Dire Fleet Warmonger MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Orc Pirate
Released	2020-07-03
Set symbol
Set name	Core Set 2021
Set code	M21
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	217
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Mathias Kollros

Key Takeaways

Dire Fleet Warmonger grows stronger each turn, presenting an escalating threat to opponents.
Early battlefield presence and instant speed interactions enhance its tactical versatility.
Mana specificity and requirement for card sacrifice may limit its integration in decks.

Text of card

At the beginning of combat on your turn, you may sacrifice another creature. If you do, Dire Fleet Warmonger gets +2/+2 and gains trample until end of turn. (It can deal excess combat damage to the player or planeswalker it's attacking.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Dire Fleet Warmonger’s ability to potentially grow each turn provides a sustained advantage on the battlefield. This accumulating threat can force your opponent to make difficult decisions and may lead to favorable trades for you.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Dire Fleet Warmonger doesn’t provide direct resource acceleration such as treasure tokens or additional mana, its nature as a 3-cost creature means it hits the battlefield early. This allows players to maximize their mana usage in the early stages of the game, effectively accelerating their board presence.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, the Dire Fleet Warmonger benefits from instant speed interactions. Sacrificing a creature at instant speed to trigger its ability can be a strategic response to an opponent’s play. This makes it versatile during combat phases or in response to removal, keeping opponents on their toes.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To fully leverage Dire Fleet Warmonger’s ability, you’re required to part with another card from your hand, which can be a strategic setback, especially if you’re already grappling with a dwindling hand size.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost demands a precise combination of black and red mana, making it less flexible and potentially clunky in multi-colored decks that aren’t heavily invested in these colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including colored mana requirements, Dire Fleet Warmonger can be considered mana-intensive. There are alternative creatures or spells that could provide a more cost-effective board presence or impact for the same or lower mana investment.

Reasons to Include Dire Fleet Warmonger in Your Collection

Versatility: Dire Fleet Warmonger offers a flexible role in decks that thrive on aggression and interaction. Its ability to give extra punch during combat makes it a formidable inclusion for any deck looking to pressure opponents.

Combo Potential: The Warmonger gains benefits each time you sacrifice another creature, creating synergy with strategies built around self-sacrifice and recurrence. It slots easily into Rakdos sacrifice decks, amplifying their threat level.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state that applauds resilience and adaptive plays, Dire Fleet Warmonger stands out. The card’s dynamic abilities make it a powerful tool against a variety of decks, ensuring its strength through shifting metas.

How to beat

Dire Fleet Warmonger emerges as a formidable creature in Magic: The Gathering when it’s on the attacking front, largely due to its ability to grow stronger during combat phases. This card from the Ixalan set demands a strategic approach to ensure your MTG matches don’t tilt in your opponent’s favor. When facing this card, it is vital to manage the battlefield effectively.

Controlling the combat phase is crucial. Employing instant-speed removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can remove the Warmonger before it becomes a threat. Utilizing cards that restrict the opponent from sacrificing creatures, such as Grafdigger’s Cage or Leyline of the Void, can hinder the Warmonger’s power-boosting ability. Alternatively, applying pressure early on can divert resources from the Dire Fleet Warmonger, giving you an advantage in the long run.

Overall, defeating Dire Fleet Warmonger requires foresight and timely disruption of your opponent’s battlefield synergies. Minimizing the impact of its combat trickery can ensure a tactical edge, safeguarding you from its potential onslaught and steering you towards victory in your MTG games.

Cards like Dire Fleet Warmonger

Dire Fleet Warmonger makes an intriguing case within the realm of aggressive creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It finds peers in cards like Bloodrage Brawler, which also rewards players when they discard cards, offering a substantial creature for a low cost. Unlike Bloodrage Brawler, Dire Fleet Warmonger provides an ongoing advantage by being able to grow stronger every turn, given sacrifice fodder is available.

Comparing it further, we have Fireblade Artist, a card that shares the sacrifice-for-benefit theme, but with a focus on consistent damage output over growth potential. Dire Fleet Warmonger, on the other hand, demands more strategic planning, as it allows for exponential power increase with each sacrifice made. Another similar pick is Judith, the Scourge Diva, which grants a static power boost to your creatures and deals damage when a nontoken creature dies. While Judith can affect the board more broadly, Dire Fleet Warmonger is itself a looming threat that must be answered by opponents.

Ultimately, when exploring the landscape of sacrifice-synergy creatures in Magic: The Gathering, Dire Fleet Warmonger presents as a dynamic choice for those looking to make the most of their expendable creatures, turning them into significant power on the battlefield.

Judith, the Scourge Diva - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Dire Fleet Warmonger by color, type and mana cost

Vial Smasher the Fierce - MTG Card versions

Lyzolda, the Blood Witch - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dire Fleet Warmonger MTG card by a specific set like Core Set 2021, 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 Dire Fleet Warmonger and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dire Fleet Warmonger has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2020-06-23	While resolving Dire Fleet Warmonger's ability, you can't sacrifice multiple creatures to give it more than +2/+2 and trample.
2020-06-23	You choose whether to sacrifice a creature and which to sacrifice as Dire Fleet Warmonger's ability resolves. No player can take action between the time you make that choice and the time it gets +2/+2 and has trample, if appropriate.