Greenbelt Rampager MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Elephant
Power 3
Toughness 4

Key Takeaways

  1. Triggers synergies with permanents for potential card advantage without direct drawing mechanisms.
  2. Aids in resource acceleration and can activate abilities like revolt on a consistent basis.
  3. Possesses the quasi-instant speed trait, providing players with cunning strategic options during play.

Text of card

When Greenbelt Rampager enters the battlefield, pay (two energy counters). If you can't, return Greenbelt Rampager to its owner's hand and you get .

Subtlety is not a necessary part of sabotage.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Greenbelt Rampager doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it offers a repeatable way to trigger enter-the-battlefield effects from other cards. This interaction can potentially net card advantage through synergies with permanents like Panharmonicon or creatures with powerful ETB triggers.

Resource Acceleration: As a low-cost creature that can repeatedly enter the battlefield, Greenbelt Rampager can contribute to resource acceleration by enabling revolt and other abilities that rely on creatures entering the battlefield or being cast. Additionally, its single green mana requirement can often be met using various mana dorks, thereby efficiently increasing green mana availability in the early game.

Instant Speed: Despite being a creature, Greenbelt Rampager’s ability to bounce back to your hand for a mere energy allows you to play it multiple times in a turn, mimicking instant speed interactions. This makes it versatile for bluffing mana availability or making strategic plays during your own turn without committing to a full board presence prematurely.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Greenbelt Rampager doesn’t require you to discard cards, it does have a unique energy payment system that can be a hurdle. If you don’t have the required energy, you’ll have to return it to your hand and essentially lose a turn of board development.

Specific Mana Cost: Greenbelt Rampager needs a green mana to cast, which can be restrictive for multi-colored decks that may not have a green source available at the crucial early turns of the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While two energy to cast might seem low, obtaining that energy can cost you additional mana investments. This makes the effective cost of playing Greenbelt Rampager and keeping it on the battlefield higher than other creatures with similar stats.


Reasons to Include Greenbelt Rampager in Your Collection

Versatility: Greenbelt Rampager offers flexibility in various deck builds, especially the ones that harness energy counters. Its ability to return to your hand when you can’t pay its energy cost allows for repeated triggers of enter-the-battlefield effects or energize mechanics.

Combo Potential: With its low casting cost and the ability to bounce back to your hand, it pairs well with cards that profit from casting creatures or repeated enter-the-battlefield abilities. Deploying this card can generate value each turn, shaping the flow of the game.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where efficient creature strategies are prevalent, Greenbelt Rampager stands out as an early-game powerhouse. Its energy synergy and the physical resilience to survive most removals make it a substantial addition in the fight against control and tempo decks.


How to Beat Greenbelt Rampager

Greenbelt Rampager presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its low-cost, high-power presence in Magic: The Gathering. Playing against this creature requires a keen understanding of its energy mechanic. One way to outmaneuver this card is by utilizing removal spells before your opponent has the chance to accumulate enough energy to mitigate its cost. Instant-speed spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can be efficient answers to swiftly deal with this green powerhouse.

Control strategies could also hinge on counter spells, to prevent Greenbelt Rampager from hitting the board in the first place. A well-timed Essence Scatter or Negate, for instance, can keep this creature at bay. Another approach is to employ creatures with deathtouch or those that can force a sacrifice upon entering the battlefield, which can remove the Rampager without triggering its energy-based return to hand.

Lastly, adjusting your board state to outpace the value generated by Greenbelt Rampager may be key. Creating a wide board presence or utilizing creatures with favorable combat abilities can overshadow the Rampager’s initial impact, helping to secure your victory over this potent green creature.


Cards like Greenbelt Rampager

The Greenbelt Rampager is an interesting creature card in the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering. Its closest relatives in terms of functionality might be the likes of Scythe Tiger, another creature that offers powerful effects for a low cost. Scythe Tiger, much like the Greenbelt Rampager, requires a sacrifice of sorts, demanding that a land be sacrificed upon its arrival to the battlefield. In contrast, Greenbelt Rampager has the ability to bounce back to your hand, potentially offering energy counters if you don’t have enough to pay for its stay on the field.

