Grotag Bug-Catcher MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Goblin Warrior
Abilities	Trample
Released	2020-09-25
Set symbol
Set name	Zendikar Rising
Set code	ZNR
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	142
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jakub Kasper

Key Takeaways

Thrives with numerous creatures, enhancing each new creature’s threat level for significant card advantage.
Instant speed plays can unexpectedly boost its combat prowess, making it a formidable attacker.
Requires careful deck construction to avoid diminishing returns if unable to sustain creature output.

Text of card

Trample Whenever Grotag Bug-Catcher attacks, it gets +1/+0 until end of turn for each creature in your party. (Your party consists of up to one each of Cleric, Rogue, Warrior, and Wizard.)

"Everybody grab a leg!"

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Grotag Bug-Catcher thrives in decks that can muster a multitude of creatures. Every time you play another creature, the Bug-Catcher’s power has the potential to spike, essentially providing card advantage by making each creature you cast more threatening.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Grotag Bug-Catcher itself doesn’t directly accelerate your resources, it benefits greatly from cards that do. Deck strategies involving resource acceleration can quickly amass a party of adventurers, turning the Bug-Catcher into an unexpectedly fierce combatant.

Instant Speed: While the Grotag Bug-Catcher’s abilities activate at sorcery speed, strategic plays at instant speed can bolster its strength. Swiftly casting creatures or buff spells during combat can transform the battlefield, leveraging the Bug-Catcher’s potential as an explosive attacker.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Grotag Bug-Catcher demands a tailored approach to deck building to maximize its strength. Without a consistent means of fielding other creatures with the party mechanic, its effectiveness might dwindle if your hand becomes depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: The value of Grotag Bug-Catcher is intrinsically tied to a red mana cost, potentially restricting its incorporation into multicolored decks that are not heavily red-centered or might benefit from a more versatile mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the efficiency of two drops within the current pool of creatures, Grotag Bug-Catcher might occasionally fall short on impact. Decks looking for immediate or more potent effects might bypass this card in favor of lower cost creatures or those that can influence the board upon entering.

Reasons to Include Grotag Bug-Catcher in Your Collection

Versatility: Grotag Bug-Catcher thrives in a variety of deck builds, fitting seamlessly into aggressive red decks as well as those focusing on tribal synergies with its Warrior type. Its trample ability ensures that even minor buffs help push through damage.

Combo Potential: In decks that swarm the board with creatures, Grotag Bug-Catcher’s power can surge with each attacking non-Human, making it a potent force when combined with token generators or other go-wide strategies.

Meta-Relevance: As the MTG landscape fluctuates, Grotag Bug-Catcher remains a solid choice against control decks due to its low casting cost and potential to quickly escalate in power, ensuring it retains a place in dynamic metas.

How to beat

Grotag Bug-Catcher thrives in a deck that’s brimming with fellow adventurers and various party members, enhancing its attack power as it charges into the fray. At the core of its strength lies the warrior’s ability to capitalize on a full party, which can turn this unassuming creature into a formidable threat on the battlefield.

To mitigate the impact of Grotag Bug-Catcher, consider disrupting the party it relies on. This can be done by removing key creatures that contribute to the party mechanic, leaving the Bug-Catcher significantly weakened. Spot removal spells and effects that exile or bounce creatures to the hand are especially effective here. You could also employ board wipes to clear multiple creatures at once, disrupting synergy and party formation.

Moreover, preventing the Bug-Catcher from attacking in the first place through pacifism effects or by continually tapping it down each turn can foil your opponent’s strategy, leaving the Bug-Catcher as nothing more than a non-issue on the board. By focusing on these tactics, you’ll ensure that this creature’s potential is squashed before it becomes too great a threat to your victory.

Cards like Grotag Bug-Catcher

The Grotag Bug-Catcher is an intriguing creature card in Magic: The Gathering, finding its niche among Trample-enabling red creatures. Alongside this one-mana critter, Frenzied Goblin provides a comparison point with its ability to disrupt opponent’s blockers for a small cost, yet without the Trample or the stat-boosting characteristic connected to the number of creatures in your party.

Mardu Scout is another card to consider when looking at the Grotag Bug-Catcher. While Mardu Scout offers the Dash ability for flexible play, the Bug-Catcher shines in party synergy by potentially growing stronger as you have more varied party members in play. It’s a crucial aspect for players building party-themed decks.

Overall, Grotag Bug-Catcher appeals to Magic: The Gathering players creating decks that capitalize on the party mechanic, promising extra power as the board develops with diverse adventuring allies. Its nuanced design makes it a valuable addition for those seeking to enhance their red creature collection with an emphasis on this tribal interaction.

Cards similar to Grotag Bug-Catcher by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Grotag Bug-Catcher MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar Rising, 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 Grotag Bug-Catcher and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Grotag Bug-Catcher 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

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Grotag Bug-Catcher card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2020-09-25	An ability referring to the number of creatures in your party gets a number from zero to four. Such abilities never ask which creatures are in your party, and you never have to designate specific creatures as being in your party. You can’t choose to exclude creatures from this count to lower the number.
2020-09-25	If a creature has more than one party creature type, and there are multiple ways to count that creature that could result in a different number of creatures in your party, the highest such number is used. For example, if you control a Cleric and a Cleric Wizard, the number of creatures in your party is two. You can’t choose to have it be just one by counting the Cleric Wizard first as a Cleric.
2020-09-25	If an ability of a creature counts the number of creatures in your party, that number is counted as the ability resolves. If that creature is still on the battlefield when the ability resolves, it’ll be counted if appropriate.
2020-09-25	The bonus is determined only as Grotag Bug-Catcher’s ability resolves. Once that happens, the size of the bonus won’t change later in the turn even if the number of creatures in your party changes.
2020-09-25	To determine “the number of creatures in your party,” check whether you control a Cleric, whether you control a Rogue, whether you control a Warrior, and whether you control a Wizard. The number is the total number of those checks to which you answered yes. Each creature you control can be counted for only one of those checks.