Screamreach Brawler MTG Card
2015-03-27 - Number 155
2019-11-07 - Number 1052
2020-09-26 - Number DTK-155
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Orc Berserker |
| Abilities | Dash |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Indirect card advantage through its dash ability can pressure opponents and sway board control.
- Flexibility and early pressure make it a strategic choice for aggressive red deck archetypes.
- Demands precise mana investment and card discards that may limit versatility in some builds.
Text of card
Dash (You may cast this spell for its dash cost. If you do, it gains haste, and it's returned from the battlefield to its owner's hand at the beginning of the next end step.)
"My dragonlord's lightning will dance upon your bones!"
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Screamreach Brawler doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, its formidable ability can create indirect card advantage. By requiring multifaceted answers from opponents and bolstering your board presence, you maintain pressure and can outmaneuver your opponent’s resources.
Resource Acceleration: The Screamreach Brawler isn’t typically known for its resource acceleration. However, its dash ability means you can pay the cost and play it only when it’s advantageous, preserving other resources in your hand for crucial moments. This smart management of resources can lead to acceleration in broader strategic terms.
Instant Speed: While the card itself isn’t an instant, the dash ability gives Screamreach Brawler a pseudo-instant speed attribute. It allows you to play it unexpectedly during your combat phase, meaning that you can keep mana available for actual instant-speed interactions while still presenting a threat each turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Screamreach Brawler demands that you discard another card to unleash its dash ability. This can put players at a disadvantage, especially when the hand is already lacking in card options, leading to a decreased ability to respond to opponents’ moves.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Screamreach Brawler is confined to red mana, which may pose a limitation to its inclusion only within decks that can produce sufficient amounts of this color. This restriction often results in a reduction of the card’s overall flexibility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the casting cost, Screamreach Brawler requires a relatively high investment of three mana, including two red mana, which can be steep for its stats and abilities. There are other creatures within the same mana range that could offer better value or more impactful effects on the game.
Reasons to Include Screamreach Brawler in Your Collection
Versatility: Screamreach Brawler offers a flexible role in red decks, providing a solid attacker with its 2 power on turn two. Its dash ability also brings added agility, allowing you to surprise your opponent or dodge sorcery-speed removal, making it a shrewd pick for dynamic gameplay.
Combo Potential: This card can serve as a cog in sophisticated strategies within red or multi-color decks. Its dash mechanic works seamlessly with cards that benefit from creatures entering the battlefield or leaving the field each turn, giving a deck various angles to exploit each round.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where tempo plays a crucial role, Screamreach Brawler can effectively apply early pressure. Its reliable presence can sway the balance in aggressive archetypes aiming to outpace more deliberate and controlling strategists.
How to Beat Screamreach Brawler
Screamreach Brawler stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a formidable card, particularly in decks that favor aggressive strategies. As a common creature known for its dash ability, it allows for fast-paced gameplay, enabling players to deal damage quickly. To overcome this, the key lies in understanding the mechanics of dash and being prepared with removal options.
Effective strategies include keeping instant-speed removal spells handy to deal with it as soon as it dashes onto the battlefield. Cards like Shock or Fatal Push can be excellent choices because they’re cost-effective and can disrupt the opponent’s tempo. Additionally, imposing creatures with reach or those that can block multiple creatures simultaneously, such as Guardian of the Galaxy, can act as a formidable defense against this brawling menace.
It’s also advantageous to recognize the patterns of an opponent likely to utilize dash. By anticipating the card’s appearance and holding back the necessary mana for a response, you can mitigate the impact of Screamreach Brawler and maintain control of the game. Being proactive and responsive, while maintaining a strong defensive line, can ensure that you stay ahead of this card’s aggressive nature.
Cards like Screamreach Brawler
Screamreach Brawler is an intriguing creature card in Magic: The Gathering, holding its own in the realm of aggressive red cards. Its dash ability allows it to hit the battlefield swinging without warning, similar to cards like Warbringer. Although Warbringer also offers dash cost reductions for other creatures, Screamreach Brawler shines with its standalone prowess, dashing in for an efficient three mana.
Another card with the dash mechanic is Goblin Heelcutter. While it boasts the ability to prevent a creature from blocking when it dashes, it requires one more mana to play, making Screamreach Brawler a nimbler option in the early game. Nevertheless, the additional effect of Goblin Heelcutter can tilt the scales in specific deck builds.
Comparing these cards provides insight into the flexibility and aggression Screamreach Brawler can introduce to a game, especially when consistently applying pressure to an opponent is the strategy. With its straightforward dash cost and the ability to circumvent summoning sickness, it’s a reliable pick for decks looking to stay on the offensive from the get-go.
Cards similar to Screamreach Brawler by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Screamreach Brawler MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir and Mystery Booster, 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 Screamreach Brawler and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Screamreach Brawler Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2015-03-27 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Slawomir Maniak.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2015-03-27 | Dragons of Tarkir | DTK | 155 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Slawomir Maniak | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1052 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Slawomir Maniak | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | DTK-155 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Slawomir Maniak |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Screamreach Brawler has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Screamreach Brawler card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2015-02-25 | If a creature enters the battlefield as a copy of or becomes a copy of a creature whose dash cost was paid, the copy won’t have haste and won’t be returned to its owner’s hand. |
| 2015-02-25 | If you choose to pay the dash cost rather than the mana cost, you’re still casting the spell. It goes on the stack and can be responded to and countered. You can cast a creature spell for its dash cost only when you otherwise could cast that creature spell. Most of the time, this means during your main phase when the stack is empty. |
| 2015-02-25 | If you pay the dash cost to cast a creature spell, that card will be returned to its owner’s hand only if it’s still on the battlefield when its triggered ability resolves. If it dies or goes to another zone before then, it will stay where it is. |
| 2015-02-25 | You don’t have to attack with the creature with dash unless another ability says you do. |
