Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Dragon
Abilities Flying,Treasure
Power 5
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Gadrak generates Treasure tokens from creature deaths, boosting your artifact count and resources effortlessly.
  2. Treasure tokens from Gadrak fuel mana acceleration, key for casting high-cost spells ahead of the curve.
  3. Gadrak’s ability can be used at instant speed, turning opponent’s turns into opportunities for resource gain.

Text of card

Flying Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge can't attack unless you control four or more artifacts. At the beginning of your end step, create a Treasure token for each nontoken creature that died this turn. (It's an artifact with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gadrak the Crown-Scourge provides a unique form of card advantage by generating Treasure tokens whenever another creature dies, provided you have three or more artifacts. This feeds into your resources without spending extra cards from your hand.

Resource Acceleration: The Treasure tokens Gadrak creates can be sacrificed for mana of any color, giving you a significant boost in mana availability. This acceleration can be crucial for casting high-cost spells earlier than expected, ramping up your board presence quickly.

Instant Speed: While Gadrak himself isn’t an instant, his ability to benefit from creatures dying at instant speed, including on opponents’ turns, is invaluable. This means that events like combat damage or instant speed removal spells can turn into an advantage for Gadrak’s controller, potentially reaping resources out of cycle and keeping the pressure on the adversaries.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gadrak the Crown-Scourge doesn’t directly demand the discard of cards, but its inability to attack unless you control four or more artifacts can be restrictive. This indirectly pressures players to churn out artifacts, which may cause them to deplete valuable hand resources hastily to meet this condition.

Specific Mana Cost: Gadrak costs three mana to cast, specifically requiring one red. While not exceedingly high, the color specificity can be prohibitive for multi-colored decks, potentially disrupting the mana curve and limiting its inclusion only to decks where red mana is readily available.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although a three-mana creature with the potential to generate wealth via its ability to create Treasure tokens, Gadrak’s limitation on attacking and the conditional artifact requirement to become an effective blocker can be seen as a high cost for its abilities. This is especially pertinent when considering other creatures at or below its mana cost that provide immediate impact on the game without such restrictions.


Reasons to Include Gadrak the Crown-Scourge in Your Collection

Versatility: Gadrak the Crown-Scourge offers flexibility to your deck with its inherent ability to become a significant threat, especially in a board filled with artifacts. As a flying creature, it serves well as both an aggressive and defensive asset.

Combo Potential: When paired with cards that produce Treasure tokens or when creatures are dying frequently, Gadrak thrives, turning those occurrences into valuable resources. This synergy is a recipe for bolstering your strategies and gives birth to dynamic combos in a game.

Meta-Relevance: Gadrak can shine in environments where creature removal is frequent, turning potential losses into an artifact advantage. The card’s ability to hoard treasures keeps it relevant in various metas, particularly where the advantages of ramping and artifacts are pronounced.


How to beat

Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge presents a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering matches. This formidable dragon becomes harder to remove because it gains indestructible as long as you control four or more artifacts. To effectively counter this card, players should focus on artifact removal strategies. Removing artifacts will not only turn Gadrak vulnerable but also hinder your opponent from exploiting his full potential for generating Treasure tokens. Enchantment-based removal, such as “Kasmina’s Transmutation,” can also be efficient, changing Gadrak into a creature without abilities, thus making him easier to deal with. Furthermore, exile effects bypass indestructibility, so spells like “Path to Exile” provide a clean answer regardless of how many artifacts are present. Facing Gadrak means you should adjust your tactics, prioritize artifact control, and keep your removal spells at the ready for the opportune moment.

Ultimately, while Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge can be a centerpiece of an artifact-rich deck, maintaining a flexible strategy and having specific answers is key to overcoming this formidable MTG card. Keep your deck versatile, anticipate the presence of Gadrak in your opponent’s strategy, and ensure your removal spells are diverse enough to handle both creatures and artifacts proficiently.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the pros and cons of Gadrak the Crown-Scourge is pivotal to integrating this card effectively into your MTG deck. Considering its card advantage, resource acceleration, and versatility, Gadrak can become a cornerstone in artifact-centric strategies. Yet, be mindful of mana requirements and the potential need to adjust your tactics. We encourage you to further your MTG expertise and explore innovative card synergies. Dive deep into strategies that optimize your treasure token generation with Gadrak and elevate your gameplay. Ready to unlock new strategies and optimize your deck? Delve into the detailed insights and strategies we offer and harness the full potential of your MTG collection.


Cards like Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge

Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge finds its niche among unique dragons in Magic: The Gathering, offering both high power and strategic treasure token generation. Gadrak shares similarities with cards like Hoarding Dragon, which also interacts with treasure tokens by allowing you to search for an artifact card when it dies. However, Gadrak stands out with its ability to produce treasure tokens every turn as long as creatures died.

Another card worth mentioning alongside Gadrak is Dragonlord’s Servant. While it doesn’t provide treasure tokens, it reduces the cost of dragon spells, which in practice can accelerate your ability to play formidable dragons like Gadrak earlier than usual. Rampage of the Valkyries is a further piece for comparison. Although not a dragon itself, it creates a treasure token when a creature dies if you control an enchanted creature, illustrating a different approach to token generation.

Assessing these comparisons helps us appreciate Gadrak’s capacity for both offensive pressure and resource advantage, offering players a dynamic tool for optimizing dragon-based decks or any strategy that thrives on continuous treasure creation.

Hoarding Dragon - MTG Card versions
Dragonlord's Servant - MTG Card versions
Rampage of the Valkyries - MTG Card versions
Hoarding Dragon - Magic 2011 (M11)
Dragonlord's Servant - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)
Rampage of the Valkyries - Kaldheim (KHM)

Cards similar to Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge by color, type and mana cost

Dwarven Warriors - MTG Card versions
Raging Bull - MTG Card versions
Wall of Stone - MTG Card versions
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Dwarven Warriors - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Raging Bull - Legends (LEG)
Wall of Stone - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Wall of Lava - Ice Age (ICE)
Brassclaw Orcs - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Sabretooth Tiger - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Imperial Recruiter - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Cavern Crawler - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Uthden Troll - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Goblin Rabblemaster - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Windseeker Centaur - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Nosy Goblin - Onslaught (ONS)
Goblin Sky Raider - Onslaught (ONS)
Skirk Commando - Archenemy (ARC)
Cosmic Larva - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Ghost-Lit Raider - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Goblin Chariot - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and 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 Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-07-03 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Daarken.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 819662015normalblackDaarken
22020-07-03Core Set 2021M21 1462015normalblackDaarken
32020-07-03Core Set 2021M21 3672015normalblackDaarken
42022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 5382015normalblackDaarken

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-06-23 Gadrak's last ability counts creatures that died during the entire turn, even ones that died before Gadrak entered the battlefield.
2020-06-23 Once Gadrak has attacked, it will remain an attacking creature even if you no longer control four or more artifacts.

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