Shipwreck Looter MTG Card
2017-09-29 - Number 76
2019-11-07 - Number 487
2020-09-26 - Number XLN-76
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Pirate |
| Abilities | Raid |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Raid — When Shipwreck Looter enters the battlefield, if you attacked with a creature this turn, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.
One pirate's wreck is another's reward.
Cards like Shipwreck Looter
Shipwreck Looter makes a splash among Magic: The Gathering creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects. Much like the well-known Merfolk Looter, it allows a player to draw a card and then discard a card, albeit with a slight twist. Only when Shipwreck Looter enters the battlefield while you control another creature with a raid ability will you be able to activate its looting effect. Merfolk Looter doesn’t have this restriction, but it isn’t a one-time effect and can be used each turn.
Storm Fleet Aerialist presents a similar raid mechanic, offering a significant tempo advantage by becoming a 2/3 with flying for just two mana under the right conditions. While it doesn’t deal with hand manipulation, its board presence is more consistent. Another card, Siren Stormtamer, also interacts well in a blue-centric, pirate-themed deck alongside Shipwreck Looter. Though it offers no card draw, its primary use comes from its ability to protect more valuable cards on the battlefield at a low cost.
While each card serves a unique function within the raid archetype, Shipwreck Looter holds its own, offering players a clever blend of deck thinning and synergy with pirate strategies in the game.
Cards similar to Shipwreck Looter by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When Shipwreck Looter enters the battlefield, if you have attacked with a creature this turn, you may draw a card and then discard a card. This looting effect is a form of card selection that helps to sift through your deck, ensuring that you get the right tools you need while potentially filling your graveyard with valuable fodder for other strategies.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, the looting ability of Shipwreck Looter can help you dig for essential lands or spells to keep your game plan moving forward effectively. It’s especially good in decks that make use of the graveyard, turning this simple action into a form of resource acceleration by enabling delve, flashback, or escape abilities.
Instant Speed: Although Shipwreck Looter itself is a creature and doesn’t operate at instant speed, the card it potentially draws into could be an instant, giving you more flexibility to respond to an opponent’s moves. It prompts thoughtful timing when choosing to engage in combat to trigger its loot ability, keeping in line with the instant-speed strategy.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Engaging with Shipwreck Looter’s ability hinges on having another card to discard, potentially setting back your hand’s variety and options. This can be especially daunting when your hand is already depleting, making it a risky play under pressure.
Specific Mana Cost: Shipwreck Looter demands both blue mana and another of any type, which can occasionally be a hurdle for multicolor decks not focused on blue. It’s essential for players to efficiently manage their mana resources to accommodate this creature’s casting needs.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its casting cost and the effect it brings to the table, Shipwreck Looter can be outmatched by other cards in terms of efficiency. Players might find themselves choosing between this card and others that provide similar or better advantages without the discard requirement, at a more flexible mana cost.
Reasons to Include Shipwreck Looter in Your Collection
Versatility: Shipwreck Looter adapts smoothly to various blue-centric decks, particularly those that gain advantages from cards entering and leaving the hand.
Combo Potential: As a low-cost creature, it can seamlessly integrate into combos that revolve around casting multiple spells or that benefit from the looting effect.
Meta-Relevance: In the ever-shifting MTG landscape, having access to early card selection can give players an edge, especially in formats where setting up the right hand early on is crucial.
How to beat
Shipwreck Looter presents an intriguing tactical edge for blue deck players in the world of Magic: The Gathering. When it enters the battlefield and you’ve attacked with a creature this turn, it allows you to loot – that is, to draw a card and then discard a card. This mechanic is valuable for filtering through your deck, but there are strategic methods to overcome this piratical advantage.
Playing against Shipwreck Looter effectively involves minimizing the usefulness of the loot ability. Keeping your opponent from having creatures to attack with can nullify the Looter’s trigger. Removal spells or defensive creatures are valuable here, as they can deal with the Looter before an attack. Counterspells, though they may seem like a direct answer, are best reserved for more impactful threats – after all, the Looter requires a specific condition to be met before its ability becomes relevant. Staying ahead on board and managing the pacing of the game can turn the Looter from a potential problem into a negligible threat.
It’s also worth noting that once the Looter’s ability triggers, the card that’s discarded can sometimes be of greater strategic value than the card drawn. Observant players can exploit this by watching what gets thrown away, potentially revealing information about the opponent’s remaining hand and strategy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shipwreck Looter MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan and Mystery Booster, 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 Shipwreck Looter 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
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Printings
The Shipwreck Looter Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-09-29 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Wayne Reynolds.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2017-09-29 | Ixalan | XLN | 76 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Wayne Reynolds | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 487 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Wayne Reynolds | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | XLN-76 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Wayne Reynolds |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shipwreck Looter has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Shipwreck Looter card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-01-19 | Raid abilities care only that you attacked with a creature. It doesn’t matter how many creatures you attacked with, or which opponent or planeswalker controlled by an opponent those creatures attacked. |
| 2018-01-19 | Raid abilities evaluate the entire turn to see if you attacked with a creature. That creature doesn’t have to still be on the battlefield. Similarly, the player or planeswalker it attacked doesn’t have to still be in the game or on the battlefield, respectively. |