Skirk Alarmist MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Abilities | Haste |
| Released | 2003-02-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Legions |
| Set code | LGN |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 111 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Justin Sweet |
Text of card
Haste : Turn target face-down creature you control face up. At end of turn, sacrifice it.
"I treat each day as your last."
Cards like Skirk Alarmist
Skirk Alarmist stands out in the realm of haste enablers and combo facilitators in Magic: The Gathering. While it shares its haste-giving trait with cards like Mass Hysteria, it also introduces a unique twist by allowing the cheating into play of high-cost creatures. Unlike Mass Hysteria which indiscriminately provides all creatures with haste regardless of their origins, Skirk Alarmist selectively targets creatures in your hand, offering a strategic advantage.
Another card worth comparing is Goblin Lackey, a creature with a similar potential for sneaking creatures onto the battlefield. However, Goblin Lackey requires combat damage to a player, while Skirk Alarmist revolves around surprising your opponent during your upkeep, potentially disrupting their plans. In addition, Fervor is a more permanent solution that gives all your creatures haste as long as it’s on the field, contrasting with Skirk Alarmist’s ability focused on single-turn benefits.
When evaluating the efficacy of these cards for explosive and swift deployment of powerful creatures, Skirk Alarmist finds its niche. It blends the haste aspect with a selective yet potent ability to alter the course of the game, making it a unique option for MTG players looking to surprise adversaries with formidable creatures well ahead of schedule.
Cards similar to Skirk Alarmist by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Unleashing the potential of hidden cards in your hand, Skirk Alarmist excels at maximizing your card utility. By hastening the deployment of your morph creatures, this card ensures you are drawing from the full breadth of your deck’s abilities faster than ever.
Resource Acceleration: Skirk Alarmist stands out by swiftly escalating your board presence. The ability to turn face up a creature with morph without paying its mana cost is akin to a turbo-boost for your resource management, allowing for a more formidable offense or strategic defense.
Instant Speed: While Skirk Alarmist operates at sorcery speed, its ability to activate during your main phase adds an element of surprise and strategic depth to your gameplay. This allows you to adapt in sync with the ever-changing battlefield conditions, keeping your opponents guessing and your tactics flexible.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Skirk Alarmist necessitates the discard of a card for its ability to activate. When in a tight situation or when your hand is nearly empty, this can put you at a noticeable disadvantage, depleting your resources further.
Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a specific color commitment—both red mana—to be cast, which might not always align with the mana base of every deck. Decks that do not run red or have a limited red mana source may find it challenging to incorporate Skirk Alarmist effectively.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana, including two that are color-specific, its cost is sizeable when you consider the card’s overall impact on the game. There are other cards in the same mana range that can offer immediate impact without the additional cost of discarding a card.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Skirk Alarmist is a versatile card that can easily fit into various red decks, particularly those focusing on haste or surprise offensive strategies. Its ability to turn face-down creatures face up can accelerate your game plan significantly.
Combo Potential: With Skirk Alarmist, the potential to combo with morph or megamorph cards is substantial. This offers exciting synergies especially in a deck designed around this concept, creating opportunities for unexpected plays.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where speed and unexpected threats are key, Skirk Alarmist stands out. It can quickly change the tide, adapting to the current competitive environment where disrupting the opponent’s strategy can be pivotal.
How to beat
Skirk Alarmist is a crafty card that has found its way into many Mono-Red and Goblin decks within Magic: The Gathering. A key feature of this card is its ability to hasten the arrival of hefty creatures by unleashing them prematurely from your hand. This ability to hijack the natural pace of the game can leave opponents scrambling to adapt. Skirk Alarmist, however, isn’t without its weaknesses.
To effectively counteract Skirk Alarmist, it is crucial to disrupt the synergy within your opponent’s board. Utilizing instant removal spells such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile can eliminate the Alarmist before its ability is activated. Moreover, counterplay strategies that involve hand disruption like Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek can preemptively rid your opponent’s hand of the creatures Skirk Alarmist relies on. Additionally, keeping up counterspells to neutralize key pieces or pivotal moments when your opponent attempts to use the Alarmist’s ability can thwart their strategy.
As with any card, understanding its role and timing within the deck is essential. When faced with Skirk Alarmist, always be prepared to act swiftly, using removal or disruption to keep the battlefield under control and mitigate the advantage that Skirk Alarmist is engineered to provide.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Skirk Alarmist MTG card by a specific set like Legions, 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 Skirk Alarmist 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
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Skirk Alarmist has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Skirk Alarmist card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | If this ability is used during the end step, the creature is not sacrificed until the end of the next turn. |