Labyrinth Raptor MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Nightmare Dinosaur
Abilities Menace
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Labyrinth Raptor enables key card advantage through Menace synergies, demanding more resources from opponents.
  2. Offers game pace control with a low cost and instant speed abilities, allowing tactical combat surprises.
  3. The need for specific mana and potential discard can challenge deck flexibility and resource management.

Text of card

Menace Whenever a creature you control with menace becomes blocked, defending player sacrifices a creature blocking it. : Creatures you control with menace get +1/+0 until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Labyrinth Raptor shines in decks focused on Menace, encouraging opponents to dedicate more blockers and potentially leading to favorable trades. This can result in a subtle form of card advantage, as your threats require more resources from the opponent to be dealt with effectively.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct source of ramp, Labyrinth Raptor’s low mana cost at just two allows for fast deployment. This enables quick pressure on your opponent, potentially accelerating the game’s pace in your favor by demanding immediate answers.

Instant Speed: The ability to engage its +1/+0 pump ability at instant speed provides flexibility, giving you the capacity to boost its power during combat on either player’s turn. This instantaneous interaction can lead to advantageous combat results, catching opponents off guard and optimizing your tactical plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging with Labyrinth Raptor’s abilities may necessitate a discard, presenting a potential setback when your hand size is diminished.

Specific Mana Cost: The Raptor’s casting cost demands both black and red mana, which can restrict deck-building options to a Rakdos archetype or a deck with a reliable mana base for multiple colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a two specific color mana value for a 2/2, Labyrinth Raptor competes with other cards at similar costs that could provide broader impact or immediate value on the board state.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Labyrinth Raptor shines in decks that capitalize on the menace mechanic, offering a threat that can be challenging for opponents to block effectively. Its ability to boost other menacing creatures makes it a flexible choice for aggro and midrange decks alike.

Combo Potential: This creature synergizes well with menace-focused strategies, turning any creature with menace into a must-answer threat. It has the potential to create powerful interactions, especially when combined with cards that grant menace to others or benefit from creatures not being blocked.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where aggressive strategies are plentiful, Labyrinth Raptor holds its ground. Its relevance in the meta can fluctuate, but when positioned well, it can give decks an edge against opponents, particularly in games that drag into the mid-game where its power to scale with other creatures can turn the tide.


How to beat

Labyrinth Raptor demands attention in any game of Magic: The Gathering. It’s a card that synergizes well with menace, a mechanic that makes creatures difficult to block. The raptor not only enhances menace creatures but also carries the potential to grow stronger over time. However, this strength can be mitigated with the right strategy.

To effectively neutralize Labyrinth Raptor, consider using removal spells that can take it out before the menace synergy takes effect. Options like Heartless Act or Mythos of Nethroi provide clean solutions, bypassing the need to engage in combat with its boosted creatures. Similarly, employing creatures with high toughness can stymie the benefits Labyrinth Raptor provides to those with menace, reducing the impact of its ability to make creatures harder to block.

Strategy is key when facing cards like Labyrinth Raptor. Being proactive with removal or setting up strong defensive lines can ensure that the raptor’s influence is kept at bay, allowing you to maintain control of the game. By understanding its mechanics and preparing accordingly, you can mitigate the threat posed by Labyrinth Raptor and maintain an upper hand in your MTG matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

For those delving into MTG’s ever-changing battlegrounds, Labyrinth Raptor emerges as a distinct asset for menace-oriented strategies. Its ability to swiftly influence the board at a low mana cost, alongside its potential for instant-speed interaction, makes it a card worth considering for your arsenal. Effective use of this card could amplify your combat proficiency, particularly when timed well with other menace-supporting cards. With careful incorporation into your deck, Labyrinth Raptor may not just enhance your gameplay—it could significantly shift combat dynamics in your favor. Explore more tactics and optimize your deck’s performance by delving deeper into our insights. Learn how to make Labyrinth Raptor a critical component of your match-winning strategy.


Cards like Labyrinth Raptor

Labyrinth Raptor breathes new life into the menace archetype within Magic: The Gathering. The dynamic creature shares some similarities with cards like Sonorous Howlbonder, which also enhances the impact of menacing creatures. What sets Labyrinth Raptor apart is its ability to capitalize on the menace trait by offering a power boost and dealing damage to a player’s opponent each time they block.

Stormfist Crusader is another card that can be compared. While the Crusader doesn’t interact directly with menace, it provides both a card advantage and chip damage to each player, serving as an engine in a menace-focused deck. Meanwhile, Labyrinth Raptor stands as a more combat-centric option, presenting a direct and immediate threat. Furthermore, the Raptor demands careful consideration from the opponent before declaring blockers, making it a strategic asset in battle.

In essence, while evaluating the synergy and potential impact of menace-support cards, Labyrinth Raptor emerges as a particularly potent choice for players looking to exert pressure and control over combat interactions, demonstrating its unique role in MTG creature dynamics.

Sonorous Howlbonder - MTG Card versions
Stormfist Crusader - MTG Card versions
Sonorous Howlbonder - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Stormfist Crusader - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)

Cards similar to Labyrinth Raptor by color, type and mana cost

Marsh Goblins - MTG Card versions
Acidic Sliver - MTG Card versions
Shivan Zombie - MTG Card versions
Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger - MTG Card versions
Juri, Master of the Revue - MTG Card versions
Gobhobbler Rats - MTG Card versions
Squealing Devil - MTG Card versions
Sootstoke Kindler - MTG Card versions
Spiteflame Witch - MTG Card versions
Goblin Deathraiders - MTG Card versions
Goblin Outlander - MTG Card versions
Crimson Muckwader - MTG Card versions
Rix Maadi Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Rakdos Shred-Freak - MTG Card versions
Spike Jester - MTG Card versions
Tymaret, the Murder King - MTG Card versions
Grenzo, Dungeon Warden - MTG Card versions
Forerunner of Slaughter - MTG Card versions
Marsh Goblins - The Dark (DRK)
Acidic Sliver - Premium Deck Series: Slivers (H09)
Shivan Zombie - Invasion (INV)
Valki, God of Lies // Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor - From Cute to Brute (PCTB)
Rakdos Guildmage - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Kroxa, Titan of Death's Hunger - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
Juri, Master of the Revue - Multiverse Legends (MUL)
Gobhobbler Rats - Ravnica Remastered (RVR)
Squealing Devil - Dissension (DIS)
Sootstoke Kindler - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Spiteflame Witch - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Goblin Deathraiders - Mystery Booster (MB1)
Goblin Outlander - Conflux (CON)
Crimson Muckwader - The List (PLST)
Rix Maadi Guildmage - Return to Ravnica (RTR)
Rakdos Shred-Freak - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
Spike Jester - Modern Masters 2017 (MM3)
Tymaret, the Murder King - Theros (THS)
Grenzo, Dungeon Warden - The List (PLST)
Forerunner of Slaughter - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Labyrinth Raptor MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Promos, 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 Labyrinth Raptor and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Labyrinth Raptor Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2020-04-24 and 2020-04-24. Illustrated by Daarken.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 808172015normalblackDaarken
22020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths PromosPIKO 193s2015normalblackDaarken
32020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths PromosPIKO 193p2015normalblackDaarken
42020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 3392015normalblackDaarken
52020-04-24Ikoria: Lair of BehemothsIKO 1932015normalblackDaarken

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Labyrinth Raptor has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Labyrinth Raptor card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2020-04-17 If a creature is attacking a planeswalker, the planeswalker’s controller is the defending player.
2020-04-17 Labyrinth Raptor’s second and third abilities apply to itself as long as it still has menace.
2020-04-17 The defending player sacrifices a blocking creature before combat damage is dealt. This may cause a single creature to be blocking the creature with menace; the blocking creature remains blocking. It will still deal and be dealt combat damage as normal.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks