Skeletal Kathari MTG Card

Skeletal Kathari’s graveyard return ability grants players a persistent aerial threat and card advantage. Compatibility with cycling and discard strategies offers acceleration in resource availability and gameplay tempo. Unexpected end step revival maximizes turn efficiency and can evade common removal strategies.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Bird Skeleton
Abilities	Flying
Released	2008-10-03
Set symbol
Set name	Shards of Alara
Set code	ALA
Power	3
Toughness	2
Number	88
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Carl Critchlow

Text of card

Flying , Sacrifice a creature: Regenerate Skeletal Kathari.

Undeath doesn't end the kathari's search for carrion; it only removes one corpse from the Dregscape.

Cards like Skeletal Kathari

Skeletal Kathari is a unique creature in Magic: The Gathering notable for its flying ability and the chance to regenerate. It invites comparisons with other creatures that boast similar abilities, like Drudge Skeletons, a classic card known for its regenerative trait. Drudge Skeletons, however, lacks the flying ability of Skeletal Kathari, making Kathari a more versatile option for evasion in the sky.

Another card that echoes the evasive nature of Skeletal Kathari is Vampire Nighthawk. Both creatures share the flying ability, but Vampire Nighthawk is further enhanced with deathtouch and lifelink, making it a formidable threat on the board. Its cost is higher than Skeletal Kathari, but the additional abilities present a significant upgrade in terms of board presence and utility.

Furthermore, comparing Skeletal Kathari to a card like Cadaver Imp reveals a difference in secondary abilities. Cadaver Imp, while also a flyer, shines with its capacity to return another creature from your graveyard to your hand, giving it a kind of built-in recursion absent in Skeletal Kathari. Each creature offers unique advantages, and choosing between them would depend largely on the specific strategy of your deck.

Cards similar to Skeletal Kathari by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: Skeletal Kathari can return to the battlefield from your graveyard, providing you with the ability to recur a flying threat. This can outpace opponents in terms of creatures on the board, leading to an incremental advantage over time.

Resource Acceleration: As a part of the Amonkhet block, Skeletal Kathari can synergize with cards that encourage cycling and discard mechanics, which in turn can lead to rapid graveyard filling. This enables certain cards to trigger resource acceleration, increasing your mana availability or giving you access to other in-game resources faster.

Instant Speed: The creature’s ability to be brought back during the end step introduces surprise tactics into play. This instant speed reanimation can be a strategic way to dodge sorcery-speed removal, prepare unexpected defenses, and ensure you maximize your turn efficiency by using mana just before it refreshes.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the downsides to using Skeletal Kathari in your deck is the necessity to discard a card to activate its most defining ability. This cost can put you at a disadvantage, especially when you’re running low on cards in hand. Ensuring a consistent hand size is crucial for strategy execution, and having to let go of potential resources can sometimes hinder your gameplay more than help it.

Specific Mana Cost: Skeletal Kathari requires both black and blue mana to cast, making it a less flexible option for decks that are not running both colors. This specificity can pose a challenge when building mana bases, especially in formats where a stable and efficient mana curve is essential.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including one black and one blue, Skeletal Kathari might seem expensive when compared to other creatures with similar power and toughness. In a fast-paced environment where efficiency is key, the mana cost could make it less appealing in a meta where quicker, lower-cost creatures are preferred.

Reasons to Include Skeletal Kathari in Your Collection

Versatility: Skeletal Kathari offers flexibility in deck building, adeptly fitting into themes that capitalize on flying creatures or recurring graveyard strategies. Its evasion ensures it can chip away at opponents’ life totals regardless of ground defenses.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes with mechanics that exploit sacrificing creatures, particularly those that allow you to benefit from death triggers. Additionally, its scavenge ability can be a component in graveyard-based combo plays, potentially beefing up your threats on the board.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment that highly values creature removal, Skeletal Kathari maintains relevance with its regenerative capability, making it resistant to typical removal spells. Its presence can be a deterrent to opponents, knowing it can potentially return to the battlefield even if dealt with initially.

How to beat

Skeletal Kathari is a unique creature that can pose a challenge for MTG players due to its evasion and recurring capabilities. This card has flying, which allows it to dodge ground-based blockers, making it difficult to intercept. Additionally, its ability to regenerate offers a layer of resilience against removal spells and combat damage, which means it can often return to the battlefield even after being dealt with.

To counteract Skeletal Kathari effectively, consider using cards that exile or permanently remove creatures from the game. Targeted removal spells like ‘Path to Exile’ or ‘Swords to Plowshares’ can easily handle creatures like Skeletal Kathari, avoiding the regeneration clause entirely. In addition, employing creatures with reach or flyers of your own can help prevent damage from Skeletal Kathari each turn while you establish a more robust board presence. Board wipes that don’t destroy but rather exile or return creatures to hand, such as ‘Settle the Wreckage’ or ‘Evacuation’, also circumvent the regeneration ability.

Understanding how to navigate around Skeletal Kathari’s strengths enables you to maintain control over the game. Effective planning and incorporating specific countermeasures into your deck will assure that this tenacious creature doesn’t stand in your way.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Skeletal Kathari MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara, 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 Skeletal Kathari and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Skeletal Kathari has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Skeletal Kathari card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2008-10-01	You may sacrifice Skeletal Kathari to pay for its own regeneration ability. If you do, however, it won’t regenerate. It’ll just end up in its owner’s graveyard as a result of the sacrifice.