Mardu Woe-Reaper MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Warrior
Released	2015-01-23
Set symbol
Set name	Fate Reforged
Set code	FRF
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	18
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Willian Murai

Key Takeaways

The card provides early presence and potential life gain while disrupting opponent’s graveyard strategies.
Its triggered ability operates at instant speed, allowing for tactical plays during crucial moments.
Specific mana and Warrior presence for activation can limit its flexibility in some decks.

Text of card

Whenever Mardu Woe-Reaper or another Warrior enters the battlefield under your control, you may exile target creature card from a graveyard. If you do, you gain 1 life.

"Those who died in battle deserve their rest."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mardu Woe-Reaper provides not just a creature on the board but also the potential to exile cards from opponent’s graveyards. This diminishes their resources while offering you the possibility to gain life. The ability to disrupt graveyard strategies can be an unseen card advantage as it prevents the opponent from utilizing their full arsenal.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly impacting mana, the Mardu Woe-Reaper aids in resource acceleration by its low cost. At one white mana, it’s a perfect turn-one play, allowing you to establish board presence early while saving resources for more significant plays in subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: While the Mardu Woe-Reaper itself is not an instant, its triggered ability operates at instant speed. This means you can strategically play another Warrior and exile a card from an opponent’s graveyard at any moment, catching them off-guard and disrupting their play during their turn or in response to their actions, which is invaluable in the fast-paced MTG matches.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Mardu Woe-Reaper offers an exile effect, it requires another Warrior or Mardu Woe-Reaper to initiate its ability. Holding these specific cards until needed can deem problematic, especially when playing a tight, resource-managed game.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise mana combination of white and other colors for Mardu synergy. Decks not tailored to meet the Mardu color requirements may find this card less feasible, potentially limiting its versatility in various deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite being a one-drop, to fully utilize Mardu Woe-Reaper’s potential, a player must often commit more mana to play other Warriors or allocate resources to capitalize on its triggered ability. In contrast, other one-drops could provide immediate and standalone value with less conditional investments.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mardu Woe-Reaper offers a solid play option right from the start of the game. As a low-cost creature, it fits into aggressive, early-game strategies while also providing a form of graveyard disruption that can be crucial in multiple matchups.

Combo Potential: Its ability to exile cards from graveyards on summon or when another Warrior enters the battlefield lends itself to synergies with Warrior-themed decks and those that capitalize on graveyard manipulation.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prevalence of graveyard-based strategies in various formats, the Mardu Woe-Reaper has a place in many sideboards to counter such tactics. Its quick entrance to the battlefield and the immediate impact makes it a considerable choice for players looking to refine their deck’s interactions with the current meta.

How to beat

The Mardu Woe-Reaper is a staple in MTG decks that thrive on aggressive strategies and graveyard manipulation. Known for its ability to disrupt opponent’s graveyard-centric tactics by exiling cards, this card presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. To counter this swift Warrior, control tactics are key. Cards that can swiftly remove or neutralize creatures are vital when facing the Woe-Reaper. Spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can be efficient tools to take this creature out of play before it becomes a problem.

Additionally, considering the Woe-Reaper’s ability triggers upon another Warrior entering the battlefield, limiting the number of creatures your opponent controls can also hamstring its effectiveness. Board wipes such as Supreme Verdict or Damnation can ensure that the reap benefits of the Mardu Woe-Reaper are minimized. Furthermore, if you’re facing a deck that heavily relies on the Mardu Woe-Reaper, graveyard hate in the form of Relic of Progenitus or Leyline of the Void can neutralize its impact significantly.

Therefore, to gain an upper hand against this formidable card, it is crucial to maintain control over the state of play and be prepared with removal or graveyard hate that can handle creatures as well as mitigate graveyard strategies.

Cards like Mardu Woe-Reaper

Mardu Woe-Reaper is an invaluable piece among one-drop creatures in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This card echoes characteristics found in other aggressive one-drop warriors like Elite Vanguard, which offers a solid 2/1 body for a single white mana. However, Mardu Woe-Reaper has an edge with its ability to exile a card from a graveyard on entry or when it attacks, which can be strategically pivotal against decks that rely on graveyard interactions.

Another creature that often earns comparison is Soldier of the Pantheon, known for its protection against multicolored spells and life-gain trait. While Soldier of the Pantheon provides defense against a wider variety of spells, Mardu Woe-Reaper stands out for its graveyard control. Exiling cards can disrupt opponent strategies and gain incremental life advantage which is crucial in races against other aggressive decks.

Hence, in evaluating the effectiveness of one-drops in MTG, Mardu Woe-Reaper must be recognized for its dual functionality. It not only contributes to early offensive pressure but also offers a defensive utility through its exiling capability, which is exceptionally useful in the current metagame.

Soldier of the Pantheon - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Mardu Woe-Reaper by color, type and mana cost

Faerie Guidemother // Gift of the Fae - MTG Card versions

Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful - MTG Card versions

Bushi Tenderfoot // Kenzo the Hardhearted - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mardu Woe-Reaper MTG card by a specific set like Fate Reforged, 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 Mardu Woe-Reaper and other MTG cards: