Kari Zev, Skyship Raider MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Human Pirate
Abilities First strike,Menace
Power 1
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Generates a token with each attack, enhancing board presence without depleting the player’s hand.
  2. Requires careful hand management due to potential discard trade-offs for summoning Ragavan.
  3. Both a substantial threat in aggressive decks and a card with significant combo potential.

Text of card

First strike, menace Whenever Kari Zev, Skyship Raider attacks, create a legendary 2/1 red Monkey creature token named Ragavan that's tapped and attacking. Exile that token at end of combat.

Aboard her ship, the *Dragon's Smile*, Kari follows no one's rules but her own.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kari Zev, Skyship Raider brings versatility on the board, contributing to card advantage by creating a secondary creature token Ragavan with every attack. This secondary token effectively widens your board presence without expending additional cards from hand.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting mana resources, Kari Zev’s quick offense and token generation can accelerate resource pressure on opponents, forcing them to respond and potentially diverting resources that could slow down their own game plan.

Instant Speed: Although Kari Zev herself does not function at instant speed, her first strike ability and token generation upon attacking can unexpectedly disrupt opponent’s strategies during combat phases, akin to the sudden plays enabled by instant-speed interactions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside of Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, is the occasional need to balance your hand with her ability to summon Ragavan, requiring strategic hand management to ensure you’re not discarding valuable cards.

Specific Mana Cost: Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, demands a specific mana cost that includes both red and generic mana, potentially limiting her inclusion to decks that can reliably generate red mana, particularly in the early game where her impact is most significant.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Kari Zev’s cost is not exorbitant, some players may find the combined cost of two mana, including one red, a bit steep for a 1/3 creature, especially when other options in the same mana range might offer higher power or more versatile abilities.


Reasons to Include Kari Zev, Skyship Raider in Your Collection

Versatility: Kari Zev, Skyship Raider demonstrates flexibility as a card, easily sliding into red aggressive decks with her low casting cost and inherent ability to deal damage. Her quick pace and first strike make her a threat from the get-go, and she synergizes well with cards that reward players for attacking each turn.

Combo Potential: When it comes to setting up powerful combinations, Kari Zev shines. Her ability to bring along Ragavan, a legendary Monkey token, each time she attacks opens up avenues for utilizing additional combat triggers or artifact-related synergies within a deck framework.

Meta-Relevance: Current metagame trends that favor quick, aggressive play can make Kari Zev an asset in your lineup. Being able to apply early pressure and maintain a presence on the board helps challenge the slower, more controlling decks that are popular in many metagames.


How to beat

Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, emerges as a formative force in red deck strategies, renowned for her aggressive stance and the capacity to bring Ragavan, her loyal monkey companion, into play. Dealing with this duo requires strategic precision. Board removal spells such as Wrath of God or Damnation erase her presence effectively, circumventing the complexities of her first strike ability. Targeted removal spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile also offer swift solutions to neutralize her before her impact cascades.

Preventive measures such as the use of Ghostly Prison can hinder her and her companion’s attacks, imposing costs on the opponent. Ensnaring Bridge is another solid line of defense, often preventing her from attacking at all given its requirements align with a low hand count strategy. Remarkably, countering her initial casting with spells like Counterspell or Mana Leak can avert the imminent assault she embodies, setting a pace that’s manageable.

Understanding the dynamics of Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, players are outfitted with multiple avenues to disrupt the tempo and assert control. Execution of these tactics can effectively dismantle the momentum that she represents, ensuring your play strategy remains unshaken by her fiery onslaught.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dive into the depths of MTG with Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, an asset for any red deck aficionado. With the capacity to amplify your board presence and shake up gameplay with her loyal token Ragavan, she’s poised to bring a spark of creativity to your matches. Mastering her abilities can forge pathways to dominating the early game and outpacing your adversaries. Nurturing your collection with such versatile cards enriches your strategic potential. For enthusiasts eager to harness the full potential of Kari Zev and revolutionize their playstyle, our insights await. Embrace the challenge and enhance your MTG journey with us.


Cards like Kari Zev, Skyship Raider

Kari Zev, Skyship Raider, carves her niche in MTG as a unique red legendary creature. She parallels cards like Robber of the Rich in her ability to bring quick aggression to the battlefield. Both cards have the prowess to swing the momentum of a match, but Kari Zev stands out with her mainstay, Ragavan, adding another layer of threat each combat.

Monastery Swiftspear is another comparable creature, sharing haste and providing early pressure. While Kari Zev requires more mana for casting, her resilience with a higher toughness enables her to survive encounters that would remove lesser threats. Additionally, unlike Monastery Swiftspear’s prowess trigger, Kari Zev consistently offers an additional attacker without needing to cast another spell.

Even compared to the dash mechanic of Zurgo Bellstriker, Kari Zev offers a recurring source of offense without the repeated mana investment. While Zurgo can be dashed repeatedly to evade sorcery-speed removal, Kari Zev’s presence on the board with Ragavan provides substantial, enduring value. In essence, Kari Zev, Skyship Raider represents a formidable option for red aggro decks in MTG, balancing immediate impact with persistent, multi-faceted pressure.

Robber of the Rich - MTG Card versions
Monastery Swiftspear - MTG Card versions
Zurgo Bellstriker - MTG Card versions
Robber of the Rich - Throne of Eldraine Promos (PELD)
Monastery Swiftspear - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Zurgo Bellstriker - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kari Zev, Skyship Raider MTG card by a specific set like Aether Revolt and Aether Revolt Promos, 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 Kari Zev, Skyship Raider and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Kari Zev, Skyship Raider Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2017-01-20 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by Brad Rigney.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-01-20Aether RevoltAER 872015normalblackBrad Rigney
22017-01-20Aether Revolt PromosPAER 87s2015normalblackBrad Rigney
32020-09-26The ListPLST AER-872015normalblackBrad Rigney
42020-11-12Kaladesh RemasteredKLR 1332015normalblackBrad Rigney
52022-09-09Dominaria United CommanderDMC 1232015normalblackBrad Rigney
62022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 5622015normalblackBrad Rigney
72023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 2272015normalblackBrad Rigney

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kari Zev, Skyship Raider has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2017-02-09 Although Ragavan is attacking, it was never declared as an attacking creature (for the purposes of abilities that trigger whenever a creature attacks, for example).
2017-02-09 The delayed triggered ability that exiles Ragavan triggers at end of combat even if Kari Zev is no longer on the battlefield.
2017-02-09 You choose which opponent or opposing planeswalker Ragavan is attacking as you create the token. It doesn't have to be the same player or planeswalker Kari Zev is attacking.

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