Drudge Reavers MTG Card


Drudge Reavers - Time Spiral
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Skeleton
Abilities Flash
Released2006-10-06
Set symbol
Set nameTime Spiral
Set codeTSP
Power 2
Toughness 1
Number105
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byGreg Staples

Key Takeaways

  1. Enables recurrent board presence, leveraging graveyard resources for strategic gameplay benefits.
  2. Facilitates early board control with cost-effective deployment and instant speed flexibility.
  3. Demands strategic deck construction to mitigate the impact of its discard requirement.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

Flash (You may play this spell any time you could play an instant.) : Regenerate Drudge Reavers.

"The surface of the land is blanched with salt, but the soil beneath is reddened with death—a fertile ground for necromancy." —Lim-Dûl the Necromancer


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Drudge Reavers enables players to leverage graveyard resources by returning it to the battlefield, often resulting in a favorable shift in card economy.

Resource Acceleration: The cost-effective casting ability of Drudge Reavers facilitates early board presence, potentially accelerating your battlefield dominance through quick creature deployment.

Instant Speed: The flash ability of Drudge Reavers permits play at instant speed, providing tactical flexibility to surprise opponents or optimize end-of-turn efficiency.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Drudge Reavers demands that you pitch another card to summon it using its madness ability. This can potentially deplete your hand, leaving you with fewer options later in the game. Strategic deck building is a must to counterbalance this downside, ensuring that the discard actually works in your favor.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature card also comes with an associated mana cost that is strictly black. While this aligns perfectly with mono-black or certain multicolor decks, it may not fit into a deck’s mana base if it’s not built with black mana accessibility in mind, thus limiting its overall versatility within the wider array of deck archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of four when not utilizing madness, some players might find the cost of introducing Drudge Reavers to the battlefield a bit steep, especially when compared with other creatures in the same slot. It’s worth considering whether the card’s abilities and attributes justify the investment, or if there are more efficient alternatives to be included in your deck.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Drudge Reavers offer a flexible option for decks requiring sustenance in long-drawn battles. Their ability to regenerate makes them a consistent board presence, thwarting opponent strategies rooted in creature elimination.

Combo Potential: Any deck harnessing the power of death-triggered abilities or graveyard synergy can leverage Drudge Reavers. Their recurrence from the graveyard unlocks a myriad of combo possibilities, aiding strategies that capitalize on creature sacrifice or death.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where control strategies dominate, Drudge Reavers can provide persistent threats that require multiple answers. Their durability in face of board wipes or targeted removal makes them a stalwart addition against decks that rely heavily on controlling the board.


How to beat

Drudge Reavers bring a touch of tenacity to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. This durable creature can be a relentless adversary thanks to its ability to return from the graveyard. Overcoming the Reavers demands strategic planning. A key method lies in utilizing cards that exile creatures instead of merely destroying them. This prevents the Reavers from being recast from the graveyard, effectively neutralizing their threat for good.

Moreover, taking advantage of cards that limit graveyard interactions can be highly effective. Cards like Grafdigger’s Cage hinder creatures from being cast from the graveyard, stifling the Reavers’ reanimation trait. Additionally, employing control spells to manage the pace and flow of the game also helps, ensuring the Drudge Reavers never get the opportunity to establish their presence on the battlefield or become too disruptive.

In essence, by preemptively managing or strategically exiling creatures, and curtailing graveyard-based strategies, players can deftly navigate around the challenges posed by Drudge Reavers. With the right tactics, the resilience of Drudge Reavers becomes manageable, allowing players to maintain control over their games.


Cards like Drudge Reavers

Drudge Reavers bring a unique dynamic to army-enhancing cards within Magic: The Gathering. Often compared with creatures like Duskhunter Bat, both units echo the theme of swift attackers. Drudge Reavers have a flash ability that allows strategists to outmaneuver opponents by summoning at the most opportune times. Unlike Duskhunter Bat, which benefits from an increase in power via bloodthirst, Drudge Reavers are endowed with the regenerating trait, making them a persistent threat on the board.

Another parallel can be drawn with the Skirsdag Supplicant, which shares the same mana cost but diverges with its ability to transform life into card advantage, emphasizing a shift from board presence to hand resourcefulness. While Skirsdag Supplicant is a useful tool for altering game states, the Reavers’ immediate impact and longevity in combat present a versatile challenge for adversaries.

Evaluation of similar creatures illustrates Drudge Reavers as a card that upholds its value in MTG by offering both surprise offense and a durable presence, tipping the balance of skirmishes with its unyielding resilience and tactical flexibility. Whether it’s holding the line or pressing an assault, Drudge Reavers assert their worth in a versatile array of strategies.

Duskhunter Bat - MTG Card versions
Skirsdag Supplicant - MTG Card versions
Duskhunter Bat - Magic 2012 (M12)
Skirsdag Supplicant - Eldritch Moon (EMN)

Cards similar to Drudge Reavers by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Deathgazer - MTG Card versions
Dirty Wererat - MTG Card versions
Faceless Butcher - MTG Card versions
Crowd of Cinders - MTG Card versions
Hell's Caretaker - Chronicles (CHR)
Rag Man - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phyrexian Debaser - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Slinking Skirge - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gravedigger - The List (PLST)
Scandalmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Urborg Shambler - Invasion (INV)
Whispering Shade - Odyssey (ODY)
Filth - Judgment (JUD)
Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Toxin Sliver - Legions (LGN)
Vampiric Spirit - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nim Shambler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Deathgazer - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Dirty Wererat - Hachette UK (PHUK)
Faceless Butcher - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)
Crowd of Cinders - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Drudge Reavers MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral, 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 Drudge Reavers and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Drudge Reavers has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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