Thrashing Mossdog MTG Card
2013-05-03 - Number 50
2024-02-23 - Number 176
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Plant Dog |
| Abilities | Reach,Scavenge |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Scavenge provides strategic card advantage by repurposing the Mossdog from the graveyard.
- Reasonably costed, it effortlessly fits into the mana curve and optimizes resource use.
- The ability to activate Scavenge at instant speed offers unexpected board enhancement.
Text of card
Reach (This creature can block creatures with flying.) Scavenge (, Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card's power on target creature. Scavenge only as a sorcery.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Thrashing Mossdog offers the potential for card advantage through its Scavenge ability. This allows players to exile it from the graveyard and place a number of +1/+1 counters equal to its power onto another creature, effectively repurposing the Mossdog even after it’s been dealt with on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, the four mana cost of Thrashing Mossdog is relatively low for its stats and Scavenge functionality, meaning it integrates well into a mana curve and ensures that your resources are being efficiently allocated throughout the game.
Instant Speed: Although Thrashing Mossdog itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, the Scavenge ability can be activated at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to boost creatures right before your turn begins or during your opponent’s end step, making it a versatile tool during varied phases of a match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Thrashing Mossdog may not seem to have an upfront discard requirement, but it’s worth noting in the context of its Scavenge ability. Scavenge can only be used if the Mossdog is in your graveyard, which means you must find ways to get it there potentially at the cost of discarding cards from your hand.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes both green and generic mana, Thrashing Mossdog requires a specific mana commitment. This can make it challenging to cast in a multi-colored deck that may not always have the required green mana available when needed.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing four mana to put on the battlefield, Thrashing Mossdog presents a higher mana investment compared to other creatures in the same range. Considering its stats and abilities, players might find alternatives that provide a greater impact for the same or lower mana cost.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Thrashing Mossdog’s ability to serve as both a reliable four-drop creature and a late-game card draw with its Scavenge ability makes it a flexible addition to various green deck builds, adapting smoothly to the changing tempo of the game.
Combo Potential: Utilizing Thrashing Mossdog’s Scavenge can bolster your other creatures, making it ideal for decks focusing on +1/+1 counters or ones that activate abilities upon a creature’s death, opening doors to numerous synergistic possibilities.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where graveyard interaction is crucial or creature-based strategies dominate, Thrashing Mossdog fits right in. Its capability to contribute to board presence or act as a resource from the graveyard ensures it remains a relevant card across various game scenarios.
How to beat
Thrashing Mossdog, while not a towering behemoth in the realm of Magic: The Gathering cards, does present a unique challenge with its balance of offense and defense. The card is a staple in green decks and poses as a resilient threat thanks to its scavenge ability, permitting a player to exile it from the graveyard to empower another creature.
Overcoming Thrashing Mossdog relies heavily on timing and the clever use of removal spells. Since it operates well both in combat and as a post-mortem buff, instant-speed removal spells that can disrupt your opponent’s plan right before they intend to scavenge are key. Cards with exile effects are particularly potent because they can eliminate the Mossdog completely, ensuring no scavenge shenanigans. Moreover, employing creatures with reach or flying can navigate around it defensively, maintaining an aerial edge. As always, understanding when to hold back and when to remove it can make all the difference in tilting the match in your favor.
Essentially, to navigate your decks past a Thrashing Mossdog, a strategic blend of removal and combat strategy is essential. Recognize its potential, disrupt its applications, and pivot your game plan to mitigate its impact on the battlefield.
Cards like Thrashing Mossdog
Thrashing Mossdog offers a blend of defensive capacity and card advantage to green decks in Magic: The Gathering. Its kinship with other creatures is remarkable, as it channels a dual purpose in both deterring attackers and the potential to dig deeper into your library. For instance, take the card Wall of Blossoms – it shares the Mossdog’s ability to draw a card upon entering the battlefield. However, Wall of Blossoms lacks the Mossdog’s built-in Scavenge ability, which provides late-game utility.
Moving into the realm of creatures with Scavenge like Sluiceway Scorpion, we notice that while Scorpion also offers the valuable Scavenge mechanic, it trades off the card draw for a deathtouch trait – a significant combat advantage. On the other side of the scale sits Deadbridge Goliath, another creature with Scavenge that boasts a sizeable body. It doesn’t facilitate card draw, but it provides a heavy-hitting late game presence that can outweigh Thrashing Mossdog’s initial card draw.
In essence, when evaluating the versatility and longevity in gameplay, Thrashing Mossdog stands out for its unique combination of immediate and delayed benefits, solidifying its place as a multi-faceted option within green strategies in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Thrashing Mossdog by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Thrashing Mossdog MTG card by a specific set like Dragon's Maze and Ravnica: Clue Edition, 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 Thrashing Mossdog 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 Thrashing Mossdog Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2013-05-03 and 2024-02-23. Illustrated by Ryan Barger.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2013-05-03 | Dragon's Maze | DGM | 50 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Ryan Barger | |
| 2 | 2024-02-23 | Ravnica: Clue Edition | CLU | 176 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ryan Barger |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Thrashing Mossdog has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Thrashing Mossdog card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-04-15 | Exiling the creature card with scavenge is part of the cost of activating the scavenge ability. Once the ability is activated and the cost is paid, it’s too late to stop the ability from being activated by trying to remove the creature card from the graveyard. |
