Phyrexian Rager MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 17 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Phyrexian Horror
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Phyrexian Rager ensures a sustained hand size by providing card draw on entry, crucial in MTG.
  2. A modest life point cost upon casting necessitates careful play, especially in aggressive matchups.
  3. Specific mana needs limit its inclusion to particular deck types, encouraging strategic deck building.

Text of card

When Phyrexian Rager comes into play, you draw a card and you lose 1 life.

It takes no prisoners, but it keeps the choicest bits for Phyrexia.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Phyrexian Rager brings immediate benefit by allowing you to draw a card upon entering the battlefield. This ability is essential for keeping your hand replenished and staying ahead in the resource game.

Resource Acceleration: Although Phyrexian Rager does not provide direct resource acceleration like mana ramp cards, the card drawn can potentially lead to finding the necessary lands or spells that fuel your strategy faster.

Instant Speed: While Phyrexian Rager itself isn’t an instant, it pairs well with instant-speed spells. It can be played during your main phase, leaving mana open to react with instants on your opponent’s turn, thus optimizing your play sequencing.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Phyrexian Rager allows you to draw a card upon entering the battlefield, it also demands a sacrifice of one life point. In tight matches where every life point counts, this trade-off might be less than ideal and can potentially put you at a disadvantage, especially against aggressive decks looking to reduce your life total quickly.

Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for the Phyrexian Rager requires both generic and black mana, specifically one black mana and two of any other type. This necessity for black mana restricts this creature’s use to decks that run swamps or have sufficient mana fixing, thus not making it a universal fit for all deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana for a 2/2 creature, the Phyrexian Rager may be on the expensive side considering its stats. Some players may find other creatures or spells that provide card draw, potentially with additional benefits or at a lower cost, to be more efficient for their deck’s strategy or mana curve.


Reasons to Include Phyrexian Rager in Your Collection

Versatility: Phyrexian Rager serves as a stalwart addition to several deck archetypes, from aggro to control. Its ability to draw a card upon entering the battlefield gives you a better chance of keeping your hand stocked with options.

Combo Potential: This creature works seamlessly within strategies that thrive on entering and leaving the battlefield effects. In conjunction, sacrificing the Rager for beneficial effects, after it has served its card-drawing purpose, can trigger a variety of advantageous interactions.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the dynamic of the current meta, this card’s modest casting cost coupled with both body and card advantage makes it relevant, especially in formats where keeping a card flow is crucial to outpace opponents.


How to beat

The Phyrexian Rager card brings a unique blend to MTG matches, providing both card draw and a creature on the board. When a player casts this creature, they draw a card and lose 1 life — a modest price for the black-aligned decks that often run it. To effectively counter the Rager, one must keep in mind its balanced power and toughness, which makes it susceptible to commonly used removal spells.

Alongside direct removal, cards like Shock or Lightning Bolt can efficiently handle this creature before its presence influences the game further. Moreover, since the Rager isn’t particularly strong, creatures with higher toughness can easily block and eliminate it. However, the card advantage it grants the player is not to be underestimated. Thus, ensuring that you have a response ready following the Rager’s deployment can mitigate the advantage it yields, preserving the equilibrium of the match.

In essence, managing Phyrexian Rager demands not only immediate answers but also strategic long-term planning to overcome the slight card advantage it offers. In doing so, you ensure the tempo remains in your favor, systematically dismantling your opponent’s resources while maintaining control of the battlefield.


BurnMana Recommendations

MTG players know the subtle art of deck building can turn the tides of any duel. Phyrexian Rager might seem unassuming at first glance, but its ability to refill your hand is a strategic advantage not to be underestimated. As your collection grows and your decks evolve, incorporating cards like Phyrexian Rager can offer the subtle edge needed to outmaneuver your opponents. Its synergies and potential combo plays make it a worthy contender for a spot in your deck. Step up your game and explore the various ways Phyrexian Rager can be the hidden gem in your MTG strategy. Visit us for deeper insights and to sharpen your deck-building skills.


Cards like Phyrexian Rager

In the landscape of Magic: The Gathering, Phyrexian Rager stands out as a solid black creature card offering a mix of board presence and card drawing utility. Its closest relatives include Dusk Legion Zealot and Elvish Visionary, both of which also provide card draw upon entering the battlefield. Dusk Legion Zealot is a vampire that costs one less mana but also pings you for one life when its effect triggers. In contrast, Elvish Visionary, belonging to green, deals no damage to you but is part of a color that typically specializes in creature support rather than card draw.

Considering the slightly larger body of Phyrexian Rager, it is akin to Baleful Strix without deathtouch or flying benefits. While Phyrexian Rager might not boast the same defense mechanisms, it compensates with its accessible mana cost and simpler color demands. Skinrender is another creature that could be compared, offering a -3/-3 counter distribution on entering the battlefield, which can affect creature-based matchups more than the Rager’s card draw potential.

Ultimately, Phyrexian Rager finds its niche in MTG by combining the essential elements of card advantage and board impact, making it a valuable option for decks that need to maintain a hand size while establishing a creature presence.

Dusk Legion Zealot - MTG Card versions
Elvish Visionary - MTG Card versions
Baleful Strix - MTG Card versions
Skinrender - MTG Card versions
Dusk Legion Zealot - Rivals of Ixalan (RIX)
Elvish Visionary - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Baleful Strix - Planechase 2012 (PC2)
Skinrender - Wizards Play Network 2010 (PWP10)

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Nim Lasher - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Husk - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Plague Rats - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Wall of Bone - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Masters Edition (ME1)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Lasher - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Nantuko Husk - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Phyrexian Rager MTG card by a specific set like Media Inserts and Apocalypse, 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 Phyrexian Rager and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Phyrexian Rager Magic the Gathering card was released in 17 different sets between 2001-06-04 and 2023-04-21. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11995-01-02Media InsertsPMEI 141997normalblackMark Tedin
22001-06-04ApocalypseAPC 491997normalblackMark Tedin
32007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 1672003normalblackMark Tedin
42011-02-04Mirrodin BesiegedMBS 512003normalblackStephan Martiniere
52014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Garruk vs. LilianaGVL 392015normalblackMark Tedin
62015-11-13Commander 2015C15 1322015normalblackStephan Martiniere
72016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 1022015normalblackStephan Martiniere
82017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 622015normalblackStephan Martiniere
92017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 1022015normalblackStephan Martiniere
102019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 7322015normalblackStephan Martiniere
112020-07-17JumpstartJMP 2662015normalblackStephan Martiniere
122020-09-26The ListPLST CMA-622015normalblackStephan Martiniere
132020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 1422015normalblackStephan Martiniere
142022-06-10Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's GateCLB 7662015normalblackStephan Martiniere
152022-09-09Dominaria UnitedDMU 992015normalblackBrock Grossman
162023-01-13Dominaria RemasteredDMR 992015normalblackMark Tedin
172023-04-21March of the Machine CommanderMOC 2652015normalblackBrock Grossman

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Phyrexian Rager has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PredhLegal
BrawlLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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