Krovikan Scoundrel MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Rogue
Power 2
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Krovikan Scoundrel excels at hand disruption, gaining you the strategic upper hand in card advantage.
  2. Enabling powerful plays earlier, it accelerates resource advantages and offers instant speed versatility.
  3. While demanding specific mana and discard conditions, it provides substantial combo potential and meta relevance.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the key strengths of the Krovikan Scoundrel lies in its ability to disrupt the opponent’s hand while contributing to your own card advantage. This is particularly useful for gaining an upper hand and strategically plucking key pieces from your adversary’s plans.

Resource Acceleration: This card offers an edge in resource acceleration by potentially allowing you to cast spells beyond your standard mana curve. This can lead to more impactful plays earlier in the game, giving you a significant advantage over your opponent.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Krovikan Scoundrel at instant speed means that you can adapt to the game’s changing situations swiftly. It allows for reactionary plays during your opponent’s turn, keeping them guessing and providing strategic depth to every match.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Krovikan Scoundrel’s ability compels players to discard a card, which might not always be beneficial, especially when your hand is already depleted or each card is vital for your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise mana configuration, making it less flexible for decks that do not run consistently on the needed colors, potentially limiting its playability across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value that could be considered steep for its offered abilities, players might find themselves opting for alternatives that can perform similar roles at a lower cost or provide more impactful effects.


Reasons to Include Krovikan Scoundrel in Your Collection

Versatility: Krovikan Scoundrel easily fits into various deck builds. Its low mana cost makes it a suitable early game presence, and it can adapt to a wide range of strategies, whether you’re looking to bolster your line of creatures or need a reliable blocker.

Combo Potential: This card’s innate abilities lend itself to being a powerful component in combo decks. It can work in tandem with cards that capitalize on creature abilities or those that require a steady feed of creature spells to maintain dominance on the board.

Meta-Relevance: In the ever-shifting landscape of the MTG competitive scene, the Krovikan Scoundrel holds its own. Its straightforward utility and integration in decks can often catch opponents off guard, especially in a meta that favors highly specialized creatures.


How to beat

Krovikan Scoundrel is a creature card that brings its own set of challenges to the table in Magic: The Gathering. It boasts an ability that can make it a recurring nuisance for many players. Overcoming this card requires a strategy that prioritizes removal or control elements. One efficient way to handle it is by utilizing spells that can target and destroy or exile it before its ability becomes a threat. This could include using instant-speed removal spells which can disrupt the opponent’s plans and take the Scoundrel out of the equation during their turn. It’s also advisable to keep blockers with enough strength to survive the encounter, thus neutralizing it through combat.

Another angle to consider is taking advantage of the Scoundrel’s potentially aggressive play by setting traps such as cards with deathtouch or ones that can punish the opponent for attacking, like Propaganda or Ghostly Prison. Additionally, cards that alter combat math unexpectedly or ones that can bounce creatures back to hand, like Unsummon or Vapor Snag, can conservatively manage the Scoundrel. All these methods can stifle its effectiveness, giving you the upper hand. It’s about anticipating the threat and having a contingency in place to ensure this devious creature doesn’t upset your path to victory.


Cards like Krovikan Scoundrel

Examining Krovikan Scoundrel within the realm of Magic: The Gathering, it’s helpful to draw parallels with other cards that exhibit similar characteristics. One can’t discuss Krovikan Scoundrel without mentioning Vampire Lacerator – a creature that similarly presents aggressive stats for a minimal mana investment. Both cards are poised for early game pressure, although the Lacerator comes with a downside of life loss should you be ahead in life total.

Another card worth comparing is Rakdos Cackler, which also delivers a 2/2 body for one mana but offers a different kind of flexibility with its unleash ability, allowing the player to choose between aggression and defense. Where Krovikan Scoundrel is straightforward aggression, Rakdos Cackler gives room to adapt to the board state.

Ultimately, in evaluating Krovikan Scoundrel’s place in Magic: The Gathering, we see it offers a straightforward strategy for players looking to establish board presence quickly. It stands up to its counterparts by offering a reliable way to pressure opponents from the get-go without the variable conditions its analogues may present.

Vampire Lacerator - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Cackler - MTG Card versions
Vampire Lacerator - Zendikar (ZEN)
Rakdos Cackler - Return to Ravnica (RTR)

Cards similar to Krovikan Scoundrel by color, type and mana cost

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Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Drudge Skeletons - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nether Shadow - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Erg Raiders - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Cyclopean Mummy - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Cuombajj Witches - Rinascimento (RIN)
Order of the Ebon Hand - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Bog Imp - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Wall of Corpses - Mirage (MIR)
Blighted Shaman - Mirage (MIR)
Rabid Rats - Stronghold (STH)
Dakmor Bat - Portal Second Age (P02)
Ravenous Rats - Invasion (INV)
Flesh Reaver - Urza's Saga (USG)
Bloodcurdler - Odyssey (ODY)
Nantuko Shade - Commander 2014 (C14)
Piper of the Swarm - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Undead Augur - Jumpstart 2022 (J22)
Black Knight - The List (PLST)
Shepherd of Rot - Onslaught (ONS)
Swarm of Rats - Eighth Edition (8ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Krovikan Scoundrel MTG card by a specific set like Coldsnap and Arena Beginner Set, 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 Krovikan Scoundrel and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Krovikan Scoundrel Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2006-07-21 and 2020-08-13. Illustrated by Ralph Horsley.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-07-21ColdsnapCSP 642003normalblackRalph Horsley
22020-08-13Arena Beginner SetANB 502015normalblackRalph Horsley

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Krovikan Scoundrel has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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