Drooling Ogre MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Ogre
Released	2004-02-06
Set symbol
Set name	Darksteel
Set code	DST
Power	3
Toughness	3
Number	58
Frame	2003
Layout	normal
Border	black
Illustred by	Brian Snõddy

Key Takeaways

Provides card advantage and ramp in artifact-centered strategies, altering gameplay dynamics.
Demands careful hand and mana management due to activation costs and specific mana requirements.
Possesses unique utility and combo potential, becoming more potent with each artifact played.

Text of card

Whenever a player plays an artifact spell, that player gains control of Drooling Ogre. (This effect doesn't end at end of turn.)

"Is it the stomping kind or the munching kind?" —Slobad, goblin tinkerer

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Drooling Ogre grants you the ability to generate additional card resources, particularly in decks designed around artifact synergies. Each time an artifact is targeted while the Ogre is on the battlefield, it translates into potential card draw or selective discard from your opponent, shifting the balance of cards in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: When you integrate the Drooling Ogre into artifact-heavy decks, it becomes a key piece in ramping up your mana resources. This can lead to casting high-impact spells earlier than usual, giving you a distinct edge in tempo over your opponent.

Instant Speed: While the Ogre itself isn’t an instant, its triggered ability can be leveraged at instant speed. This means that any time your artifacts become the target of spells or abilities, you gain immediate benefits even during your opponent’s turn, keeping your strategy flexible and responsive.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Drooling Ogre requires players to discard a card to activate its ability. This can be particularly taxing during tight gameplay scenarios where hand advantage is crucial. Discarding can inadvertently fuel your opponent’s strategy or diminish your own late-game potential, making each discard a weighty decision.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost to cast Drooling Ogre demands both red and colorless mana, which might not seamlessly fit into every deck strategy. Decks that are not based primarily on red mana may find it challenging to incorporate the Drooling Ogre without potentially disrupting their mana curve and consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With other creatures and spells in the same mana range offering more immediate or impactful board presence, the mana investment for Drooling Ogre might be hard to justify. Its activation cost also requires careful resource management, which might not be sustainable in fast-paced games that reward lower cost creatures and efficient mana usage.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Drooling Ogre offers a flexible role in decks that interact with artifacts or aggressive strategies. Being able to potentially turn any artifact into a damage source widens its playability across various deck archetypes.

Combo Potential: Within artifact-centric decks, this creature can become a key component, transforming your ordinary artifacts into potent tools for dealing damage, which can amplify the impact of other combo pieces.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment that favors artifact-based strategies, Drooling Ogre can be unexpectedly effective, giving you the ability to pressure opponents in what might traditionally be a non-aggressive setup.

How to beat

Drooling Ogre introduces a unique challenge on the battlefield with its ability to potentially disrupt artifact strategies in Magic: The Gathering. To outplay this card, a focus on versatility and resilience in your deck construction is key. Cards with abilities that protect or recur artifacts can help mitigate the impact of the Ogre’s destructive potential. Protective spells like Padeem, Consul of Innovation offer your artifacts some defense, ensuring that the Ogre’s ability does not leave you at a significant disadvantage.

Moreover, including instant-speed removal in your deck to quickly dispatch the Drooling Ogre can prevent it from locking down your artifacts. Cards such as Swords to Plowshares provide a swift and efficient answer to the Ogre, eliminating the threat before it can affect your board too heavily. Additionally, playing around the Ogre by not overly committing artifact-rich hands until you can deal with the creature ensures you maintain a strong battlefield presence and minimize potential losses.

Understanding the flow of the game and adapting to the presence of cards like Drooling Ogre can greatly enhance your ability to maintain control. Strategic play and timely removal are the keys to outmaneuvering an opponent who relies on the Ogre’s artifact-threatening ability.

Cards like Drooling Ogre

Drooling Ogre enters the arena of Magic: The Gathering as an interesting piece in the puzzle of red aggressive decks. It bears comparison to creatures like Raging Goblin, which offers immediate attack potential with haste. The Ogre, however, trades the haste for potential recurring value — it gains strength as you play more artifacts.

Glaring at Corsair Captain presents us another card reminiscent of the Ogre’s love for artifacts. The Captain bolsters other Pirates, much like the Ogre does for artifacts, although it does so in a way that provides an immediate buff and an added treasure token upon entering the battlefield. Unlike the Ogre, the Captain’s effect is a one-time boost, not a continuous threat that grows with each artifact played.

Analyzing the landscape of artifact-centric creatures, Drooling Ogre stands out. It’s not as quick to hit as Raging Goblin or as directly impactful as Corsair Captain but offers sustained value over time, transforming into a larger threat with every artifact cast. This makes Drooling Ogre a card that can silently tip the scales in a prolonged match, especially in decks densely populated with artifacts.

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

Goblin Elite Infantry - MTG Card versions

Dwarven Weaponsmith - Foreign Black Border (FBB)

Dwarven Lieutenant - Fallen Empires (FEM)

Goblin Elite Infantry - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)

Fireslinger - Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra (JVC)

Mogg War Marshal - Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins (DD1)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Drooling Ogre MTG card by a specific set like Darksteel, 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 Drooling Ogre and other MTG cards: