Scoria Cat MTG Card


Scoria Cat grants card advantage and supports landfall-centric strategies, enhancing gameplay dynamics. Despite its potential, the cat’s ability costs and color requirements may limit its deck compatibility. It’s a strong addition for landfall fans and can be pivotal in red-green aggro meta decks.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Cat
Power 3
Toughness 3

Text of card

Scoria Cat gets +3/+3 as long as you control no untapped lands.

Like a volcano, it too can erupt without warning.


Cards like Scoria Cat

Scoria Cat serves as a compelling choice for decks that capitalize on landfall mechanics in Magic: The Gathering. It shares similarities with the venerable Steppe Lynx, which also gets a boost from landfall. While Steppe Lynx gains a temporary +2/+2 for each land entering the battlefield under your control, Scoria Cat takes this a step further by offering a permanent +1/+1 counter each time a Mountain enters the battlefield on your side.

Exploring other companions, Akoum Warrior presents itself as a flexible card. Comparable to Scoria Cat, it benefits from landfall. However, it doubles as a land itself, providing players with an option that can also improve mana availability. This versatility is contrasted by Scoria Cat’s specialized focus on becoming a growing threat with continuous land drops. Another peer in this space is the territorial Baloth Woodcrasher. While it doesn’t accrue persistent power like Scoria Cat, it becomes significantly larger with each land drop for that turn, making it a more immediate but ephemeral threat.

Taking stock of these cards, Scoria Cat’s ability to become a sustained force on the board lends it a distinct advantage in landfall-focused strategies within Magic: The Gathering, carving out its own niche in the landscape of similar creatures.

Steppe Lynx - MTG Card versions
Baloth Woodcrasher - MTG Card versions
Steppe Lynx - MTG Card versions
Baloth Woodcrasher - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Scoria Cat by color, type and mana cost

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Hunted Dragon - MTG Card versions
Fire Elemental - MTG Card versions
Earth Elemental - MTG Card versions
Eron the Relentless - MTG Card versions
Balduvian War-Makers - MTG Card versions
Hivis of the Scale - MTG Card versions
Hulking Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Flame Spirit - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Salamander - MTG Card versions
Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions
Covetous Dragon - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Strike Force - MTG Card versions
Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions
Tephraderm - MTG Card versions
Avarax - MTG Card versions
Bonethorn Valesk - MTG Card versions
Frost Ogre - MTG Card versions
Heartless Hidetsugu - MTG Card versions
Shard Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Soul of Magma - MTG Card versions
Hunted Dragon - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Scoria Cat provides potential card advantage by triggering its ability when a mountain enters the battlefield under your control. This can lead to extra draws if you play lands with landfall mechanics or utilize terrain-based strategies to ensure consistent triggers.

Resource Acceleration: Players looking to speed up their game will find Scoria Cat a valuable asset. While not directly providing mana acceleration, the card compliments decks that thrive off of the number of lands played, thereby indirectly boosting the player’s resources to cast more significant spells sooner.

Instant Speed: Scoria Cat benefits from instant-speed spells and effects in a supporting role. While the cat itself might not interact at instant speed, it can synergize with instant-speed land drops from effects like “Growth Spiral,” making your instant-speed plays even more impactful by growing Scoria Cat unexpectedly during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Scoria Cat demands a discard from hand to activate its key abilities, which may strain your hand especially in the late game when resources are critical.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both red and green mana, Scoria Cat imposes deck building constraints, potentially hindering its inclusion in more flexible or varied color strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The Scoria Cat’s ability cost is on the higher side when contrasted with other creatures in its mana range, which might sway players towards more cost-efficient alternatives for the same or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Scoria Cat offers adaptability across various deck builds, seamlessly fitting into strategies that capitalize on landfall triggers or require sturdy creatures on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: This feline intensifies the impact of landfall synergies, pairing well with cards that allow multiple land drops to amplify its power level exponentially.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where board presence and creature efficiency matter, Scoria Cat can play a crucial role, especially in meta environments where landfall or red-green aggro decks are prominent.


How to beat

Scoria Cat presents a unique challenge on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. Known for its potential to enhance its power when you have a mountain among the lands you control, this creature commands attention. Its landfall ability, which grants it a formidable power increase until end of turn when a land enters under your control, demands a strategic approach to mitigate its impact.

To effectively neutralize the threat posed by Scoria Cat, consider utilizing instant-speed removal spells that can swiftly dispatch the creature before its landfall ability triggers. Alternatively, playing cards that restrict land plays, such as land destruction or control elements, can dampen the cat’s effect on the game. Additionally, employing creatures with first strike or enough toughness to withstand an attack from Scoria Cat can serve as an effective defense, mitigating the advantage it might bring to your opponent. Prioritizing these tactics will help keep this fiery feline in check, ensuring your strategy remains unhampered.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scoria Cat MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy and World Championship Decks 2001, 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 Scoria Cat and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Scoria Cat Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2000-06-05 and 2001-08-08. Illustrated by Andrew Goldhawk.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12000-06-05ProphecyPCY 1011997NormalBlackAndrew Goldhawk
22001-08-08World Championship Decks 2001WC01 tvdl101sb1997NormalGoldAndrew Goldhawk

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Scoria Cat has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal