Kragma Butcher MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Minotaur Warrior |
| Abilities | Inspired |
| Released | 2014-02-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Born of the Gods |
| Set code | BNG |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
| Number | 100 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Daarken |
Key Takeaways
- Aggressively priced at three mana, Kragma Butcher pressures opponents into making tough choices early on.
- The Inspired mechanic of Kragma Butcher can turn the tide during the untap phase, creating surprise advantages.
- Despite limitations, its ability to fit into certain aggressive strategies makes it a unique card to consider.
Text of card
Inspired — Whenever Kragma Butcher becomes untapped, it gets +2/+0 until end of turn.
Minotaurs go into battle hungry. The first sight of their enemies' blood sends them into a flesh-eating rage.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Kragma Butcher itself doesn’t draw cards, its inherent threat level often forces opponents to use their removal spells on it. This could lead to indirect card advantage as your more critical threats remain on the board.
Resource Acceleration: This menacing minotaur doesn’t directly accelerate your resources. However, its cost-efficiency at three mana and aggressiveness can pressure opponents into unfavorable trades and decision-making, indirectly affecting the pace and resource balance of the game.
Instant Speed: While Kragma Butcher operates at sorcery speed, its Inspired ability can create unexpected scenarios during your untap phase. This puts the opponent in a difficult position, potentially having to decide whether to use instant-speed answers during your upkeep, disrupting their plans.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Kragma Butcher demands that you keep attacking to maintain its benefits. This relentless assault can leave you vulnerable to counterattacks and deplete critical resources.
Specific Mana Cost: Locked into a red mana cost, Kragma Butcher requires a dedicated mana base, potentially restricting it to mono-red or two-color decks and limiting versatility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a three mana creature, its initial stats are underwhelming. Cards of equal cost could potentially offer more immediate impact or superior stats without the need for ongoing aggression.
Reasons to Include Kragma Butcher in Your Collection
Versatility: Kragma Butcher can adapt to various deck strategies, efficiently fitting into aggressive builds that aim to exert early game pressure. Its formidable ability to become monstrous injects flexibility into gameplay, catering to board states that demand a beefier creature.
Combo Potential: Used with other creatures that can tap or untap it, Kragma Butcher can be a crucial component in an intricate web of offensive combos. This synergy capitalizes on its Inspired mechanic, making it a potential asset in decks designed to exploit such ability triggers.
Meta-Relevance: In metagames where battles are won on the ground, the escalating threat level of Kragma Butcher makes it a compelling choice. Its transition from a simple attacker to a significant threat once monstrous is ideal for outpacing control decks and holding its own against midrange competitors.
How to beat
Kragma Butcher, a card that gains momentum with each turn, comes with a formidable ability that escalates its power during your combat phase. Encountering Kragma Butcher on the battlefield can be daunting due to its potential to become stronger and create a stark power differential as you accumulate each subsequent attack step. However, dismantling this growing threat lies in timing and control.
To efficiently counter Kragma Butcher’s aggressive ascension, consider instant-speed removal spells that can eliminate it before it becomes monstrous. Deploying removal such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile can swiftly address the Butcher before it inflicts significant damage. Eschewing combat altogether, control deck players can utilize bounce spells or effects like Unsummon or Frost Breath to halt its advancement. Additionally, chump blockers can be sacrificed to mitigate the Butcher’s initial impact, buying crucial time.
Ultimately, the key strategy revolves around forestalling the Butcher’s aggressive onslaught early on. Responding to Kragma Butcher with decisive control measures neutralizes the threat, keeping the battlefield in a state of equilibrium. By prioritizing this approach, players can maintain their composure and continue navigating their strategic path to victory in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards like Kragma Butcher
Kragma Butcher is an intriguing creature card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, offering a formidable presence on the battlefield once inspired. This mechanic, exclusive to the Butcher, causes it to gain +2/+0 when it becomes untapped. Within its monored environment, the Butcher can be compared to cards such as Bloodrage Brawler. Much like the Butcher, the Brawler is aggressive in nature. However, Bloodrage Brawler demands a card discard upon entry, while Kragma Butcher rewards you when it becomes untapped.
Another relative in terms of aggression is the Ashmouth Hound, whose ability deals damage to blocking creatures. This can alter how opponents approach your aggressive board. Though different in abilities, these cards reflect the monored strategy of applying constant pressure. Goblin Heelcutter also deserves mention; it too disrupts the opponent’s defense by rendering a creature unable to block when it dashes onto the battlefield. While Kragma Butcher doesn’t offer this immediate impact, its inspired mechanic can accumulate more damage over time.
Assessing Kragma Butcher among similar MTG cards, it holds its own, especially in decks designed to exploit the inspired mechanic. It balances the need for continuous aggression with a potential for exponential strength, offering red deck players a unique advantage as the game progresses.
Cards similar to Kragma Butcher by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Kragma Butcher MTG card by a specific set like Born of the Gods, 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 Kragma Butcher 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Kragma Butcher 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 Kragma Butcher card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2014-02-01 | If an inspired ability triggers during your untap step, the ability will be put on the stack at the beginning of your upkeep. If the ability creates one or more token creatures, those creatures won’t be able to attack that turn (unless they gain haste). |
| 2014-02-01 | If the inspired ability includes an optional cost, you decide whether to pay that cost as the ability resolves. You can do this even if the creature leaves the battlefield in response to the ability. |
| 2014-02-01 | Inspired abilities don’t trigger when the creature enters the battlefield. |
| 2014-02-01 | Inspired abilities trigger no matter how the creature becomes untapped: by the turn-based action at the beginning of the untap step or by a spell or ability. |
