Orzhov Racketeers MTG Card

Orzhov Racketeers - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)

Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)
2019-01-25 - Number 80

Orzhov Racketeers - Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)

Ravnica: Clue Edition (CLU)
2024-02-23 - Number 117

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Rogue
Abilities	Afterlife
Power	3
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Afterlife ability grants board presence through a Spirit token, upholding pressure even after the Racketeers’ demise.
Dealing combat damage forces opponent discards, disrupting plays and tilting the game to your favor.
High mana cost demands strategic deck building for timely and effective play.

Text of card

Whenever Orzhov Racketeers deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card. Afterlife 2 (When this creature dies, create two 1/1 white and black Spirit creature tokens with flying.)

"Looks like you need protection."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The afterlife ability of Orzhov Racketeers provides significant edge by offering player a 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token with flying when it dies, bolstering your presence on the board and maintaining pressure on your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: By forcing your opponent to discard a card whenever Orzhov Racketeers deals combat damage, it disrupts their hand, potentially slowing down their game plan while indirectly accelerating your strategic advantage.

Instant Speed: Although Orzhov Racketeers itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it synergizes well with cards that do. This opens up possibilities to protect it with instant-speed spells or respond to your opponent’s threats while still progressing your board state.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Orzhov Racketeers necessitate a discard when leveraging their afterlife ability, which can potentially deplete your hand and reduce your strategic options during the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This card has a color-specific casting cost requiring both black and white mana, potentially restricting its integration into multicolor decks that might not focus on the Orzhov guild’s colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, the card is at a higher mana curve for its impact on the game. This could present a delay in your game plan, especially when there are lower-cost cards with similar or more immediate effects.

Reasons to Include Orzhov Racketeers in Your Collection

Versatility: Orzhov Racketeers brings a multifaceted approach to both offense and defense. Its ability to force discards when dealing combat damage can be crucial in dismantling your opponent’s hand, making it a solid addition to decks aiming to control the board.

Combo Potential: Beyond their inherent abilities, Orzhov Racketeers synergize well with strategies that capitalize on the afterlife mechanic. When the card dies, it creates a 1/1 white and black Spirit creature token with flying, offering an avenue for token-centric or sacrifice-based combos.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame that’s heavy on creature-based strategies, Orzhov Racketeers can serve as an effective countermeasure. Disrupting your opponent’s hand while establishing board presence makes it especially potent against decks that rely on synergy between their cards.

How to Beat

The card Orzhov Racketeers presents a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering, blending both offense and resource disruption. These syndicate enforcers can turn any creature’s demise into a card advantage for their player, leveraging the aftermath of battles to siphon cards from the opponent’s hand. To effectively counter these racketeers, smart play and strategic deck building are key.

Direct removal spells, which bypass the racketeers’ afterlife ability, are a proficient answer—think along the lines of Path to Exile or Fatal Push. Moreover, instant-speed interaction can catch an opponent off guard, preventing the racketeers from ever connecting with a player or their creatures. Another effective strategy is to employ graveyard hate, as tools like Rest in Peace can negate the afterlife ability, stymying card advantage and board presence.

Conclusively, while Orzhov Racketeers can apply pressure and control with their disruptive capabilities, proper anticipation and preparedness can mitigate their impact, sustaining the equilibrium of the game. By utilizing precise removal and considering the broader context of your strategy, you can confidently face down the racketeers and maintain the upper hand.

Cards like Orzhov Racketeers

Orzhov Racketeers is an intriguing card that adds strategic depth to decks in Magic: The Gathering. Those familiar with the extortion mechanics of the Orzhov syndicate will find resonances with cards like Basilica Screecher. While both cards embody the lifedrain ethos, Orzhov Racketeers brings complexity with its mentor ability, nudging your smaller creatures to become bigger threats over time.

Comparable to Syndicate Enforcer, another card from the Orzhov arsenal, the Racketeers require a higher mana cost but uniquely reward you with card advantage upon any casualty of their racketeering. Whereas Syndicate Enforcer focuses on a simpler lifedrain, the Racketeers can potentially disrupt your opponent’s hand and offers more substantial board presence. Another peer in this grouping is Vindictive Vampire. Similar to Orzhov Racketeers, it provides benefit upon the death of other creatures, but it lacks the direct influence on the opponent’s hand that the Racketeers offer.

In sum, Orzhov Racketeers stand out for players who appreciate cards that combine offensive pressure with subtle manipulation of the opponent’s resources, making it a valued card within the strategy-rich game of Magic: The Gathering.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Orzhov Racketeers MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance 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 Orzhov Racketeers and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Orzhov Racketeers Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2019-01-25 and 2024-02-23. Illustrated by David Palumbo.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2019-01-25	Ravnica Allegiance	RNA		80	2015	Normal	Black	David Palumbo
2	2024-02-23	Ravnica: Clue Edition	CLU		117	2015	Normal	Black	David Palumbo

Legalities

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

Date	Text
2019-01-25	Because blockers are chosen all at once, you can’t block with a creature with afterlife, wait for it to die, then block with the resulting Spirit tokens.