Looking at another kin, Avatar of the Resolute stands as a parallel, a card that thrives on accumulating counters. Where the Greenbelt Rampager uses energy as its currency, Avatar of the Resolute takes advantage of having numerous +1/+1 counters to enhance its strength. Moreover, unlike the Rampager, the Avatar rewards you for a commitment to a counter-focused deck strategy.

Ultimately, Greenbelt Rampager makes its mark among low-cost creatures in Magic: The Gathering, wielding a unique energy mechanic that can either accelerate your game when managed correctly or serve as a repeatable method for energy accumulation, distinguishing it from similar cards that often have a one-time cost or effect.

Scythe Tiger - MTG Card versions
Avatar of the Resolute - MTG Card versions
Scythe Tiger - Zendikar (ZEN)
Avatar of the Resolute - Dragons of Tarkir (DTK)

Cards similar to Greenbelt Rampager by color, type and mana cost

Scryb Sprites - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogre - MTG Card versions
Shanodin Dryads - MTG Card versions
Wall of Wood - MTG Card versions
Rime Dryad - MTG Card versions
Village Elder - MTG Card versions
Willow Dryad - MTG Card versions
Spike Drone - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Elite - MTG Card versions
Elvish Berserker - MTG Card versions
Tree Monkey - MTG Card versions
Norwood Ranger - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogress - MTG Card versions
Wild Dogs - MTG Card versions
Elvish Herder - MTG Card versions
Pouncing Jaguar - MTG Card versions
Taunting Elf - MTG Card versions
Sacred Prey - MTG Card versions
Stampede Driver - MTG Card versions
Scryb Sprites - Unlimited Edition (2ED)
Llanowar Elves - 30th Anniversary History Promos (P30H)
Ghazbán Ogre - Masters Edition (ME1)
Shanodin Dryads - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Wall of Wood - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Rime Dryad - Ice Age (ICE)
Village Elder - Mirage (MIR)
Willow Dryad - Portal (POR)
Spike Drone - Tempest (TMP)
Skyshroud Elite - Exodus (EXO)
Elvish Berserker - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Tree Monkey - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Norwood Ranger - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Ghazbán Ogress - Unglued (UGL)
Wild Dogs - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Elvish Herder - Urza's Saga (USG)
Pouncing Jaguar - Urza's Saga (USG)
Taunting Elf - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Sacred Prey - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Stampede Driver - Masters 25 (A25)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Greenbelt Rampager 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 Greenbelt Rampager and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Printings

The Greenbelt Rampager Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2017-01-20 and 2020-11-12. Illustrated by Filip Burburan.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12017-01-20Aether RevoltAER 1072015normalblackFilip Burburan
22017-01-20Aether Revolt PromosPAER 107s2015normalblackFilip Burburan
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 12282015normalblackFilip Burburan
42020-09-26The ListPLST AER-1072015normalblackFilip Burburan
52020-11-12Kaladesh RemasteredKLR 1602015normalblackFilip Burburan

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Greenbelt Rampager 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 Greenbelt Rampager 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 Energy counters are a kind of counter that a player may have. They’re not associated with specific permanents. (Other kinds of counters that players may have include poison and experience.)
2017-02-09 Energy counters aren’t mana. They don’t go away as steps, phases, and turns end, and effects that add mana “of any type” to your mana pool can’t give you energy counters.
2017-02-09 If an effect says you get one or more , you get that many energy counters. To pay one or more , you lose that many energy counters. Any effects that interact with counters a player gets, has, or loses can interact with energy counters.
2017-02-09 If you have only one , you can’t pay it even if you want to.
2017-02-09 If you have , you have to pay it, even if you don’t want to.
2017-02-09 Keep careful track of how many energy counters each player has. You may do so by keeping a running count on paper, by using a die, or by any other clear and mutually agreeable method.
2017-02-09 You can’t pay more energy counters than you have.
2017-02-09 is the energy symbol. It represents one energy counter.

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks