Rabid Rats MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Rat
Released	1998-03-02
Set symbol
Set name	Stronghold
Set code	STH
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	67
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Matthew D. Wilson

Key Takeaways

Early game disruption via Rabid Rats forces opponents to discard, tilting card advantage in your favor.
The card’s synergetic nature amplifies rat-themed decks, adds pressure with its Skulk ability.
While powerful, Rabid Rats may limit deck diversity due to specific mana needs and potential card loss.

Text of card

oc T: Target blocking creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.

Every sentence in Volrath's prisons ends the same way.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rabid Rats’ ability to force an opponent to discard a card when it deals combat damage provides a potential swing in card advantage. This can disrupt your opponent’s strategy while maintaining your own hand strength.

Resource Acceleration: While Rabid Rats itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, its low casting cost enables a quick presence on the board, potentially accelerating board presence and pressure on your opponent from early in the game.

Instant Speed: Despite Rabid Rats not having instant speed, its Skulk ability allows it to often go unblocked, which in a way offers a sneaky advantage similar to the hidden nature of instant speed plays, by getting through enemy defenses and triggering its discard effect.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In order to fully utilize Rabid Rats, you might be compelled to part with a valuable card from your hand. This precondition can leave you at a disadvantage, especially in tight situations where every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Being a black creature, Rabid Rats demand a particular mana alignment, confining them to decks that can reliably produce black mana. This limitation can hinder their inclusion in multi-colored or colorless strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The casting cost of Rabid Rats might be seen as steep considering its abilities and stats. When assessing the board impact versus mana investment, some players may find other creature cards that provide a more economical or powerful alternative for their deck’s strategy.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Rabid Rats adds strategic depth to any deck, fitting seamlessly into rat-themed or aggro black builds, bolstering both early game presence and theme-based synergy.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with effects that capitalize on creature count or require creature sacrifices, enhancing strategies where board presence translates into direct advantage.

Meta-Relevance: With creature-heavy decks frequently dominating the scene, Rabid Rats serves as an efficient tool to maintain board control and apply persistent pressure on the adversary.

How to beat

Rabid Rats is a card that brings a unique challenge to the board with its ability to sneak through the defenses, being particularly tricky to block if you control another Rat. While they may not be the mightiest creatures in Magic: The Gathering, they do have the potential to nibble away at your life total if left unchecked. Dealing with these persistent rodents demands strategic planning.

One effective strategy is to use removal spells like Fatal Push or Lightning Bolt which can target these creatures irrespective of whether they are unblockable at the time. Board wipes such as Wrath of God can also clear out multiple Rats in one fell swoop, countering the swarm tactics these cards are often a part of. Another tactic is to take advantage of flying creatures, which can soar over the Rats to deal damage and pressure the opponent into defensive plays. Lastly, utilizing enchantments that prevent creatures from attacking or tapping can hinder the Rats’ ability to chip away at your life, helping you maintain control of the game’s pace.

It’s essential to consider the context of your opponent’s deck. If Rats are a central theme, expect synergies and prepare to disrupt them to secure victory. In the end, staying one step ahead of the Rabid Rats by disrupting their rhythm and removing key threats will help you triumph over these pesky creatures.

Cards like Rabid Rats

Rabid Rats brings a distinctive twist to the creature card lineup in Magic: The Gathering. With its ability to force an opponent to block if able, it shares similarities with the card Breaker of Armies, which also commands compulsory blocking. Yet, Rabid Rats stands out due to its lower casting cost and creature type, offering synergy with rat-themed decks that Breaker of Armies doesn’t accommodate.

Looking at similar creatures, Pestilent Spirit features a different angle, bestowing instant and sorcery spells with deathtouch. Both cards influence combat but through divergent methods. Pestilent Spirit can turn defensive spells into fatal traps, whereas Rabid Rats excel in controlling enemy creatures’ blocking choices. Infected Vermin, another comparable card, serves as area denial with its plague-infested ability. However, it does not directly manipulate combat the way Rabid Rats can.

The brood of MTG creatures that shape the battlefield is varied, but Rabid Rats can be uniquely beneficial. With its modest mana demands and strategic advantage in confrontational play, it earns its place in decks designed to dictate the flow of combat and leverage the tribal strengths of rats.

Cards similar to Rabid Rats by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rabid Rats MTG card by a specific set like Stronghold, 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 Rabid Rats and other MTG cards: