Drowner Initiate MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Merfolk Wizard
Abilities	Mill
Released	2008-05-02
Set symbol
Set name	Shadowmoor
Set code	SHM
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	36
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	E. M. Gist

Key Takeaways

Enhances card draw decks, strengthening when opponents play blue spells, thus providing incremental game advantages.
Can accelerate gameplay when combined with other counter-based synergies, supporting faster, more powerful board states.
Active at instant speed, this creature’s ability allows for adaptability without using resources on your turn.

Text of card

Whenever a player plays a blue spell, you may pay . If you do, target player puts the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.

Nothing satisfies a merrow as much as drowning what it cannot have.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Drowner Initiate can become a crucial component in decks aimed at card draw strategies. Each time an opponent plays a blue spell, it gives you the opportunity to put a +1/+1 counter on it, potentially turning it into a persistent threat that offers incremental advantages over the course of the game.

Resource Acceleration: While the Drowner Initiate itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its blue spell trigger can complement decks that harness counters to enable various synergies. This can lead to an accelerated board state that can be leveraged for faster and more powerful plays.

Instant Speed: The ability of Drowner Initiate is passively active, making it akin to having an effect at instant speed. It can readily adapt to the flow of the game, allowing you to enhance the card each time an opponent casts a blue spell, thus providing an advantage without expending additional resources during your own turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Drowner Initiate necessitates the act of discarding another card, presenting a potential setback when your hand is already depleted or the cards held are valuable for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting requires a precise combination of mana, including blue, which might not readily fit into decks that do not heavily feature this color or multicolored mana bases.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Drowner Initiate’s mana investment may be considered on the higher side when compared to other creatures with similar or more impactful abilities, affecting its overall efficacy and the tempo of your gameplay.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Drowner Initiate can be adapted into a wide array of blue-based decks. Through its simple ability to mill cards whenever a spell is cast, this creature integrates smoothly into strategies centered around spell-slinging or graveyard manipulation.

Combo Potential: This card opens up avenues for combos with graveyard-dependent cards or cards that trigger upon putting an opponent’s library into their graveyard. Its low-cost nature also makes it an excellent enabler for intricate sequences that could lead to a swift victory.

Meta-Relevance: Given that graveyard strategies are often prevalent in the MTG metagame, having a card like Drowner Initiate can be proactive in setting up your own game plan while potentially disrupting your opponents. It’s particularly effective if you’re facing decks that heavily rely on specific cards, possibly milling key components they require.

How to beat

Drowner Initiate poses a unique challenge in MTG due to its ability to put pressure on an opponent’s hand each time you cast a blue spell. Unlike other cards that may require direct damage or removal spells to handle them efficiently, Drowner Initiate can be dealt with through strategic gameplay. To overcome this card, consider limiting the number of blue spells you play or employing tactics to swiftly remove it from the battlefield before its effect can accumulate advantage.

Another strategy is to capitalize on cards that offer hand protection or provide card advantage, which can negate the discard impact of Drowner Initiate. Utilizing spells that allow you to draw cards or return them from the graveyard can help maintain your hand size, ensuring you don’t fall behind. In addition, creatures with Hexproof protect against targeted abilities, providing a safeguard against such disruptive creatures.

It is also effective to focus on a fast-paced, aggressive strategy that outpaces the incremental disadvantage Drowner Initiate might impose. By prioritizing the development of your board and applying pressure, you can force your opponent to have less opportunity to utilize the Initiate’s ability to its full potential. Balancing these elements can help secure a victory against decks that include Drowner Initiate.

Cards like Drowner Initiate

Drowner Initiate is a unique card that occupies an intriguing niche in the Magic: The Gathering landscape. As a creature that explores the milling aspect of gameplay, it can be weighed against other cards like Hedron Crab, which also capitalizes on landfall to mill an opponent. Drowner Initiate demands a heavy blue presence, requiring the sacrifice of a blue spell or a permanent you control to prompt the mill.

Looking to Merfolk Secretkeeper, we see a similar creature-based mill strategy. The Secretkeeper, via its Adventure mechanic, offers an initial mill followed by the opportunity to have a creature on the battlefield. Drowner Initiate provides a more persistent effect but doesn’t offer the upfront mill that the Secretkeeper does.

Lastly, examining Sage’s Row Denizen, another creature with a mill ability, we can see it operates differently by triggering whenever a blue creature enters the battlefield under your control. This allows for a broader synergistic approach compared to Drowner Initiate’s more focused ability.

Analyzing these comparisons, Drowner Initiate holds a unique position with the potential for repeated mill effects, setting it apart within the mill card strategies available to players of Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Drowner Initiate by color, type and mana cost

Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Drowner Initiate MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor, 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 Drowner Initiate and other MTG cards: