Cabal Interrogator MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Zombie Wizard
Released	2003-05-26
Set symbol
Set name	Scourge
Set code	SCG
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	57
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Tony Szczudlo

Key Takeaways

Cabal Interrogator excels in control decks by offering sustained opponent hand disruption and strategic insight.
Though it can hinder opponent’s resource progression, it requires careful play to avoid depleting your own resources.
The card’s effectiveness is influenced by the current meta, thriving against hand-dependent strategies and graveyard synergies.

Text of card

, : Target player reveals X cards from his or her hand and you choose one of them. That player discards that card. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Cabal Interrogator presents a repetitive opportunity to whittle down an opponent’s hand size while potentially gaining insight into their strategy, a critical advantage for control decks.

Resource Acceleration: Though not directly accelerating your resources, the Cabal Interrogator can disrupt the opponent’s resource development, effectively setting them back and giving you an indirect acceleration comparatively.

Instant Speed: While the Cabal Interrogator’s ability isn’t at instant speed, it offers the flexibility to be activated at any time during your turn. This means you can wait until after your draw, play other spells, and then use any leftover mana to exploit the Interrogator’s ability, ensuring no mana goes to waste.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Cabal Interrogator’s ability hinges on the player paying a cost as well, specifically two mana and tapping the card to force an opponent to discard. However, extracting value out of the Interrogator can quickly deplete your hand if you’re not careful, making you more vulnerable in the process.

Specific Mana Cost: Cabal Interrogator demands a precise mana arrangement to be cast, limiting its inclusion to decks that can reliably generate black mana. This can reduce the card’s versatility in multi-colored decks that might struggle to meet the black mana requirement efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For two black mana, the body you’re getting is a modest 1/1 creature. Additionally, the mana you’re investing each turn to utilize its ability could be directed towards casting other, potentially more impactful spells. This cost can add up, especially when compared to other cards in the same slot that might offer immediate effects or larger bodies without recurring costs.

Reasons to Include Cabal Interrogator in Your Collection

Versatility: Cabal Interrogator is a utility player in black-focused decks, functioning well in both aggressive and control strategies. Its ability to repetitively force card discard makes it flexible enough to adapt to various game states, disrupting opponents over time.

Combo Potential: In combination-heavy decks, this card can be a linchpin, facilitating the depletion of your opponent’s hand, thereby protecting your vital combo pieces from targeted disruption. This aids in smoother execution of your strategy.

Meta-Relevance: If the prevailing meta is teeming with hand-based strategies or graveyard synergies, Cabal Interrogator’s talent for nullifying opponent’s hands gains even greater prominence, becoming an essential tool in any black deck’s arsenal geared to thrive in such environments.

How to beat

Cabal Interrogator is an intriguing creature card that can disrupt your opponent’s hand through its repeated ability to force discard when mana is invested. To effectively counter this card, it’s vital to understand its strengths and weaknesses. The Interrogator excels in the long game where resources are plentiful, allowing for continuous use of its ability. It falls short, however, in face of aggressive strategies and sudden bursts of damage that outpace the gradual hand disruption.

Employing swift creatures, direct damage spells, or any form of quick pressure can often overwhelm the Interrogator before it significantly impacts your game plan. Moreover, utilizing instant speed removal when Cabal Interrogator’s ability is activated can be particularly effective, as it requires a hefty investment of mana and time from your opponent. This strategy forces your opponent to lose out on a turn without inflicting any damage to your hand.

To sum up, the key to beating Cabal Interrogator lies in maintaining a proactive stance and exploiting its need for a setup to truly influence the battlefield. By prioritizing fast plays and timely removal, you can ensure that the Interrogator’s presence on the board is short-lived.

Cards like Cabal Interrogator

The Cabal Interrogator is a unique asset for players who enjoy the control and strategy of denial in Magic: The Gathering. Wielding the ability to repetitively force opponents to discard cards, it’s often compared to other creatures like Sadistic Hypnotist. The Hypnotist also creates card disadvantage for your opponent but lacks the repeatability feature of the Cabal Interrogator, which can be activated multiple times in a turn if enough mana is available.

Another card often brought up in such discussions is Nezumi Bone-Reader. While the Bone-Reader can similarly make an opponent discard cards, it requires the additional cost of sacrificing a creature, making it somewhat more situational than the flexible Cabal Interrogator. On the other hand, Mindlash Sliver, also in the same vein, demands both players to discard, which could be a double-edged sword compared to the one-sided effect of the Cabal Interrogator.

In pinpointing the nuances and utilities of different cards, it’s clear that the Cabal Interrogator holds its ground, especially in decks focusing on incremental advantage and disrupting the enemy’s hand. Its potential for consistent interference makes it a valuable piece in any MTG player’s collection who thrives on the attrition war.

Cards similar to Cabal Interrogator by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Cabal Interrogator MTG card by a specific set like Scourge, 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 Cabal Interrogator and other MTG cards: