Spawnbroker MTG Card


Spawnbroker - Ravnica: City of Guilds
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Wizard
Released2005-10-07
Set symbol
Set nameRavnica: City of Guilds
Set codeRAV
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number65
Frame2003
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byWayne England

Key Takeaways

  1. Spawnbroker allows for advantageous trades, providing the ability to tilt creature control in your favor.
  2. Instant use of exchanged creatures can be a game-changer, offering surprise and timing advantages.
  3. Conscious of Spawnbroker’s discard requirement and specific mana needs can shape deck-building strategies.

Text of card

When Spawnbroker comes into play, you may exchange control of target creature you control and target creature with power less than or equal to that creature's power an opponent controls.

"The trick isn't setting up the bad trade. It's making each side think it got the better deal."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Spawnbroker presents an opportunity for savvy players to exploit the battlefield by exchanging controls of creatures. This swapping ability could potentially hand you a more useful creature than you’re giving away, tilting the flow of cards in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: While Spawnbroker itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense, the strategic exchange of creatures can indirectly lead to resource gains by seizing a creature that’s more conducive to your deck’s strategy or by snagging a creature with a valuable enter-the-battlefield trigger.

Instant Speed: Although Spawnbroker operates at sorcery speed, its effect essentially extends to instant speed since the swapped creature can be used right away if it doesn’t have summoning sickness. This can be pivotal in confrontations where timing and surprise play a decisive role.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While looking to garner value from Spawnbroker, one must be prepared to invest beyond just the mana cost. Its use comes with the demand that a player discards a card, placing them potentially at a disadvantage, especially if their hand size is dwindling or the cards in possession are all pivotal to their strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana requisites of Spawnbroker insist on a precise combination, requiring both blue and green mana. This can sometimes present a hurdle, as it forces deck builders to operate within the constraints of a two-color mana base, potentially limiting the card’s inclusion only to Simic or multicolored decks where its mana cost can be consistently met.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that demands three mana including two specific types, Spawnbroker may emerge as a cumbersome choice when compared to other cards in the same mana range. Players may find themselves evaluating the cost-benefit ratio unfavorably when they could employ mana for more impactful plays, hindering its application in fast-paced games or in situations requiring more efficient resource allocation.


Reasons to Include Spawnbroker in Your Collection

Versatility: Spawnbroker offers unique utility in decks that seek to manipulate the battlefield. It enables tactful exchanges of creatures, which can be pivotal in both offensive and defensive strategies.

Combo Potential: By swapping key creatures with your opponent, you can disrupt their plans or even acquire more useful assets for your own. This pairs well with enter-the-battlefield effects or when integrating strategies that can exploit new creature synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where creatures with powerful abilities are common, Spawnbroker’s niche effect can become a secret weapon. It allows you to keep pace with the evolving battlefield without investing heavily into high-cost creatures of your own.


How to beat

Spawnbroker, a unique creature card in Magic the Gathering, offers players the ability to exchange control of target creatures, presenting a swap that can either be a strategic move or a troublesome obstacle. To effectively counter Spawnbroker’s ability, the key is to control the board state. Having creatures with hexproof or shroud protects them from being targeted, thus maintaining your grip on the battlefield.

Additionally, utilizing instant-speed removal spells to eliminate Spawnbroker before its ability resolves can be a game-changer. It ensures that your valuable creatures remain on your side. Cards such as Counterspell or removal spells like Path to Exile can serve as efficient tools to keep the upper hand against Spawnbroker. Overall, maintaining a responsive hand with protective measures and removal options is the best strategy to outmaneuver Spawnbroker’s exchange tactic.


Cards like Spawnbroker

Spawnbroker is an intriguing card in MTG, offering a unique creature swapping ability. It falls into a niche category alongside cards like Daring Thief, which also allows for exchanging control of nonland permanents. Daring Thief requires inspired to trigger the exchange, making it less predictable than Spawnbroker. Additionally, Spawnbroker initiates the exchange as soon as it enters the battlefield, providing immediate impact.

Switcheroo is another comparable card to consider, having the capability to trade creatures between players. While it has the advantage of being able to target any two creatures, excluding the caster’s creature, it does come with a higher mana cost and is a single-use sorcery. In contrast, Spawnbroker can be reused if you can repeatedly flicker or bounce it back to your hand or battlefield.

Understanding the differences and synergies among these cards enhances gameplay. Spawnbroker may not have the recurring ability of Daring Thief or the broad targeting of Switcheroo, but its direct exchange upon entry and potential synergies with other bounce or flicker strategies solidify its place in the MTG metagame.

Daring Thief - MTG Card versions
Switcheroo - MTG Card versions
Daring Thief - MTG Card versions
Switcheroo - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spawnbroker MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds, 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 Spawnbroker and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Spawnbroker has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2005-10-01 If either target becomes illegal (say, if a creature’s power has changed such that the creature you control now has less power than the other creature), then the exchange won’t happen.

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