Drowned Rusalka MTG Card


Drowned Rusalka - Guildpact
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Spirit
Released2006-02-03
Set symbol
Set nameGuildpact
Set codeGPT
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number24
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byDany Orizio

Key Takeaways

  1. Facilitates card selection by trading less imperative cards for potential game-changing draws.
  2. Enables strategic play by smoothing draws, helping to maintain resource progression.
  3. Grants players the ability to respond adaptively with its instant-speed activation.

Text of card

, Sacrifice a creature: Discard a card, then draw a card.

Lurking below the current, she thirsts until others come to drink.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Drowned Rusalka shines in its ability to facilitate card selection, giving players an edge by discarding less useful cards in exchange for the chance to draw into more impactful ones.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly increasing mana, Drowned Rusalka works as a strategic enabler, smoothing draws to ensure that key spells can be played on curve. It helps maintain the pace of resource development.

Instant Speed: The versatility of Drowned Rusalka’s ability at instant speed allows players to adapt to the flow of the battle, making crucial decisions at the opportune moment and keeping opponents on their toes.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Drowned Rusalka requires the player to sacrifice a substantial resource by discarding a card, which could potentially lead to a loss of advantage if the discarded card is valuable or the player’s hand is already depleted.

Specific Mana Cost: Being a blue-centric card, it demands blue mana for its activation. This specificity can constrain deck-building flexibility, as it necessitates a commitment to blue mana sources to take full advantage of the card’s abilities.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating its cost-to-effectiveness ratio, Drowned Rusalka’s ability might appear expensive. Players might find the setup and activation cost steep for the benefit gained, especially when there are alternative blue cards that might provide more cost-effective creature control or card advantage.


Reasons to Include Drowned Rusalka in Your Collection

Versatility: Drowned Rusalka offers adaptability across various deck builds. Its ability to sacrifice a creature for card draw provides a stream of resources in creature-heavy strategies or recursion-based decks.

Combo Potential: This card can be a key piece in combo engines. Its sacrifice mechanic could potentially enable graveyard synergies or be a catalyst for enablers of death-triggered abilities.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature strategies often dominate the battlefield, having a card that thrives on creature interactions makes Drowned Rusalka relevant in multiple game scenarios. Its low mana cost also ensures that it can be a practical option in the early game or a strategic move later on.


How to beat Drowned Rusalka

Drowned Rusalka is an intriguing blue creature card with nuanced strategic value in MTG. As a sacrificial asset, it offers card selection at the cost of sacrificing another creature and paying mana. Tackling Drowned Rusalka can be nuanced, but there are effective strategies. Cards that deny the act of sacrificing, such as Grafdigger’s Cage, shut down the Rusalka’s ability, stripping it of its utility. Equally, spells that exile or provide targeted creature removal like Path to Exile ensure that Drowned Rusalka is permanently dealt with before its sacrifice ability can be used.

Keeping a keen eye on graveyard interactions is also paramount since graveyard recursion plays can bring back the Rusalka or its fodder for repeated cycling. Cards like Rest in Peace halt such strategies. Moreover, maintaining control over the board and applying pressure can limit the opportunities for opponents to utilize Drowned Rusalka effectively, using cards like Lightning Bolt to keep the board clear. Dealing with Drowned Rusalka requires patience and strategic planning, often preemptively disrupting your opponent’s plans or responding swiftly to its presence on the board.


Cards like Drowned Rusalka

Drowned Rusalka is a unique creature in Magic: The Gathering, as part of the Rusalka suite associated with the Guildpact set. Its ability to sacrifice a creature for a card advantage feels similar to Merfolk Looter. The looter permits a player to draw and then discard a card, providing a controlled access to deck filtration. The Rusalka’s use, however, is a bit more situational, requiring a creature on the board to be effective.

Another creature that shares a resemblance is Viscera Seer, a staple in sacrifice-themed decks. While the Seer doesn’t offer card draw, it lets a player scry upon sacrificing a creature, giving a certain level of deck manipulation. Additionally, Satyr Wayfinder may have a different dynamic, as it places cards into the graveyard rather than in hand. Yet, it’s similar in the sense of benefiting from creatures in the graveyard, much like Drowned Rusalka tends to do.

In the ecosystem of creature-based utility within Magic: The Gathering, Drowned Rusalka holds a tactical role. Though other cards may have faster or more direct effects, this Rusalka’s combination of sacrifice for card advantage carves out its own niche in player strategies.

Merfolk Looter - MTG Card versions
Viscera Seer - MTG Card versions
Satyr Wayfinder - MTG Card versions
Merfolk Looter - Exodus (EXO)
Viscera Seer - Magic 2011 (M11)
Satyr Wayfinder - Born of the Gods (BNG)

Cards similar to Drowned Rusalka by color, type and mana cost

Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions
Flying Men - MTG Card versions
Cloud Pirates - MTG Card versions
Fledgling Osprey - MTG Card versions
Manta Riders - MTG Card versions
Faerie Squadron - MTG Card versions
Faerie Seer - MTG Card versions
Fugitive Wizard - MTG Card versions
Wandering Ones - MTG Card versions
Dreamcatcher - MTG Card versions
Drifter il-Dal - MTG Card versions
Sage of Epityr - MTG Card versions
Screeching Sliver - MTG Card versions
Timebender - MTG Card versions
Cloud Sprite - MTG Card versions
Merrow Witsniper - MTG Card versions
Cursecatcher - MTG Card versions
Martyr of Frost - MTG Card versions
Enclave Cryptologist - MTG Card versions
Merfolk Spy - MTG Card versions
Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Flying Men - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Cloud Pirates - Portal (POR)
Fledgling Osprey - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Manta Riders - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Faerie Squadron - Invasion (INV)
Faerie Seer - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons (J21)
Fugitive Wizard - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Wandering Ones - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Dreamcatcher - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Drifter il-Dal - Time Spiral (TSP)
Sage of Epityr - Time Spiral (TSP)
Screeching Sliver - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Timebender - Planar Chaos (PLC)
Cloud Sprite - Tenth Edition (10E)
Merrow Witsniper - Morningtide (MOR)
Cursecatcher - Shadowmoor (SHM)
Martyr of Frost - Duel Decks: Jace vs. Chandra (DD2)
Enclave Cryptologist - Rise of the Eldrazi (ROE)
Merfolk Spy - Magic 2014 (M14)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Drowned Rusalka MTG card by a specific set like Guildpact, 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 Drowned Rusalka and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Drowned Rusalka has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Drowned Rusalka card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2006-02-01 Unlike many similar cards, Drowned Rusalka’s ability causes you to discard a card first and then draw a card. If your hand is empty, you will just draw a card.

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