Coercive Recruiter MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Orc Pirate
Power 4
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Coercive Recruiter excels at altering board states by snagging opponent’s creatures, enhancing strategic depth.
  2. Instant speed synergies with flash mechanics disrupt opponents and provide surprise battlefield influence.
  3. Yet, its color-specific mana cost and discard requirements demand deck synergy for optimal performance.

Text of card

Whenever Coercive Recruiter or another Pirate enters the battlefield under your control, gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. Until end of turn, it gains haste and becomes a Pirate in addition to its other types.

"Choose, vampire: our hat on your head, or no hat, no head."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Coercive Recruiter showcases its power by taking control of an opponent’s creature whenever it or another Pirate enters the battlefield under your control. This effect can shift the board state in your favor and potentially provide you with additional resources or removal options if the stolen creature has enter-the-battlefield abilities.

Resource Acceleration: Although Coercive Recruiter doesn’t directly create mana or treasure tokens, the ability to gain control of creatures can accelerate your board presence without expending cards from your hand. This form of indirect resource acceleration can often lead to overwhelming your opponent with their own assets.

Instant Speed: While Coercive Recruiter itself is not an instant, it synergizes exceptionally well with flash-enabling cards or effects within the game. Being able to deploy a Pirate at instant speed, triggering Coercive Recruiter’s ability during an opponent’s turn, can disrupt their strategy and instantly turn the tide of the match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For those playing the Coercive Recruiter, its necessity to have a rogue on board to trigger the ability might leave players in a tight spot, especially when you’re holding onto the card waiting for the perfect moment or lacking the synergy in your deck.

Specific Mana Cost: The Coercive Recruiter commands a specific mana arrangement that includes both red and blue. This restriction means it might not effortlessly slide into a deck without careful planning around these color requirements.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that might be considered on the higher end, the Coercive Recruiter demands a significant investment of five mana. In a game where speed can be essential, there may be turns where deploying the card could be challenging, or alternatives might provide more immediate board presence or control.


Reasons to Include Coercive Recruiter in Your Collection

Versatility: Coercive Recruiter has flexibility that shines in various deck builds. It’s a perfect fit for pirate-themed decks or strategies focusing on creature control and theft. Its ability to commandeer opponents’ creatures temporarily can disrupt their plans and simultaneously bolster your battlefield presence.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with abilities that capitalize on entering the battlefield triggers. For instance, combining Coercive Recruiter with cards that flicker or bounce creatures can result in repeatedly gaining control of your opponents’ best threats, making it a linchpin in potent combo decks.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta teeming with creature-based strategies, Coercive Recruiter can quickly turn the tide of the game. By consecutively seizing control of key creatures, it neutralizes your opponent’s aggressive plays and integrates seamlessly into decks designed to outpace creature-heavy opponents.


How to Beat Coercive Recruiter

Coercive Recruiter presents a challenge in Magic: The Gathering, notably for its ability to take control of an opponent’s creature whenever another pirate enters the battlefield under your control. This can quickly turn the tide of a game, especially when multiple pirates are played in succession. However, there are strategic plays to counter this intimidating card. A solid tactic is to remove Coercive Recruiter before it can trigger its ability, using instant-speed removal spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile.

Another effective strategy is to limit the number of creatures on your side of the battlefield, thus reducing the Recruiter’s potential targets. This can be achieved through board wipes, like Wrath of God or Doomskar, which clear out multiple threats at once. Alternatively, countering pirate plays with spells like Counterspell or Negate disrupts the synergy needed for Coercive Recruiter to be effective.

To sum up, dealing with Coercive Recruiter requires a mix of preemptive control, selective creature removal, and strategic counterspells. So when you’re staring down this devious card across the table, remember: with the right play, you can turn the tide back in your favor.


