Giant Cockroach MTG Card

Urza's Legacy (ULG)
1999-02-15 - Number 54

Seventh Edition (7ED)
2001-04-11 - Number 138

Seventh Edition (7ED)
2001-04-11 - Number 138★

Eighth Edition (8ED)
2003-07-28 - Number 135★

Eighth Edition (8ED)
2003-07-28 - Number 135

Ninth Edition (9ED)
2005-07-29 - Number 133

Ninth Edition (9ED)
2005-07-29 - Number 133★

Card sets	Released in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Insect
Power	4
Toughness	2

Key Takeaways

Efficient combat with a 4/2 stat allows it to outmatch many rivals and trade favorably.
Its affordable cost paves the way for bigger threats, essential for crafting a potent mana curve.
Compatible with instant-speed cards, Giant Cockroach can unexpectedly tilt combat dynamics to your advantage.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Giant Cockroach isn’t directly a source of card advantage but can often lead to favorable trades on the battlefield due to its solid size. Its 4/2 stat line means it can defeat many commonly played creatures in combat, sometimes taking down more than one creature over the course of a game.

Resource Acceleration: While the Giant Cockroach doesn’t accelerate your resources on its own, its low mana cost facilitates a smooth curve out into your bigger threats. This means that by investing a small amount of mana early, you’re setting the stage for a more powerful board presence as the game progresses.

Instant Speed: Although Giant Cockroach is a creature card that is played at sorcery speed, it pairs well with cards allowing instant-speed interactions. These synergies can maximise its on-board impact and catch an opponent off-guard, especially during the damage phases of combat where its 4 power becomes particularly relevant.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Employing Giant Cockroach in your deck can sometimes put you in a tight spot when it comes to your hand. Since it lacks any form of card advantage, you have to weigh the cost of playing such a vanilla creature against the cards you might have to discard to make room for it in your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: While not incredibly restrictive, the Giant Cockroach does demand a specific two black mana to play. This necessity can potentially disrupt your mana curve or force you into a two-color strategy when you might not have the optimal land base to support it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When you take into account that the Giant Cockroach costs four mana to bring onto the battlefield, it’s worth considering alternatives. There are numerous four-mana creatures with additional abilities or greater power/toughness that might provide you with a better strategic edge.

Reasons to Include Giant Cockroach in Your Collection

Versatility: Giant Cockroach offers a robust presence on the board with its decent stats for its cost, making it a solid choice in casual decks that require resilient creatures.

Combo Potential: This insect can be a cog in an engine focused on creature-based synergies or strategies that benefit from sacrificing creatures for value, due to its ability to withstand some damage and stay on the field.

Meta-Relevance: While it may not be a staple in highly competitive formats, Giant Cockroach can be a surprise inclusion in a local meta-game that is creature-centric or in environments where decks are built on a budget or with certain deck-building constraints.

How to beat

Giant Cockroach is one of those pesky creatures in Magic: The Gathering that can be frustrating to deal with, especially in the early to mid-game. With its ability to regenerate, it poses a resilient threat that can repeatedly block or attack without truly leaving the battlefield. However, overcoming this insect is far from impossible.

To effectively handle the Giant Cockroach, consider using exile effects or spells that stipulate “can’t be regenerated” such as Path to Exile or Wrath of God. Cards like these bypass the Cockroach’s tenacious regeneration by removing it from the game entirely or superseding its ability. Additionally, employing strategies that restrict the opponent’s mana can inhibit their capacity to pay for the regeneration cost, effectively neutralizing the threat. Enforce enduring board control through sweepers and precision removal to secure your victory against this relentless bug.

Keeping a tactical edge against a card like Giant Cockroach involves strategic planning and the right spell choices. A well-timed exile or board wipe makes all the difference, ensuring that this creature doesn’t crawl back for another round.

Cards like Giant Cockroach

Within the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Giant Cockroach stands as a stout creature card notable for its resilience. Sharing the battlefield with comparable cards such as Gutter Skulk, the Giant Cockroach impresses with its 4/2 stats at the same cost of four mana. Unlike the Skulk, the Cockroach does not possess any additional abilities, but it does boast an additional point of power which can be decisive during combat.

Another creature to consider is Feral Maaka. Though it costs one mana less, making it slightly more nimble in early gameplay, the Maaka lacks the staying power of Giant Cockroach with only 2 toughness compared to the Cockroach’s 2. The additional stamina of the Giant Cockroach could prove invaluable during protracted exchanges.

Lastly, Centaur Courser mirrors Giant Cockroach in mana cost and stats, yet it belongs to the green mana pie, potentially making it less accessible in some decks compared to the colorless mana requirement of the Cockroach. The consistency and simplicity of Giant Cockroach give it a distinct role in decks seeking resilient and dependable creature cards.

Cards similar to Giant Cockroach by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)

Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Gixian Puppeteer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Akuta, Born of Ash - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Giant Cockroach MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Legacy and Seventh 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 Giant Cockroach and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Giant Cockroach Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1999-02-15 and 2005-07-29. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Release	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1999-02-15	Urza's Legacy	ULG	54	1997	normal	black	Heather Hudson
2	2001-04-11	Seventh Edition	7ED	138	1997	normal	white	John Matson
3	2001-04-11	Seventh Edition	7ED	138★	1997	normal	black	John Matson
4	2003-07-28	Eighth Edition	8ED	135★	2003	normal	black	Heather Hudson
5	2003-07-28	Eighth Edition	8ED	135	2003	normal	white	Heather Hudson
6	2005-07-29	Ninth Edition	9ED	133	2003	normal	white	Heather Hudson
7	2005-07-29	Ninth Edition	9ED	133★	2003	normal	black	Heather Hudson