Reaper King MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost10
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Artifact Creature — Scarecrow
Power 6
Toughness 6

Key Takeaways

  1. Reaper King transforms each Scarecrow played into a powerful removal tool, offering strategic board control.
  2. Five-color identity allows diverse mana acceleration, granting access to a broad range of spells.
  3. High versatility in deck-building, from tribal to combo-centric strategies, suitable for various metagames.

Text of card

({2 W} can be paid with any two mana or with . This card's converted mana cost is 10.) Other Scarecrow creatures you control get +1/+1. Whenever another Scarecrow comes into play under your control, destroy target permanent.

It's harvest time.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Reaper King offers a unique advantage by turning each Scarecrow that enters the battlefield under your control into a potential destruction spell. This allows players to continuously manage the board while developing their own presence, maintaining control through superior card economy.

Resource Acceleration: As a five-color creature, Reaper King can benefit from various mana acceleration sources, whether it’s artifact-based ramp or land tutoring. This accessibility to different mana types boosts your ability to cast a wider variety of spells earlier in the game, smoothing out your mana curve significantly.

Instant Speed: While Reaper King itself might not have instant speed abilities, the commander-centric decks it often helms can take advantage of numerous Scarecrow and changeling cards that can be played at instant speed. This interaction enables reactive play, allowing you to dismantle your opponents’ strategies on their turn, providing a tempo swing in your favor.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Deploying Reaper King demands discarding cards to capitalize on its scarecrow synergy. Crafting the perfect hand is often needed to utilize its full potential, thus this requirement can be detrimental in situations where you’re managing a lean set of options.

Specific Mana Cost: While offering great versatility with its five-color identity, Reaper King’s specific mana cost can be a deck-building puzzle. Ensuring access to all types of mana can necessitate a heavily curated and often expensive land base, which might be prohibitive for some players.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At ten mana for the full multicolored payment or five mana considering its hybrid costs, Reaper King carries a steeper price than most commanders. This can delay your game plan as you accumulate the necessary resources, giving your opponents time to establish their board presence or find answers to your strategy.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Reaper King presents a diverse array of possibilities for deck building as it is a multicolored Artifact Creature. It complements various play styles, fitting neatly into Scarecrow and Changeling-themed decks, providing value with its color identity and enabling a broad spectrum of mana base adjustment.

Combo Potential: The Reaper King’s ability to destroy a permanent whenever another Scarecrow comes into play under your control synergizes with token generators and clone effects. This potential for repeated removal can be harnessed to dismantle your opponent’s board presence turn after turn.

Meta-Relevance: With the dynamic shifts in the competitive scene, Reaper King remains a relevant choice for a Commander that can adapt to different metagames. The threat of targeted removal it poses can be crucial in a meta filled with intricate combos or essential permanents.


How to Beat

Reaper King is an imposing figure on the battlefield, renowned for its ability to obliterate permanents with its vindictive scarecrow synergy. To undermine its rule, leverage removal spells that can’t be countered or use abilities that don’t target, such as board wipes, to clear the way without triggering its destructive ability. Precision and timing are paramount: disarm the King before its court of scarecrows assembles, or you’ll be facing a relentless onslaught of vanishing permanents.

Another strategy to consider against Reaper King involves disrupting the five-color mana base that’s essential for casting it. Land destruction or effects that restrict the tapping of lands for mana can greatly hamper your opponent’s ability to summon and leverage the Reaper King effectively. Versatility and swiftness are your allies here; strike swiftly and curtail the King’s tyranny before it can establish its dominion.

Lastly, graveyard manipulation can play a pivotal role. Using cards to exile the Reaper King or employing graveyard hate mechanisms can prevent your adversary from retrieving the dreaded figure from beyond the grave. A well-timed Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void could make all the difference in your triumph over the dreaded Reaper King.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the multifaceted strategies of MTG is essential for every player aiming to dominate the battlefield, and the Reaper King is a testament to the depth of gameplay available. Mastering the Reaper King demands an understanding of both its strengths and weaknesses, and an ability to exploit its synergies for board control. The potential for deck customization around this singular commander is immense. If you’re eager to elevate your MTG experience and harness the power of this versatile monarch, immerse yourself in our resources. Uncover the secrets to optimizing your Reaper King deck for competitive play and become the sovereign of your next MTG confrontation.


Cards like Reaper King

Reaper King emerges as a unique powerhouse within Magic: The Gathering, occupying a rare position as a scarecrow leader. When measured against other tribal lords like Sliver Overlord or The Ur-Dragon, the Reaper King stands out due to its “Vindicate” ability where any scarecrow entry lets you destroy a permanent. Sliver Overlord focuses on tutor and control, while The Ur-Dragon reduces costs and bolsters your draconic legion with a mightier presence.

Reaper King’s five-color identity is shared with other influential commanders like Cromat. Yet, where Cromat offers flexibility and adaptation, Reaper King promises disruption, wielding destruction as a tool for dominance. Its scarecrow synergy may appear niche compared to the broader tribal support found with allies like Morophon, the Boundless, who extends its benefits to any tribe. Morophon’s impact on the board doesn’t grant the immediate removal potential the Reaper King possesses. This positions the Reaper King as a uniquely advantageous option for players looking to capitalize on both tribal themes and targeted removal strategies.

In essence, Reaper King carves a distinctive niche in Magic: The Gathering, balancing tribal encouragement with built-in control elements, a trait that distinctively equips it for a commanding role in the format. Its offering of steadfast removal with each scarecrow summoned showcases its formidable strengths within the vast array of tribal commanders.

Sliver Overlord - MTG Card versions
The Ur-Dragon - MTG Card versions
Cromat - MTG Card versions
Morophon, the Boundless - MTG Card versions
Sliver Overlord - MTG Card versions
The Ur-Dragon - MTG Card versions
Cromat - MTG Card versions
Morophon, the Boundless - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Reaper King MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Reaper King and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Reaper King Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2008-05-02 and 2020-03-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12008-05-02ShadowmoorSHM 2602003NormalBlackJim Murray
22019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 92015NormalBlackJustine Jones
32020-03-08Mystery Booster Retail Edition FoilsFMB1 1112003NormalBlackJim Murray
42020-09-26The ListPLST SHM-2602003NormalBlackJim Murray

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Reaper King has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2008-05-01 A card with a monocolored hybrid mana symbol in its mana cost is each of the colors that appears in its mana cost, regardless of what mana was spent to cast it. Thus, Reaper King is all colors even if you spend ten colorless mana to cast it.
2008-05-01 A card with monocolored hybrid mana symbols in its mana cost has a converted mana cost equal to the highest possible cost it could be cast for. Its converted mana cost never changes. Thus, Reaper King has a converted mana cost of 10, even if you spend to cast it.
2008-05-01 If a cost includes more than one monocolored hybrid mana symbol, you can choose a different way to pay for each symbol. For example, you can pay for Reaper King by spending one mana of each color, and one mana each of four different colors, and one mana each of three different colors, and one mana each of two different colors, and one mana of any color, or .
2008-05-01 If an effect reduces the cost to cast a spell by an amount of generic mana, it applies to a monocolored hybrid spell only if you’ve chosen a method of paying for it that includes generic mana.

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