Street Wraith MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 9 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Wraith
Abilities Cycling,Swampwalk
Power 3
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Street Wraith’s cyclability at instant speed is handy for adaptive play and digging for crucial cards.
  2. Its cycling life cost demands careful consideration of life totals in aggressive matchups.
  3. Valuable for deck thinning, Street Wraith is consistently featured in competitive Modern decks.

Text of card

Swampwalk Cycling— Pay 2 life. (Pay 2 life, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

The lamps on Wyndmoor Street snuff themselves at midnight and refuse to relight, afraid to illuminate what lies in the darkness.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Street Wraith provides an unorthodox form of card advantage by utilizing its cyclability. This allows players to replace it with a different card from their deck, keeping their hand filled and options varied.

Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly generate mana or treasure, Street Wraith works towards resource acceleration by cycling for zero mana cost. This can subtly accelerate a player’s strategy by digging through the deck more efficiently for essential combo pieces or land drops.

Instant Speed: The cycling ability of Street Wraith can be activated at instant speed, offering flexibility. This allows players to adapt on the fly, react to opponents’ moves, and sift through their deck for responses or threats at critical moments without spending mana which can be pivotal during gameplay.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the limitations of the Street Wraith card is the discard requirement that comes with the cycling ability. While cycling itself can be beneficial for deck filtering, it does mean that using this ability necessitates losing another card from your hand. This can potentially lead to a disadvantage, especially in situations where hand size is critical or when the discarded card could have been more impactful in play.

Specific Mana Cost: Street Wraith demands a specific mana cost for its cycling ability. Although the cost is generic, the life loss that accompanies the cycling can be a significant drawback in formats where life totals are pressured or in matchups against aggressive decks. The inability to cycle without this life penalty may deter players using decks that cannot afford the additional life loss within their strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When considering the mana cost to cast Street Wraith, it is noticeable that five mana for a 3/4 creature may not be the most efficient use of resources. In the context of MTG, this cost to power and toughness ratio is relatively high, and there are potentially other more impactful creatures or spells that could be deployed for such a cost, which makes the Street Wraith less of an attractive main deck option and more of a situational card.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Street Wraith offers flexibility in deck construction given its ability to cycle for essentially no cost. This feature allows players to thin their decks, paving the way for more consistent draws which can be crucial in tight matches.

Combo Potential: The card finds its place in various combo decks, acting as a catalyst by cycling and diminishing your deck’s size to reach essential combo pieces more efficiently. Moreover, it synergizes with mechanics that trigger upon drawing cards or losing life.

Meta-Relevance: Street Wraith remains a recurring choice in formats like Modern where the pace of play and the importance of deck efficiency reign supreme. Its enduring presence across metas underlines its importance and the advantage it can give in the right builds.


How to beat

Street Wraith is a versatile card known for its cycling ability that allows players to draw a card by paying two life points without using any mana. Its ability can be quite powerful in formats like Modern, where deck efficiency and card flow are crucial. However, there are strategies to counteract the advantages Street Wraith offers. Utilizing graveyard hate cards such as Rest in Peace can neutralize its cycling from the graveyard allowing you to maintain card advantage. Additionally, acting with surgical precision through cards like Surgical Extraction to remove Street Wraith can disrupt your opponent’s deck synergy, significantly reducing its impact on the game. Effects that restrict or prevent drawing, like Narset, Parter of Veils or Notion Thief, can also be highly effective against the card’s advantage. Preemptive measures to manage life point loss, given Street Wraith’s cycling cost, should also be considered to ensure the health total doesn’t become a liability. In essence, when facing Street Wraith, tactically addressing its cycling ability and the subsequent card advantage it provides is the key to mastering the matchup.


BurnMana Recommendations

As MTG enthusiasts, understanding the nuances of cards like Street Wraith is essential for strategic gameplay. The card shines for its cyclability and instant-speed versatility, enhancing combo potential and ensuring your deck operates at peak efficiency. While also considering its potential drawbacks, such as life loss and high casting cost, Street Wraith can be a game-changing asset in formats valuing quick deck turnover. Expand your MTG horizons by exploring the synergies and applications of this unique card in your deck builds. For insights on optimizing your strategy and discovering powerful card interactions, tap into the depth of knowledge we offer in our dedicated MTG resources.


Cards like Street Wraith

Street Wraith offers MTG players unique strategical versatility that aligns well with other cycling cards, but with its distinct twist. For instance, consider Edge of Autumn, which also allows you to cycle it away, suggesting a similarity in offering an alternative use besides its main function. However, Street Wraith distinguishes itself by permitting cycling at no mana cost albeit at the expense of 2 life, granting an unparalleled tempo advantage.

Shadow of the Grave is another card that resonates with Street Wraith’s recycling theme, allowing you to recover all cards cycled or discarded during the turn. Street Wraith’s synergy here is potent, as it facilitates drawing without costing mana, pairing perfectly with Shadow of the Grave’s recuperative ability. The aspect of life payment is an edge for decks that can leverage life as a resource rather than a limitation.

Beyond its immediate cycling comparison, Street Wraith also shares incidental similarities with cards like Gitaxian Probe. Both have the ability to provide free information about the opponent’s hand while concurrently thinning your own deck, all without spending any mana. This makes such cards incredible tools for fine-tuning gameplay and aiding in decision-making processes.

The subtleties of this card position Street Wraith favorably when scouting out cards that optimize deck performance through meticulous resource management and game pacing.

Edge of Autumn - MTG Card versions
Shadow of the Grave - MTG Card versions
Gitaxian Probe - MTG Card versions
Edge of Autumn - Future Sight (FUT)
Shadow of the Grave - Amonkhet Promos (PAKH)
Gitaxian Probe - New Phyrexia (NPH)

Cards similar to Street Wraith by color, type and mana cost

Skyshroud Vampire - MTG Card versions
Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions
Fallen Angel - MTG Card versions
Stone Catapult - MTG Card versions
Grotesque Hybrid - MTG Card versions
Earwig Squad - MTG Card versions
Indulgent Tormentor - MTG Card versions
Sootfeather Flock - MTG Card versions
Zombie Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Vermiculos - MTG Card versions
Gluttonous Zombie - MTG Card versions
Woebearer - MTG Card versions
Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions
Halo Hunter - MTG Card versions
Malakir Bloodwitch - MTG Card versions
Caustic Crawler - MTG Card versions
Shriekmaw - MTG Card versions
Reaper of Sheoldred - MTG Card versions
Dementia Bat - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Plaguelord - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Vampire - Tempest (TMP)
Predatory Nightstalker - Vintage Masters (VMA)
Fallen Angel - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Stone Catapult - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Grotesque Hybrid - Torment (TOR)
Earwig Squad - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Indulgent Tormentor - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Sootfeather Flock - Legions (LGN)
Zombie Cutthroat - Scourge (SCG)
Vermiculos - Mirrodin (MRD)
Gluttonous Zombie - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Woebearer - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Wei Elite Companions - Masters Edition III (ME3)
Halo Hunter - Zendikar (ZEN)
Malakir Bloodwitch - Zendikar (ZEN)
Caustic Crawler - Worldwake (WWK)
Shriekmaw - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
Reaper of Sheoldred - New Phyrexia (NPH)
Dementia Bat - New Phyrexia (NPH)
Phyrexian Plaguelord - Duel Decks: Mirrodin Pure vs. New Phyrexia (TD2)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Street Wraith MTG card by a specific set like Future Sight and Modern Masters, 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 Street Wraith and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Street Wraith Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2007-05-04 and 2023-01-13. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12007-05-04Future SightFUT 90futurenormalblackCyril Van Der Haegen
22013-06-07Modern MastersMMA 992003normalblackCyril Van Der Haegen
32018-03-16Masters 25A25 1082015normalblackCyril Van Der Haegen
42019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 7832015normalblackCyril Van Der Haegen
52020-09-26The ListPLST A25-1082015normalblackCyril Van Der Haegen
62021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 1412015normalblackJim Pavelec
72023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 4292015normalborderlessPete Venters
82023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 3111997normalblackJim Pavelec
92023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 1022015normalblackJim Pavelec

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Street Wraith has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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