Runaway Trash-Bot MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Artifact Creature — Construct |
| Abilities | Trample |
| Released | 2022-02-18 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty |
| Set code | NEO |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 257 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Nicholas Gregory |
Text of card
Trample Runaway Trash-Bot gets +1/+0 for each artifact and/or enchantment card in your graveyard.
One day it might roll over your foot, the next day your entire house.
Cards like Runaway Trash-Bot
Runaway Trash-Bot stands out in the realm of artifact creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It draws parallels to Myr Retriever, another artifact creature that can retrieve other artifacts from the graveyard once it’s put there itself. Runaway Trash-Bot, however, builds on this concept by allowing you to actively sacrifice artifacts to fuel its power pump ability, providing not only graveyard interaction but a potential offensive powerhouse.
Other analogs include Scrap Trawler, which enables a different yet strategic graveyard-centric gameplay, recovering lower-cost artifacts when a higher-cost one meets its demise. Though not as direct in its power-boosting as Runaway Trash-Bot, Scrap Trawler provides a consistency in gameplay. Additionally, there’s Workshop Assistant, which also returns an artifact from the graveyard to your hand upon death, much like Myr Retriever, but with a slightly higher cast cost.
Analyzing these comparisons, Runaway Trash-Bot offers an intriguing blend of aggression and recursion, distinguishing it as a formidable presence on the battlefield that rewards players for engaging with its unique artifact-sacrificing mechanism.
Cards similar to Runaway Trash-Bot by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The advantage with the Runaway Trash-Bot card is its synergy with artifact-centric decks. It thrives in environments where you’re consistently cycling through your artifacts, transforming potential dead draws into fuel for its ability. This, in turn, can lead to drawing into more action or the missing piece for your game-winning combo.
Resource Acceleration: As an artifact itself, the Runaway Trash-Bot can speed up your gameplay by converting less useful artifacts on the battlefield or in your graveyard into something more immediately beneficial—like additional attacks. This form of resource acceleration can snowball, particularly in formats that support heavy artifact use, helping to bring you closer to victory with every conversion.
Instant Speed: While the Trash-Bot itself may not operate at instant speed, its ability to capitalize on artifact sacrifices can play nicely with effects you may control that do. By synchronizing with instant-speed interactions, you can unexpectedly amplify your Trash-Bot, catching opponents off guard and swiftly shifting the tide of the match in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the downsides of the Runaway Trash-Bot is that it necessitates discarding a card, which could prove to be a hurdle when your hand is running on empty. This can place you in a tough spot, having to choose between maintaining card advantage or playing the Trash-Bot.
Specific Mana Cost: This trash-loving construct comes with a very specific mana cost, needing both colorless and red to get it onto the battlefield. This can make it less flexible, especially in multicolored decks that may prioritize other colors or mana resources.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Running at a relatively steep four mana might make it less attractive compared to other options available in the four-mana slot. With more powerful effects or lower-costed creatures that could further your game plan, the Trash-Bot may not always be the optimum play.
Reasons to Include Runaway Trash-Bot in Your Collection
Versatility: Runaway Trash-Bot can easily slip into a variety of decks, shining in builds that have an affinity for artifacts. Its ability to grow in power with the number of artifacts in your graveyard allows for flexible deck construction, rewarding innovative strategies that utilize the graveyard as a resource.
Combo Potential: This card’s prowess lies in its synergy with self-milling strategies and recycling mechanics. Its capability to accrue power lets you set up explosive turns, especially in decks that can churn through artifacts or sacrifice them for a greater cause.
Meta-Relevance: With many decks turning to artifacts for an edge, Runaway Trash-Bot finds itself at home in the current competitive landscape. As players continually seek efficient ways to enhance their board state, this card’s potential for continuous growth makes it a formidable contender and a must-have for collectors looking to stay ahead of the curve.
How to beat
Runaway Trash-Bot is a crafty artifact creature card that can be quite the sticky wicket on the battlefield. As players in Magic: The Gathering well know, its power is significantly boosted by the number of artifacts in the graveyard, which can turn it from a benign piece of scrap to a formidable threat in no time. Defeating this mechanical menace requires a bit of strategic finesse and a keen sense of timing.
One effective strategy is to minimize the artifacts entering any graveyard. This could be through the use of cards that exile artifacts directly, or by employing graveyard hate strategies that prevent or reduce the number of cards that end up in the graveyard. Additionally, artifact removal spells are essential as they directly diminish the power of Runaway Trash-Bot by keeping artifact counts low. Lastly, keeping a watchful eye on the board state and disrupting combos that feed artifacts to the graveyard can go a long way in mitigating the power of this pesky bot.
Maintaining control and reducing the impact of your opponent’s graveyard dynamics can cripple the efficacy of Runaway Trash-Bot, ensuring it’s nothing more than a blip on the radar of your match’s history.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Runaway Trash-Bot MTG card by a specific set like Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty, 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 Runaway Trash-Bot and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Runaway Trash-Bot has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Runaway Trash-Bot card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-02-18 | A card in your graveyard that is both an artifact and an enchantment is only counted once. |