Smoldering Butcher MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Elemental Warrior
Abilities	Wither
Released	2008-07-25
Set symbol
Set name	Eventide
Set code	EVE
Power	4
Toughness	2
Number	42
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai

Key Takeaways

Gains you card advantage and may remove threats, enhancing your board position during gameplay.
Offers reactive play options with its instant speed, allowing for surprises and shifts in the game’s tide.
Discard and specific mana requirements can challenge deck flexibility and strategic hand management.

Text of card

Wither (This deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters.)

A cinder's axe bears no marks from parrying a foe's blade.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Smoldering Butcher offers an intriguing way to potentially remove an opponent’s creature while also allowing the chance to draw a card if that creature is killed by it, tilting the card advantage in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Not only can this card impact the board by dealing damage, but it may also help with resource acceleration if it has an effect or interaction that provides additional mana or resources under the right conditions.

Instant Speed: As a card that can be played at instant speed, Smoldering Butcher allows for reactive gameplay. You can respond to your opponent’s moves, potentially removing a creature on the fly and, depending on the situation, leading to unexpected swings in the game’s momentum.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Smoldering Butcher comes with the caveat of needing to discard a card to unleash its potential. This stipulation can force players into making tough decisions, particularly when running low on hand size, which could hinder gameplay rather than advance it.

Specific Mana Cost: A mix of one black and two red mana to cast Smoldering Butcher might seem straightforward for Rakdos adepts, but it’s indeed a commitment. Players with multi-colored decks may find this particular mana alignment restrictive, limiting Smoldering Butcher’s versatility in diverse deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing the cost against benefits, Smoldering Butcher’s price tag is significantly bulky. With a casting cost of four mana, it falls behind when compared with other creatures in the same mana range that could provide more immediate impact or flexibility, potentially making it a less favourable choice during deck construction.

Reasons to Include Smoldering Butcher in Your Collection

Versatility: Smoldering Butcher slots easily into various red or black decks. Its role as a quick-paced aggressive creature makes it a strong early play that can apply pressure on opponents from the onset of the game.

Combo Potential: This card has synergies with strategies that benefit from creatures entering with haste or those that capitalize on sacrifice mechanics for added value. The Smoldering Butcher can enable such combinations, potentially unlocking powerful plays.

Meta-Relevance: Given the pace of current MTG gameplay, a card like Smoldering Butcher can be significant in a meta that appreciates swift aggression. It can disrupt slower decks early on, giving you a competitive edge during matches.

How to Beat

Confronting Smoldering Butcher in Magic: The Gathering requires strategic foresight. As a creature that presents an early game threat due to its unearth ability, allowing it to return to the battlefield for one final assault, it’s crucial to plan your moves carefully. The key to outmaneuvering this card lies in maintaining board control. Removal spells like Path to Exile or Fatal Push can effectively dispatch Smoldering Butcher before it becomes a recurring nuisance.

Alternatively, players can opt for exile effects, such as Swords to Plowshares or in the case of black-based decks, use sacrifice effects that bypass the creature’s resilience to conventional destruction. Timing is also essential. If the Butcher is unearthed, remember that it will be exiled at the end of turn, so weigh the pros and cons of using removal at that juncture versus taking the hit it delivers.

Overall, staying one step ahead by neutralizing early board threats like Smoldering Butcher can pivot the game’s momentum in your favor, keeping you on a steady path to victory in the highly strategic environment that Magic: The Gathering offers.

Cards like Smoldering Butcher

Smoldering Butcher enters the field of creature cards in MTG with an imposing presence. Its abilities are reminiscent of cards such as Skinbrand Goblin, which also grants a temporary boost in power. Nonetheless, Smoldering Butcher stands out with its built-in ability to persist, coming back from the graveyard to the battlefield, albeit slightly weaker. In contrast, Skinbrand Goblin lacks the resilience offered by the persistence feature.

Another analogous card is Firefist Striker, which has battalion as its unique quality, leveraging the number of attacking creatures to disable an opponent’s potentially threatening blocker. While Firefist Striker offers tactical advantages on the offense, it doesn’t provide the enduring board presence that a creature with persist, like Smoldering Butcher, can assure.

In aggregate, considering the enduring quality of persistence and its impact on gameplay, Smoldering Butcher finds its own niche among red aggressive creatures in MTG. It affords players a reliable threat that demands an answer not just once but potentially twice, enhancing the overall staying power of aggressive strategies in the game.

Cards similar to Smoldering Butcher by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Smoldering Butcher MTG card by a specific set like Eventide, 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 Smoldering Butcher and other MTG cards: