Daggerclaw Imp MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Imp
Abilities Flying
Power 3
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Flying ability ensures Daggerclaw Imp is a consistent threat, pressuring opponents and protecting card advantage.
  2. Its low cost enables simultaneous deployment of other threats, optimizing mana use in the early game.
  3. Despite discard and casting cost downsides, the Imp offers deck versatility and strong meta play.

Text of card

Flying Daggerclaw Imp can't block.

The Simic use the claws as scalpels, while the Rakdos use them for tattooing and torture. The Gruul use them to pick their teeth after lunching on the rest of the carcass.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Although the Daggerclaw Imp itself doesn’t directly let you draw more cards, its flying ability often ensures it connects with your opponent, leading to sustained pressure and indirectly preserving your card advantage by forcing opponents to deal with it.

Resource Acceleration: Daggerclaw Imp doesn’t offer traditional resource acceleration. However, its relatively low casting cost allows you to deploy other threats or resources alongside it quickly, maximizing your mana effectiveness early in the game.

Instant Speed: While the Imp isn’t cast at instant speed, its evasion capability means it can often remain untapped to block, effectively being a deterrent and allowing you to play spells on your turn without the worry of leaving yourself undefended.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Daggerclaw Imp can be a useful addition to a flying creature-oriented deck, it does have a drawback of a discard requirement. This mandatory cost must be paid to keep it on the battlefield, which can deplete your hand and affect your game strategy adversely if not managed carefully.

Specific Mana Cost: The Imp requires a specific mana cost allocation – one black mana and two of any color. For players who utilize multi-colored decks or those that don’t focus heavily on black mana, this can pose a challenge, potentially making the card less versatile and harder to cast on curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana, the Daggerclaw Imp may come across as having a high cost considering its abilities when compared to other creatures in the same mana range. Players tend to evaluate the impact of a creature not just based on its abilities but also on how soon it can affect the board state. In competitive formats, this may result in the Imp being overlooked for other more cost-efficient creatures.


Reasons to Include Daggerclaw Imp in Your Collection

Versatility: Daggerclaw Imp offers flexibility in deck building, fitting nicely into aggressive strategies while offering evasion with flying. Its 3/1 stat line for three mana makes it a considerable threat in the early to mid-game.

Combo Potential: This Imp creature can synergize with cards that benefit from flying creatures or those that capitalize on the number of creatures you control. Moreover, it can be a recipient of various pump spells or equipment to enhance its impact on the battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame where the skies are less contested or slower ground-based decks prevail, Daggerclaw Imp shines by consistently pressing for damage and maintaining board presence, especially when combined with cards that clear the path for flyers.


How to Beat

The Daggerclaw Imp can be a tricky foe in MTG due to its evasion ability, flying over ground-based defense with ease. However, this doesn’t make it invincible. Defeating the Imp hinges on either grounding it with reach or aerial blockers, or by deploying targeted removal spells.

To neutralize the threat, spells like Fatal Push or Shock can dispatch the Imp before it accumulates damage and leverage. Flying-heavy decks should include creatures that can block on the same axis, ensuring the Imp doesn’t slip through defenses unchallenged. In addition, enchantments such as Pacifism can effectively immobilize it without needing to resort to a direct confrontation.

Ultimately, the key is maintaining control over the board and making judicious use of your spells and abilities. If kept unchecked, the Imp can tip the scales, but with the right strategy and a composed approach, it can be reduced to a mere nuisance rather than a game-ending threat.


Cards like Daggerclaw Imp

Daggerclaw Imp is a unique creature in the roster of Magic: The Gathering, earning a spot in many decks favoring the flying trait and the evasion tactic. When considering alternatives, Skittering Skirge presents a similar capacity for soaring over blockers, though it sacrifices itself when you cast another creature spell. This self-destruct clause isn’t shared with Daggerclaw Imp, which freely allows you to expand your creature base without any repercussions.

Another parallel can be drawn with Vault Skirge, which not only flies but also boasts lifelink—an ability to gain life equal to the damage it deals. While Vault Skirge’s initial Phyrexian mana cost seems lower, it can potentially cost you precious life points, a trade-off not seen in the mana-efficient Daggerclaw Imp. Despite this, both serve as low-cost evasive threats.

Through comparison, Daggerclaw Imp earns its keep in decks looking for consistent aerial power without the added conditions its counterparts carry. Perfect for aggressive strategies, it remains unstifled by board buildup or life payments, showcasing its straightforward utility in the right settings.

Skittering Skirge - MTG Card versions
Vault Skirge - MTG Card versions
Skittering Skirge - Urza's Saga (USG)
Vault Skirge - Wizards Play Network 2011 (PWP11)

Cards similar to Daggerclaw Imp by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Dusk Imp - MTG Card versions
Severed Legion - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Mischievous Poltergeist - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hypnotic Specter - Magic Player Rewards 2006 (P06)
Dusk Imp - Tenth Edition (10E)
Severed Legion - Tenth Edition (10E)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Daggerclaw Imp MTG card by a specific set like Guildpact and Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic, 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 Daggerclaw Imp and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Daggerclaw Imp Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2006-02-03 and 2024-02-23. Illustrated by Pete Venters.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-02-03GuildpactGPT 482003normalblackPete Venters
22009-04-10Duel Decks: Divine vs. DemonicDDC 332003normalblackPete Venters
32014-12-05Duel Decks Anthology: Divine vs. DemonicDVD 332015normalblackPete Venters
42015-05-22Modern Masters 2015MM2 742015normalblackPete Venters
52024-02-23Ravnica: Clue EditionCLU 1082015normalblackPete Venters

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Daggerclaw Imp has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks