Syndicate Heavy MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Giant Rogue
Abilities	Extort,Investigate
Released	2024-02-23
Set symbol
Set name	Ravnica: Clue Edition
Set code	CLU
Power	4
Toughness	4
Number	47
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Edgar Sánchez Hidalgo

Key Takeaways

Card advantage from Syndicate Heavy is key for maintaining strategic pressure and resource flow during play.
Resource acceleration and instant speed provide tactical flexibility and a quickened pace for gameplay.
While powerful, the card’s specific mana and discard requirements may limit its usability in some decks.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Syndicate Heavy MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: Clue Edition, 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 Syndicate Heavy and other MTG cards:

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Text of card

Extort (Whenever you cast a spell, you may pay {W/B}. If you do, each opponent loses 1 life and you gain that much life.) At the beginning of each end step, if you gained 4 or more life this turn, investigate. (Create a Clue token. It's an artifact with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.")

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Syndicate Heavy provides the player with a robust mechanism for aligning with their strategic game plan by offering the potential to replace itself in hand. This can be particularly advantageous when you’re looking to maintain a steady flow of resources and keep up the pressure on your opponent throughout the duel. Gaining card advantage is often a critical component in outpacing your opponent and carving a path to victory.

Resource Acceleration: The Syndicate Heavy card has the potential to offer an additional benefit in the form of resource acceleration. By possibly tapping into synergies with other cards that capitalize on creatures entering the battlefield, a player could ramp up their available resources. This enables a swifter deployment of high-cost cards and can swiftly tilt the game’s momentum in favor of the player who utilizes it efficiently.

Instant Speed: The capacity to operate at instant speed grants a player significant tactical flexibility. With Syndicate Heavy, this can translate into making pivotal decisions reactive to the state of play, thereby optimizing the card’s impact. Playing at instant speed permits a player to wait until the most opportune moment within a turn cycle, ensuring that each action taken is as impactful as possible.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Syndicate Heavy requires players to discard a card to activate its ability, which can be a setback when you are running out of cards in hand to maintain a strategic play.

Specific Mana Cost: This card asks for a specific combination of mana types. Given its color identity, not all decks can accommodate such mana requirements without impacting the mana base consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment to cast Syndicate Heavy is notable. There are other creatures in the game that may provide a better cost-to-benefit ratio, allowing for a more versatile and economical board presence.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Syndicate Heavy is a flexible card that can adapt to various deck strategies. It serves well in decks that value creatures with solid stats and built-in removal capabilities.

Combo Potential: Thanks to its ability to deal with opposing creatures, Syndicate Heavy works well in combination with effects that benefit from creature death, such as those that trigger morbid abilities or generate value from creature tokens.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where smaller creatures are prevalent, Syndicate Heavy can be particularly impactful. Its presence on the battlefield can deter opponents from playing low toughness creatures or force unfavorable trades, making it a card worth considering.

How to beat

Syndicate Heavy is a notable card to watch out for in MTG due to its combination of being a stout defender with the ability to potentially eliminate an opponent’s creature each turn. This powerful dynamic makes it a game-changer in controlling the board, but there are strategies to tackle it. When dealing with Syndicate Heavy, players should consider using instant-speed removal spells to avoid the untimely demise of their creatures. Cards like Murder or Path to Exile can be quite effective in removing Syndicate Heavy from the battlefield before it becomes a recurring threat.

Furthermore, counter spells also work well against Syndicate Heavy, especially if you can keep the mana open to disrupt your opponent’s plays. Additionally, engaging in combat with creatures that have “indestructible” or “death touch” qualities can prove advantageous. These creatures can withstand the Syndicate Heavy’s power or take it down with them, respectively. It’s also wise to remember that evasion abilities such as “flying” or “unblockable” allow you to sidestep Syndicate Heavy entirely, focusing your attacks directly on your opponent.

In summary, overcoming the challenge posed by Syndicate Heavy requires a tactical approach, focusing on targeted removal, disruption through counters, and relying on creature abilities to either outlast or bypass it entirely. With the right strategy, this formidable MTG card can be effectively managed.

Cards like Syndicate Heavy

Syndicate Heavy emerges as a unique fixture in the realm of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. Its comparison with other creatures reveals its distinctive role on the battlefield. When paralleled with Law-Rune Enforcer, Syndicate Heavy brings more power to the table, offering a solid defense and offense. Although Law-Rune Enforcer has the ability to tap another target creature, Syndicate Heavy compensates for the lack of this utility with its beefier stats and imposing presence on the board.

The operational comparison extends to Azorius Arrester; both creatures share the same color identity and similar control ability effects. However, Syndicate Heavy distinguishes itself with a larger body, thus holding the front better against opponents’ threats. Baird, Steward of Argive is another similar card that provides a form of control by taxing opponents who wish to attack you or a planeswalker you control, but Syndicate Heavy trades this wider defensive net for a more substantial single-target impact and size advantage.

In conclusion, Syndicate Heavy stands out in its ability to both dominate combat and offer strategic control. It provides MTG players with a robust option that has the potential to sway the momentum of the game, making it a card to consider for decks needing a powerful and controlling creature.

Baird, Steward of Argive - MTG Card versions

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Syndicate Heavy has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal