Umara Raptor MTG Card

Umara Raptor excels in flying and ally-centric decks, gaining strength from each ally played. Requires a tailored mana base and competes with other 4-mana creatures for a deck slot. In tribal-friendly metas, its escalating power can dominate the game if not addressed early.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Bird Ally
Abilities	Flying
Released	2009-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Zendikar
Set code	ZEN
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	75
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Sam Wood

Text of card

Flying Whenever Umara Raptor or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Umara Raptor.

Messenger, weapon, friend.

Cards like Umara Raptor

Umara Raptor has an interesting role in the grand tapestry of creatures within Magic: The Gathering. This flying ally stands alongside others like Squadron Hawk, which also takes to the skies and has the potential to bring friends along every time you play one. What makes Umara Raptor distinct is its ally synergy, enabling it to grow stronger with each ally that enters the battlefield beside it. Compared to Squadron Hawk, Umara Raptor can become a true behemoth over time.

In the same neighborhood of ally creatures, we have Kazandu Blademaster known for its immediate impact bearing vigilance and first strike. Although it doesn’t fly, its abilities make it a formidable threat upon its arrival. Meanwhile, Hada Freeblade begins small but similarly to Umara Raptor, it bulks up with each ally’s support, presenting a steady rise in power and toughness that can quickly escalate.

In wrapping up, among creatures that benefit from tribal synergies, Umara Raptor shines with its ability to become exponentially powerful in the right deck. It’s a card that rewards strategic play with other allies, forging a force that soars high with potential.

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Umara Raptor can align well with decks that focus on proliferating flying creatures, which can offer indirect card advantage by augmenting the board’s threats without depleting the hand.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct source of resource acceleration, Umara Raptor’s synergy with ally decks can lead to powerful board states quickly, effectively outpacing the opponent with a robust aerial presence.

Instant Speed: While the Umara Raptor itself doesn’t function at instant speed, it benefits greatly from instant-speed interactions coming from other cards in the deck, like buff spells or flash creatures that can suddenly enhance its power during combat or on defense.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the downsides to Umara Raptor is its lack of evasion techniques. Without trample or flying, this card can easily be blocked by ground creatures, making it more challenging to maintain a strong offensive presence on the board.

Specific Mana Cost: Umara Raptor requires a specific combination of Islands and Plains to cast. This mana requirement might restrict its inclusion to only certain types of decks, potentially reducing the flexibility for players who operate a variety of deck styles. Players need to ensure their mana base can support such requirements to utilize this card to its fullest potential.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes two colored mana, Umara Raptor competes for a slot in your deck against other four-mana cost creatures that may provide immediate impact upon entering the battlefield. Its dependency on having other allies to maximize value can also be a drawback in non-ally-centric decks.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Umara Raptor thrives in decks that capitalize on flying creatures or focus on aggressive tempo strategies. Its ability to scale with the number of allies reinforces various synergistic tribal builds.

Combo Potential: This raptor pairs well with cards that produce ally tokens, allowing its power and toughness to skyrocket quickly. It offers impressive combo potential in ally-focused decks that aim to swarm the battlefield and overpower opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where tribal decks are popular, Umara Raptor gains extra importance. Aligning its ally mechanic with other tribal support cards can create formidable board states that adapt well to shifting metagames.

How to beat

Umara Raptor stands out in MTG due to its synergy with allies, scaling its power as more allies enter the battlefield. Although it may start modestly, this bird can quickly become a significant threat if left unchecked. It shines in decks that rapidly cast creature spells, especially those that trigger rally or cohort abilities, bolstering the Raptor’s power on every summon.

To outmaneuver Umara Raptor, it’s crucial to disrupt the ally mechanics it relies on. Removal spells that can target multiple creatures, often referred to as board wipes, are particularly effective. This approach clears the battlefield not only of the Raptor but also of its potential ally support, limiting the possibility of exponential growth. Additionally, counter magic can prevent allies from ever taking flight, stopping the Raptor’s ascension before it begins. Lastly, instant-speed removal keeps the bird in check, allowing players to wait for the most opportune moment to act, ideally negating a critical ally skill activation or a surge in power.

Understanding Umara Raptor’s dependencies is key. This includes limiting the number of allies it could potentially see. Through targeted removal, counter strategies, or enacting board control, players can clip the Raptor’s wings and retain dominance in the game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Umara Raptor MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar, 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 Umara Raptor and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Umara Raptor 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 Umara Raptor card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2009-10-01	This ability triggers on this creature entering the battlefield, so it will enter the battlefield with its unmodified power and toughness, and then receive a +1/+1 counter a short time later. It does not enter the battlefield with the +1/+1 counter already on it.