Deathgorge Scavenger MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Dinosaur
Power 3
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Disrupts graveyards and bolsters your own creatures, making it a weighty tactical piece on the board.
  2. Exiling creature cards advances the board state and applies pressure through incremental growth.
  3. Counters graveyard-dependent strategies, making it a valuable asset in the current meta.

Text of card

Whenever Deathgorge Scavenger enters the battlefield or attacks, you may exile target card from a graveyard. If a creature card is exiled this way, you gain 2 life. If a noncreature card is exiled this way, Deathgorge Scavenger gets +1/+1 until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Deathgorge Scavenger enables you to selectively exile cards from graveyards, potentially disrupting your opponent’s strategies while subtly bolstering your own resources. Its ability to target specific cards can turn graveyard-dependent decks upside down.

Resource Acceleration: When Deathgorge Scavenger exiles a creature card, it grants you a +1/+1 counter, which can rapidly advance your board state. This creature can become a significant threat that requires an immediate answer, applying pressure with each attack.

Instant Speed: While Deathgorge Scavenger doesn’t operate at instant speed itself, its triggered ability goes on the stack whenever it attacks or blocks, allowing you to wait until the optimal combat phase to decide which card to exile, effectively using the information gathered throughout the turn to make the best strategic move.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While not directly requiring a card discard, the Deathgorge Scavenger’s ability relies on exiling cards from graveyards which might inadvertently diminish your resources if you’re dependent on graveyard strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: Deathgorge Scavenger demands both green and generic mana to play, which may not always align seamlessly with your mana base, particularly in multicolored decks that run more than two colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including one green, Deathgorge Scavenger competes with numerous other three-drop creatures. In some situations, players might find other creatures or spells that provide greater impact on the game at this stage of the mana curve.


Reasons to Include Deathgorge Scavenger in Your Collection

Versatility: Deathgorge Scavenger isn’t just a creature; it’s a flexible tool that adapts to numerous situations. Whether you’re facing off against graveyard-based strategies or simply need life gain, this card can effectively address multiple aspects of gameplay, making it a utility player in many decks.

Combo Potential: With its ability to exile cards from graveyards, Deathgorge Scavenger can diminish the resources available to your opponent while also triggering synergies with other cards that monitor graveyard activity, thereby supporting a range of strategic combos.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where graveyard interaction is prevalent, having a creature that can disrupt opponent strategies while buffing itself is highly valuable. Its presence on the battlefield is a constant threat to eternal-format decks that rely on graveyard mechanics.


How to beat

Deathgorge Scavenger finds its niche in MTG as a formidable creature that not only affects the board by gaining strength but also disrupts graveyard strategies. This dinosaur excels in games where opponents rely heavily on their graveyard, either for recursion or for specific creature synergies. Thus, to effectively counter Deathgorge Scavenger, one must consider altering their graveyard interaction, or employing removals that can handle this threat before it accumulates too much value.

Employing instant-speed removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can be a key tactic, ensuring that the Scavenger is taken out before it becomes too large or before its controller can capitalize on its ability to manipulate graveyards. Additionally, strategies that don’t depend on the graveyard reduce the Scavenger’s impact, making it just another creature on the field without its secondary benefits. Playing with exile effects, such as those from Scavenging Ooze, provides both a way to eliminate the Scavenger and to maintain a cleaner graveyard, minimizing what the Scavenger could target in the first place.

By being proactive in handling Deathgorge Scavenger and mindful of how your strategy interacts with the graveyard, you’ll tilt the matchup in your favor, ensuring that this creature doesn’t dine on your chances of victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

The Deathgorge Scavenger is a multifaceted asset for any MTG player aiming to disrupt graveyards while strengthening their own battlefield presence. Its capacity for targeting particular cards can be a game-changer, especially against graveyard-reliant decks. Bearing in mind its few drawbacks, such as mana specificity and cost, savvy players will find the Scavenger a strategic addition that can turn the tide of battle by offering both offensive and defensive benefits. If you’re looking to maximize your deck’s performance and seek to neutralize graveyard tactics, uncover more insights and advanced strategies with us. The right card can shift the course of the game – let’s ensure your next match showcases the true power of your collection.


Cards like Deathgorge Scavenger

Deathgorge Scavenger carves its niche within the array of creature cards in MTG, particularly those with graveyard interaction. Like Scavenging Ooze, the Scavenger has the ability to exile cards from graveyards, allowing precise control over the flow of graveyard resources. Scavenging Ooze, while potentially able to grow larger, lacks the Scavenger’s immediate life gain or damage dealing upon exiling a creature card.

Eternal Scourge offers another interesting comparison. Although Eternal Scourge doesn’t boast any life modifications, it’s resilient against exile, popping right back into the game from exile. Deathgorge Scavenger, by contrast, brings more utility in exchange for that resilience. Additionally, Withered Wretch presents a classic example of graveyard disruption. Unlike our Scavenger, Wretch allows multiple graveyard card exiles in a single turn but without the added advantages of life gain or extra damage to the opponent.

Deathgorge Scavenger stands out with a balanced mix of disruption, life moderation, and battlefield presence, making it a strategically versatile choice for players who appreciate the dynamic interaction with the graveyard during gameplay.

Scavenging Ooze - MTG Card versions
Eternal Scourge - MTG Card versions
Withered Wretch - MTG Card versions
Scavenging Ooze - Commander 2011 (CMD)
Eternal Scourge - Eldritch Moon Promos (PEMN)
Withered Wretch - Legions (LGN)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Deathgorge Scavenger MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan Promos and Ixalan, 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 Deathgorge Scavenger and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Deathgorge Scavenger Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2017-09-29 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by Tyler Jacobson.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-09-29Ixalan PromosPXLN 184s2015normalblackTyler Jacobson
22017-09-29IxalanXLN 1842015normalblackTyler Jacobson
32017-09-29Ixalan PromosPXLN 184p2015normalblackTyler Jacobson
42023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 2362015normalblackTyler Jacobson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Deathgorge Scavenger 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 Deathgorge Scavenger card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2017-09-29 There's no way to get both bonuses at once while Deathgorge Scavenger's ability is resolving. If an artifact creature card is exiled this way, it's a creature card and not a noncreature card.

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