Bloodthirsty Ogre MTG Card

Bloodthirsty Ogre - Champions of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Ogre Warrior Shaman
Released	2004-10-01
Set symbol
Set name	Champions of Kamigawa
Set code	CHK
Power	3
Toughness	1
Number	104
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Thomas M. Baxa

Key Takeaways

Offers tactical flexibility with its channel ability, enhancing board and resource control during gameplay.
Synergizes with damage-dealing for resource acceleration, fitting well in red and black decks.
Its activated ability’s instant speed provides strategic opportunities to disrupt opponents anytime.

Text of card

: Put a devotion counter on Bloodthirsty Ogre. : Target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the number of devotion counters on Bloodthirsty Ogre. Play this ability only if you control a Demon.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bloodthirsty Ogre offers a unique channel ability, providing the potential to tactically discard it for effect rather than play it as a creature. This flexibility can translate into an unexpected advantage, giving you more control over the gameboard and the resources at your disposal.

Resource Acceleration: This card synergizes well with decks that incentivize dealing damage to opponents, a common metric for resource acceleration in red and black decks. By having a regular means of dealing damage, you can activate the Ogre’s ability routinely, essentially accelerating your resources in the form of controlling the opponent’s creatures.

Instant Speed: While Bloodthirsty Ogre itself might not operate at instant speed, its activated ability can be used during any player’s turn. This opens strategic windows for disrupting your opponent’s plans, keeping them off-balance while you formulate your victory. Its instantaneous nature also enables surprise interactions, making it a nuanced tool in the hands of a strategist.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Bloodthirsty Ogre presents a challenge with its heavy demand on hand resources. Players must have a Demon on the battlefield to exploit its full potential, which can be restrictive and may force a discard if you’re unable to meet the in-game criteria.

Specific Mana Cost: The Ogre’s casting cost is not only specific but also somewhat steep, requiring two black mana and one of any color. This can hamper deck flexibility, making it difficult to integrate the Ogre into multi-colored decks that are not heavily skewed towards black mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost set at three mana, the Ogre could be considered a hefty investment, especially when comparing it to other creatures in its mana range. Players might find that there are alternatives that provide more immediate impact or versatility on the battlefield for a similar or lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include Bloodthirsty Ogre in Your Collection

Versatility: Bloodthirsty Ogre serves a dual role in many decks—it’s a decently costed creature at three mana and can act as a control tool against opponents’ creatures in decks with a Demon theme. This flexibility makes it a valuable addition to a range of deck strategies focused on both creature control and tribal synergy.

Combo Potential: In decks that utilize Demons or have ways to generate Demon tokens, this Ogre’s activated ability can become a recurring source of creature control. It pairs well with strategies designed to maintain board superiority, allowing it to become part of a powerful control combo with the right support.

Meta-Relevance: For players seeking an edge in metas where creature-based strategies dominate, Bloodthirsty Ogre can offer a way to manage opponents’ creatures. While not a mainstay in every meta, its potential in a demon-centric deck can justify its spot in a tailored collection, especially in casual and thematic play environments.

How to Beat Bloodthirsty Ogre

Bloodthirsty Ogre is a unique creature card that can be a tactical asset for those using it in their MTG strategies. Its ability to harness the power of the demon offering mechanic makes it a card worthy of notice. However, just like any other card in MTG, there are ways to circumvent its strengths and turn the tides in your favor. For instance, removal spells are particularly effective against this creature, especially those that can bypass the Ogre’s potential toughness increase.

To effectively counter this card, you might consider employing spells that don’t rely on damage, as these can circumvent buffed toughness from your opponent’s cards. Direct exile spells or forced sacrifice mechanics ensure that the Ogre doesn’t stick around to be a recurring problem. Additionally, taking control of the board with creature-based strategies can prevent your opponent from taking full advantage of the Ogre’s abilities by reducing the number of demons or Ogres they control, thus neutralizing the offering capability.

In short, while Bloodthirsty Ogre has its benefits in a demon and Ogre synergized deck, a well-prepared opponent with the right removal tools can mitigate its potential and keep the game in balance. Knowing how to dismantle an opponent’s strategy around such a card can be the key to victory.

Cards like Bloodthirsty Ogre

Bloodthirsty Ogre is a unique creature card in the world of Magic: The Gathering with a distinctive ability focused on demons and ogres. As an analysis point, let’s consider Skirk Shaman, which shares the same mana cost and creature type but lacks the nuanced control feature that Bloodthirsty Ogre offers for handling opponent actions by tapping untapped demons. Skirk Shaman instead has the ability to be unblockable by creatures other than red creatures, presenting a simpler, more straightforward approach to gameplay.

On another note, Heirloom Blade is a synergistic equipment card that complements tribal decks like those using Bloodthirsty Ogre. While not a creature itself, it bolsters tribal strategies, giving a creature an extra boost in power and tutoring for additional creatures upon the equipped creature’s demise. This interactivity showcases a different angle of enhancing tribal deck capabilities, unlike the direct control that Bloodthirsty Ogre can exert.

Comparing these different strategies, it’s clear that Bloodthirsty Ogre stands out in MTG tribal decks for giving players an edge, particularly in demonic and ogre-themed builds, offering them a unique tactical element through its creature control abilities.

Cards similar to Bloodthirsty Ogre by color, type and mana cost

Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bloodthirsty Ogre MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa, 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 Bloodthirsty Ogre and other MTG cards: