Scarred Puma MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Cat
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	163
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Aaron Boyd

Key Takeaways

It’s a low-cost creature contributing to mana efficiency and effective play curves.
Scarred Puma’s board presence at instant speed offers flexible gameplay strategies.
Despite its ease of play, the Puma may be outclassed by other similar-cost creatures.

Text of card

Scarred Puma can't attack unless a black or green creature also attacks.

It's not eager to lose the *other* eye.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While the Scarred Puma doesn’t directly provide card draw, its low casting cost makes it a manageable card in terms of hand efficiency. Summoning it does not deplete your hand significantly, which helps maintain the balance of cards in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Scarred Puma, a one-mana creature, aids in curving out your plays effectively. In decks that capitalize on resource acceleration, it’s airy on your mana budget, allowing you to deploy other strategies without delay.

Instant Speed: Although the Scarred Puma is not an instant itself, its minimal cost makes it an excellent card to play when you’ve left mana open for instant-speed interaction. It offers board presence without costing the opportunity to respond to an opponent’s moves dynamically.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While not a direct attribute of Scarred Puma, players often overlook this card due to its inferiority when deckbuilding decisions require discarding less efficient creatures for better alternatives.

Specific Mana Cost: Scarred Puma’s mana cost consists of one green. This specificity narrows deck synergy, primarily favoring mono-green or certain bi-color builds, thus excluding it from numerous other deck strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although charging only one green mana, Scarred Puma offers minimal impact on the game’s progression. Considering other creatures at similar or lower mana costs, the Puma’s stats and absence of abilities may not justify its inclusion in a deck where every card needs to count.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Scarred Puma, a one-mana creature, swiftly fits into numerous deck archetypes, ranging from speedy aggro builds to those utilizing powerful enchantments or equipment cards that capitalize on its untapped status.

Combo Potential: Scarred Puma’s ability to remain untapped unless it’s attacking makes it a prime candidate for synergies with tap/untap mechanics, offering unique combo possibilities in conjunction with cards that reward untapped creatures or tap states.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where early board presence can be key, Scarred Puma provides a quick creature on the board, which can be particularly relevant in a meta that favors aggressive starts or strategies that require creature-based synergies from turn one.

How to beat Scarred Puma

Scarred Puma presents an unusual quandary to players in the landscape of Magic: The Gathering. Although not the most formidable card, its specific abilities challenge opponents to take it seriously in the early game. With its constraint of only being able to attack if you control a more powerful creature, it poses an interesting problem.

The key to overcoming Scarred Puma lies in controlling the battlefield. This creature’s attack limitation means its effectiveness is tied to what else is on the table. Efficient removal spells that target your opponent’s larger creatures can render the Puma a non-threat. Board wipes are also effective, clearing the path of any larger creatures and sidelining the Puma’s offensive capabilities. Moreover, the Puma’s low toughness makes it vulnerable to popular red burn spells or cheap black removal spells. In more advanced play, utilizing control elements to manipulate your opponent’s creatures or even locking down the Puma with enchantments that prevent it from attacking, are methods that can neutralize this card.

Ultimately, understanding and managing the board state is crucial in Magic: The Gathering, particularly when facing cards like Scarred Puma that are dependent on specific conditions to be effective.

Cards like Scarred Puma

Scarred Puma holds a unique position in the realm of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. Relatable to its namesake in nature, this card exhibits agility with its ability to remain unblockable under specific conditions— a trait that mirrors the feline’s stealth and prowess in the wild. For a mere one red mana, this creature can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or red creatures. This offers a tactical advantage in early gameplay and can be likened to cards like Mist-Cloaked Herald, which is also unblockable but doesn’t have the conditional restrictions based on color or type.

Moreover, Goblin Guide, another one-mana red creature, comes to mind—it’s swifter in its attack but grants an opponent potential card advantage. In essence, Scarred Puma requires strategic deck construction, capitalizing on its elusiveness. Contrast this with creatures like the Slither Blade, unblockable and blue, with a similar cost but a differing color strategy aligning with evasion tactics.

Ultimately, Scarred Puma offers modest offensive capabilities with a strategic edge in red-focused decks, making it a card that while not overpowering, can be precisely what’s needed when facing opponents unprepared for its selective unblockability.

Cards similar to Scarred Puma by color, type and mana cost

Goblin Balloon Brigade - MTG Card versions

Mons's Goblin Raiders - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scarred Puma MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Scarred Puma and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Scarred Puma has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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