Shagrat, Loot Bearer MTG Card
2023-06-23 - Number 228s
2023-06-23 - Number 679
2023-06-23 - Number 372
2023-06-23 - Number 228
2023-06-23 - Number 783
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Orc Soldier |
| Abilities | Amass |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Key Takeaways
- Generates card advantage and can pivot the game’s momentum in your favor through deeper deck access.
- Adds strategic depth with instant speed, adapting to game shifts and enabling quick, powerful plays.
- Requires careful resource management due to a discard condition and specific mana cost for optimal use.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shagrat, Loot Bearer MTG card by a specific set like Tales of Middle-earth Promos and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth, 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 Shagrat, Loot Bearer and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
Text of card
Whenever Shagrat, Loot Bearer attacks, attach up to one target Equipment to it. Then amass Orcs X, where X is the number of Equipment attached to Shagrat. (Control of the Equipment doesn't change. To amass Orcs X, put X +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It's also an Orc. If you don't control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When Shagrat, Loot Bearer enters the battlefield, its ability to generate card advantage is palpable. By allowing you to dig deeper into your deck, it can shift the momentum of the game in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: Shagrat, Loot Bearer’s capacity to accelerate resources cannot be overstated. Its innate ability to produce token creatures enhances your board presence, effectively expediting your strategy and opening the door to powerful plays ahead of schedule.
Instant Speed: The ability to utilize Shagrat, Loot Bearer at instant speed adds a layer of flexibility and strategic depth to your gameplay. This characteristic ensures you can react swiftly to the evolving landscape of the game, making decisive plays that can often catch an opponent unaware and shift the tides in your direction.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Shagrat, Loot Bearer necessitates that players discard a card to capitalize on its ability. This mechanic can sap your hand, especially when needing to keep other strategic cards available for gameplay progression.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting asks for a precise concoction of mana types. This rigidity requires a dedicated deck build, which can limit its flexibility across multiple deck archetypes and formats.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost soaring higher than many competitive creatures, Shagrat, Loot Bearer may seem ponderous. In the fast-paced environment of the game, there are alternatives that offer similar benefits without such a steep investment, making it a sometimes less optimal choice in deck construction.
Reasons to Include Shagrat, Loot Bearer in Your Collection
Versatility: Shagrat, Loot Bearer is a flexible addition to any deck that appreciates incremental advantage. This card effortlessly slots into various strategies, benefiting from its ability to consistently generate treasure tokens.
Combo Potential: Its unique talent for producing treasure tokens not only ramps your mana but also synergizes with strategies that capitalize on artifacts. Imagine the possibilities when paired with cards that exploit treasure for direct damage or creature buffs.
Meta-Relevance: Given its role in providing steady resources, Shagrat, Loot Bearer can hold its own in a meta that’s skewed towards slower, grindy games. It’s the kind of card that can tip the scales by offering both material and tempo gains turn after turn.
How to beat
Shagrat, Loot Bearer emerges as a potential game-changer on the battlefield with its ability to accrue value over time in MTG. This card distinguishes itself by generating treasure tokens, which can be a considerable advantage. When facing Shagrat, the best strategy is to act swiftly. Do not let this card settle into the game, as it will generate substantial resources for your opponent the longer it remains in play.
Removal spells are your most reliable tools against Shagrat. Cards like Murder or Doom Blade can eliminate Shagrat before its treasure-generating effect becomes overwhelming. Additionally, countering it upon casting with spells such as Counterspell or Mana Leak is another effective tactic to ensure Shagrat never affects the board. Another key strategy is applying pressure early in the game to force your opponent to deal with your threats instead of building their own with Shagrat’s benefits.
Controlling the game tempo and keeping your opponent on the back foot will limit the effectiveness of Shagrat, Loot Bearer. By preparing a robust response to this card, you can negate its impact and maintain a lead in your MTG matches.
Cards like Shagrat, Loot Bearer
Shagrat, Loot Bearer introduces a unique twist to creature cards with treasure-generating abilities in MTG. When you compare it to a card like Captain Lannery Storm, the distinction becomes clear. While both have the propensity to create treasure tokens, Captain Lannery Storm requires an attack for the ability to trigger. In contrast, Shagrat’s ability can activate whenever another creature you control becomes the target of a spell, providing a broader range of opportunities for token generation.
Another comparable card is Academy Manufactor, which can indeed escalate the production of treasures exponentially under the right conditions. Unlike Shagrat, Loot Bearer, Academy Manufactor has the potential to transform singular token-generating events into three different types of tokens. Nevertheless, Shagrat, Loot Bearer offers a more reliable and less combo-dependent treasure output which can be an asset in decks not focused on mass token creation.
In essence, while there are several cards within MTG that share the treasure token theme, Shagrat, Loot Bearer carves out its niche. It promises consistent value for targeting your own creatures, which can be strategically valuable, particularly in formats where creature-based interactions are frequent.
Cards similar to Shagrat, Loot Bearer by color, type and mana cost
Printings
The Shagrat, Loot Bearer Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2023-06-23 and 2023-06-23. Illustrated by Tatiana Veryayskaya.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-06-23 | Tales of Middle-earth Promos | PLTR | 228s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tatiana Veryayskaya | |
| 2 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 679 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tatiana Veryayskaya | |
| 3 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 372 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tatiana Veryayskaya | |
| 4 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 228 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tatiana Veryayskaya | |
| 5 | 2023-06-23 | The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth | LTR | 783 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tatiana Veryayskaya |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shagrat, Loot Bearer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Shagrat, Loot Bearer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-06-16 | Amass Zombies works the same way, except you create a 0/0 black Zombie Army creature token if you don't control an Army. If the Army creature you chose isn't already a Zombie, it becomes a Zombie in addition to its other types. By combining cards with amass Orcs and amass Zombies, you can end up with an Orc Zombie Army. |
| 2023-06-16 | Amass abilities are now written as "amass -ubtype] N." Previous cards with amass have received errata to say "amass Zombies N." |
| 2023-06-16 | Control of the Equipment doesn't change. If you target an Equipment an opponent controls, you won't be able to activate its equip ability, for example, and they can activate its equip ability as a sorcery to reattach it to a creature they control. |
| 2023-06-16 | If you don't control an Army, the Orc Army token you create enters the battlefield as a 0/0 creature before receiving counters. Any abilities that trigger when a creature with a certain power enters the battlefield, such as that of Mentor of the Meek, will see the token enter as a 0/0 creature before it gets +1/+1 counters. |
| 2023-06-16 | In the rare case that you control multiple Army creatures (perhaps because you played a creature with changeling) while you amass Orcs, you choose which of your Army creatures to put the +1/+1 counters on. If that creature isn't an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types. |
| 2023-06-16 | Some cards refer to the "amassed Army." That means the Army creature you chose to receive counters, even if no counters were placed on it for some reason. |
| 2023-06-16 | Some spells and abilities that amass Orcs may require targets. If each target chosen is an illegal target as that spell or ability tries to resolve, it won't resolve. You won't amass Orcs. |
| 2023-06-16 | To amass Orcs N, if you don't control an Army creature, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token. Then you choose an Army creature you control and put N +1/+1 counters on it. If that Army isn't already an Orc, it becomes an Orc in addition to its other types. |
| 2023-06-16 | When Shagrat, Loot Bearer's ability triggers, you can choose not to target an Equipment just to amass Orcs. However, if you do choose a target, and that target is illegal at the time the ability tries to resolve, the ability won't resolve and none of its effects will happen. You won't amass Orcs. |