Spark Reaper MTG Card
2019-05-03 - Number 106
2021-09-24 - Number 128
2022-12-02 - Number 471
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Zombie |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Spark Reaper provides card advantage and life gain by sacrificing creatures at instant speed.
- It can be restrictive with a specific mana cost and a need for creature sacrifice.
- Despite potential drawbacks, its utility in creature-heavy metas makes it valuable.
Text of card
, Sacrifice a creature or planeswalker: You gain 1 life and draw a card.
"I know they're unstoppable fighters created to harvest souls—it's just they're so rude about it." —Kaya
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Spark Reaper grants the ability to sacrifice a creature and gain not only 1 life but also draw a card, offering a reliable way to cycle through your deck and maintain card flow.
Resource Acceleration: This card works as a resource acceleration tool, allowing you to turn surplus or expendable creatures into new opportunities for drawing more potent cards or simply finding the right response when in a bind.
Instant Speed: Although Spark Reaper itself must be activated only any time you could cast a sorcery, its ability functions at instant speed, providing flexibility to respond to your opponent’s moves. In a game where timing is critical, this can create pivotal moments of interaction.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: In order to fully utilize Spark Reaper’s abilities, players must sacrifice another creature or planeswalker, which can be a steep price to pay, especially if you’re running low on creatures or valuable planeswalkers.
Specific Mana Cost: Spark Reaper demands both black and generic mana to cast, making it somewhat restrictive and less flexible for multicolor decks that might struggle with color consistency.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, Spark Reaper may not be the most mana-efficient choice for its effects when there are other, more cost-effective sacrifice outlets or life gain strategies available in the game.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Spark Reaper offers an unassuming yet flexible role in various deck types, particularly those looking for ways to benefit from creature sacrifice and incremental life gain.
Combo Potential: This card’s sacrifice ability sets the stage for powerful synergies, such as with cards that have death triggers or those that capitalize on creatures entering the graveyard.
Meta-Relevance: In a game that cycles through different phases, Spark Reaper remains a relevant choice when the environment tilts toward creature-heavy decks, providing a repeatable way to maintain card advantage and sustain life totals.
How to beat
Confronting Spark Reaper on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic maneuvering. This persistent black creature brings with it a sacrifice ability, allowing its controller to make the most of creatures that have outlived their usefulness. The key to undermining Spark Reaper’s value lies in timing and resource management. Preventing the opponent from establishing a wide board presence restricts the Reaper’s potential to generate card advantage and life gain.
Efficient removal spells are your best friend when dealing with Spark Reaper. Instant-speed removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can dispatch the Reaper before its ability triggers, leaving your adversary without the extra draw or life. Additionally, exiling the Reaper prevents any recurring shenanigans that are often associated with black creature cards. It’s also advisable to keep pressure on your opponent, putting them in a position where sacrificing creatures is less appealing or outright detrimental to their game plan.
In essence, the way to beat Spark Reaper is to limit its opportunities for advantage—with focused removal and a robust offensive strategy, you can mitigate the impact of this tenacious creature and keep control of the game.
Cards like Spark Reaper
Spark Reaper presents an interesting choice within the space of self-sacrificing mechanics in MTG. It parallels cards like Viscera Seer in its capability to sacrifice a creature, though it diverges with its three mana cost, and the additional benefits of gaining 1 life and drawing a card. Viscera Seer, although cost-effective at one mana, merely allows you to scry, without the direct card draw or life gain.
Another analogue worth mentioning is Yahenni, Undying Partisan. Both cards share the sacrifice feature, but Yahenni’s built-in indestructibility and potential for power growth through other creatures’ deaths offer a dynamic not seen in Spark Reaper. Still, Spark Reaper’s consistent benefit without needing a death trigger offers its own strategic advantage.
Lastly, considering Woe Strider, here is a card with a similar three mana entrance that also allows you to sacrifice a creature at no additional cost. While Woe Strider provides a valuable escape mechanism and comes with a 0/1 goat creature token, Spark Reaper shines by offering a reliable source of card draw and life gain with each activation.
Evaluating their respective elements, Spark Reaper holds its ground as a versatile option when balancing the need for creature control, life stabilization, and card advantage within MTG strategies.
Cards similar to Spark Reaper by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Spark Reaper MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark and Midnight Hunt Commander, 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 Spark Reaper and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Spark Reaper Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2019-05-03 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Zoltan Boros.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2019-05-03 | War of the Spark | WAR | 106 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros | |
| 2 | 2021-09-24 | Midnight Hunt Commander | MIC | 128 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros | |
| 3 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 471 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Spark Reaper has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