BurnMana Recommendations

Coercive Recruiter holds a treasure trove of opportunities for MTG deck enhancers. As we’ve sailed through its advantages, from the card advantage to instant speed play synergy, it’s evident that this card can plunder victories in the right hands. Craft strategies that revolve around it to dominate the playing field with your opponents’ creatures. However, be wary of the strategic considerations needed to counterbalance its higher mana cost and color specificity. Whether you’re a collector or a competitive player, understanding the dynamics of Coercive Recruiter is key. Uncover more insights and strategies to optimize your deck around such potent cards with our expert guidance. Set your course to mastering the tactical depth of MTG. Join us at BurnMana for a deeper dive!


Cards like Coercive Recruiter

Coercive Recruiter adds a unique twist to the suite of creature control Magic: The Gathering has to offer. With its resemblance to effects found on cards like Captivating Crew, Coercive Recruiter stands out by triggering on pirate entry, allowing for potential multiple thefts in a single turn. While Captivating Crew requires mana investment each turn for a single creature’s temporary loyalty, Coercive Recruiter can offer greater value in a pirate-centric deck.

Another related card is Zealous Conscripts, which shares the trait of immediate creature control upon entering the battlefield. The difference lies in Conscripts being a one-off event, whereas Coercive Recruiter can repeatedly capitalize on pirate synergy. Clearly, the Recruiter is built for a specific strategy that rewards players for playing within the pirate theme. Act of Treason also enters the mix as an inexpensive sorcery that serves a similar purpose but lacks the reusability and tribal synergy that Coercive Recruiter can boast.

Ultimately, Coercive Recruiter’s utility in creature control shines in dedicated pirate decks, making it a formidable card for players looking to capitalize on recurring, synergistic control effects within their MTG strategy.

Captivating Crew - MTG Card versions
Zealous Conscripts - MTG Card versions
Act of Treason - MTG Card versions
Captivating Crew - Ixalan Promos (PXLN)
Zealous Conscripts - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Act of Treason - Magic 2010 (M10)

Cards similar to Coercive Recruiter by color, type and mana cost

Fire Elemental - MTG Card versions
Earth Elemental - MTG Card versions
Eron the Relentless - MTG Card versions
Balduvian War-Makers - MTG Card versions
Hivis of the Scale - MTG Card versions
Hulking Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Flame Spirit - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Salamander - MTG Card versions
Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions
Covetous Dragon - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Strike Force - MTG Card versions
Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions
Tephraderm - MTG Card versions
Avarax - MTG Card versions
Bonethorn Valesk - MTG Card versions
Frost Ogre - MTG Card versions
Heartless Hidetsugu - MTG Card versions
Shard Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Soul of Magma - MTG Card versions
Hunted Dragon - MTG Card versions
Fire Elemental - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Earth Elemental - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Eron the Relentless - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Balduvian War-Makers - Alliances (ALL)
Hivis of the Scale - Mirage (MIR)
Hulking Cyclops - Visions (VIS)
Flame Spirit - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Flowstone Salamander - Tempest (TMP)
Ma Chao, Western Warrior - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Covetous Dragon - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Dwarven Strike Force - Odyssey (ODY)
Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Tephraderm - Onslaught (ONS)
Avarax - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Bonethorn Valesk - Scourge (SCG)
Frost Ogre - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Heartless Hidetsugu - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Shard Phoenix - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Soul of Magma - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hunted Dragon - The List (PLST)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Coercive Recruiter MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Commander Legends, 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 Coercive Recruiter and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Coercive Recruiter Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-11-20 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by Randy Vargas.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 860462015normalblackRandy Vargas
22020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 1692015normalblackRandy Vargas
32020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 6622015normalblackRandy Vargas
42023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 2222015normalblackRandy Vargas

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Coercive Recruiter has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2020-11-10 Coercive Recruiter's ability can target any creature, even one that's untapped or one you already control. It can even target itself or the creature that caused the ability to trigger.
2020-11-10 Gaining control of a creature doesn't cause you to gain control of any Auras or Equipment attached to it.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks