Swathcutter Giant MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Giant Soldier |
| Abilities | Vigilance |
| Released | 2018-10-05 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Guilds of Ravnica |
| Set code | GRN |
| Power | 5 |
| Toughness | 5 |
| Number | 202 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Aaron Miller |
Key Takeaways
- This card offers sweeping damage, impacting multiple enemy creatures and tipping the scales in combat.
- Despite its power, Swathcutter Giant’s high cost can limit its play to specific color decks and timings.
- It remains a heavy-hitter worth collecting for its board control and synergy with certain MTG strategies.
Guide to Vigilance card ability
In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.
Text of card
Vigilance Whenever Swathcutter Giant attacks, it deals 1 damage to each creature defending player controls.
"Now do you understand what we meant when we said *disperse*?" —Eksari, Boros patrol leader
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Swathcutter Giant provides inherent card advantage through its area-of-effect ability. Upon attacking, it deals 1 damage to each creature the defending player controls, which can potentially clear multiple opponents’ creatures from the board, skewing the numbers in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: Although Swathcutter Giant itself does not directly provide resource acceleration, its dominant board presence can lead to an accelerated game state. By efficiently controlling the board, you can preserve your other resources and spells, focusing your mana on further game-winning strategies.
Instant Speed: The ability to deal damage at instant speed is not inherent to Swathcutter Giant. However, its ability triggers during the combat phase, which can disrupt attackers and blockers at crucial moments, impacting your opponent’s decisions and strategy much like an instant would.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Swathcutter Giant doesn’t have a discard requirement itself, playing this creature in a deck may force you to discard other cards to fulfill its specific and high mana cost, which can put you at a disadvantage, especially in games where hand size and resource management are crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: Swathcutter Giant comes with a demanding mana cost that includes both red and white mana. This specificity means that it can only be optimally used in decks that support these colors, potentially limiting its versatility across different deck types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost of six, including one red and one white, Swathcutter Giant may arrive too late in the game to impact the board effectively. By the time you’re able to cast it, you could be facing opponents with even more formidable creatures or control strategies that can neutralize it before it makes a significant impact.
Reasons to Include Swathcutter Giant in Your Collection
Versatility: Swathcutter Giant stands out as a flexible addition to any Giant or Boros deck, providing a solid top-end threat that can sway the board in your favor. Its ability to clear out multiple smaller creatures makes it valuable in a range of matchups.
Combo Potential: Paired with cards that boost its power or provide additional combat phases, this giant can quickly decimate an opponent’s forces, making it a key piece in decks aiming for such synergies.
Meta-Relevance: In a game that sees regular token strategies or creature-based aggro decks, Swathcutter Giant’s unique ability to deal damage across the board gives it relevance, disrupting opponents’ game plans and potentially turning the tide in your favor.
How to Beat Swathcutter Giant
Swathcutter Giant is a formidable card that presents as a potential game-changer on the battlefield. This 5/5 creature boasts vigilance and the unique ability to deal 1 damage to each opponent and each creature your opponents control when it attacks. As imposing as it appears, overcoming the Swathcutter Giant is about strategic removal or incapacitation.
One of the most reliable tactics is to utilize direct removal spells. Cards such as Murder, which can destroy any target creature, or Cast Down, providing a more mana-efficient option for nonlegendary creatures, are vital in promptly clearing Swathcutter Giant from the board. Also, enchantment-based solutions like Pacifism can neutralize it without having to engage it directly in combat, effectively silencing its power.
For those with more counter-play in mind, cards like Frost Breath can temporarily halt its assault, buying precious time to strengthen your board presence or draw into your removal. Finally, with a calculated counterattack strategy that both withstands its harm and exploits its casting cost delays, players can navigate around this massive adversary, maintaining control over the pace and state of the game.
Cards like Swathcutter Giant
In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Swathcutter Giant stands tall as a formidable option for players looking to make an impact on the battlefield. Comparable to Lumberknot, which also gains strength from other creatures, Swathcutter Giant offers a unique advantage with its ability to deal 1 damage to each creature an opponent controls whenever it attacks. This feature is absent in Lumberknot, placing Swathcutter Giant in a class of its own for area control.
Another related card is Flameblast Dragon, designed with a similar intent to distribute damage. Flameblast Dragon’s strength lies in its scalability, allowing players to inflict variable amounts of damage to a target when it attacks. While Swathcutter Giant’s damage is preset and evenly spread, Flameblast Dragon gives a player more control over the damage output, albeit at a potentially higher mana cost.
In summary, when it comes to selecting heavy hitters with additional benefits, Swathcutter Giant is a prime pick within Magic: The Gathering. It uniquely combines mass damage capabilities with sizeable stat advantages, ensuring its spot as a top choice for players crafting a deck with an emphasis on combat strategy and board control.
Cards similar to Swathcutter Giant by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Swathcutter Giant MTG card by a specific set like Guilds of Ravnica, 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 Swathcutter Giant 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Swathcutter Giant 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 |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Swathcutter Giant card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-10-05 | If a creature attacks a planeswalker, that planeswalker’s controller is the defending player. |
| 2018-10-05 | In a Two-Headed Giant game, Swathcutter Giant deals 1 damage to each creature controlled by the player it’s attacking. The other player’s creatures are unaffected. |
