. |
| 2009-10-01 | You sacrifice a land, not the opponent who was dealt damage. |