Kraul Swarm MTG Card
2018-10-05 - Number 73
2022-12-02 - Number 432
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Insect Warrior |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Kraul Swarm is a resilient card, offering card advantage through graveyard recursion to maintain board presence.
- Activatable at instant speed, it adapts to game flow, keeping opponents guessing and enhancing strategic play.
- Despite its strengths, the high mana cost and specific colored mana requirements may limit deck compatibility.
Text of card
Flying , Discard a creature card: Return Kraul Swarm from your graveyard to your hand.
The hive has a long memory. It knows how every member ever died, and to whom it owes the grudge.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Kraul Swarm offers repeatable card advantage by enabling you to return it from your graveyard to your hand by discarding another card, helping to maintain a presence on the board without losing hand momentum.
Resource Acceleration: The swarm’s five mana cost is somewhat mitigated by its undergrowth ability, which can pump up its power and toughness according to the number of creature cards in your graveyard, thereby potentially saving mana spent on other creature enhancement spells.
Instant Speed: While Kraul Swarm itself isn’t an instant, its activated ability gives you the flexibility to replay it at instant speed. This means you can wait until the end of your opponent’s turn to decide whether to bring it back to your hand, keeping your options open and making it harder for opponents to predict your moves.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Kraul Swarm card demands a player to discard another creature card to activate its ability. This condition can be especially challenging when your hand lacks sufficient cards, leading to a decrease in your overall hand advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Kraul Swarm’s activation ability necessitates black mana, making it less flexible for decks that are not focused on the black color or a multi-colored strategy that might struggle to generate the required mana consistently.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes five mana, Kraul Swarm’s place in your deck might be questioned when alternatives exist that offer lower mana costs for similar or better effects, placing a strain on the mana curve of your strategy.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Kraul Swarm brings adaptability to various deck styles with its ability to serve as both an attacker and blocker due to its flying ability. It can be a key player in decks focusing on evasion tactics.
Combo Potential: This card really shines when paired with graveyard-filling strategies, enabling you to keep returning it to your hand for a repeated aerial threat. With the right setup, it can be an endless source of pressure on your opponent.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where creatures on the ground are dominant, having an airborne attacker like Kraul Swarm can give you the upper hand. It’s especially useful in metas where the battlefield often becomes congested and the ability to fly over adversaries becomes paramount to securing victory.
How to beat
Kraul Swarm presents itself as a force to be reckoned with in the MTG multiverse. This card’s strength lies in its flying ability and the versatility it brings to the battlefield by allowing you to return it from your graveyard to your hand. The key to outmaneuvering a Kraul Swarm lies in its vulnerabilities. The use of cards that limit flying capabilities or remove creatures before they become a recurring nuisance can effectively neutralize this threat.
Cards that deal direct damage or those with reach can strategically counter the aerial advantage of Kraul Swarm. Another strategy is employing graveyard disruption techniques which prevent the constant recycling of the card, hereby weakening your opponent’s strategy. It’s essential to keep a watchful eye on your mana as well so you can react swiftly and efficiently.
Understanding the dynamics of your deck and anticipating your opponent’s moves can turn the tables in your favor against Kraul Swarm. It’s not only about the cards you play but also when and how you play them. A well-timed intervention can make all the difference, and managing your resources effectively will help ensure that Kraul Swarm does not overwhelm your defenses.
Cards like Kraul Swarm
The magic of a Kraul Swarm lies in its adaptability on the battlefield. This fascinating card from the MTG universe resonates with fans of creature cards that wield self-recursion abilities. In this aspect, Kraul Swarm is comparable to cards like Bloodsoaked Champion and Gravecrawler, both of which can spring back from the graveyard to the battlefield, provided certain conditions are met.
Like Kraul Swarm, Bloodsoaked Champion can return to play, though it requires another creature to attack that turn. Conversely, Gravecrawler can be cast from the graveyard if you control another Zombie, making it situationally more fluid than Kraul Swarm, which demands a flat discard of a creature card. However, unlike its counterparts, Kraul Swarm can also leap into the air, boasting a flying ability that offers strategic flexibility and evasion tactics against an opponent’s ground forces.
Kraul Swarm stands out in the genus of creatures that prefer a cyclical life in MTG. Its unique combination of flying and direct self-recursion makes it a card worth considering for your deck, especially when manipulating the graveyard is a key element of your strategy.
Cards similar to Kraul Swarm by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Kraul Swarm MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica and Jumpstart 2022, 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 Kraul Swarm and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Kraul Swarm Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2018-10-05 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Jehan Choo.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2018-10-05 | Guilds of Ravnica | GRN | 73 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jehan Choo | |
| 2 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 432 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Jehan Choo |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Kraul Swarm has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
