Scrap MTG Card

Urza's Saga (USG)
1998-10-12 - Number 213

Scrap - The Brothers' War Commander (BRC)

The Brothers' War Commander (BRC)
2022-11-18 - Number 12

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant
Abilities	Cycling

Key Takeaways

Scrap offers card advantage through deck digging and instant speed actions during opponents’ turns.
Resource acceleration from Scrap can dictate game tempo but may pose mana cost challenges.
Adaptability makes Scrap valuable in various decks, yet understanding its cons is crucial.

Text of card

Destroy target artifact. Cycling (You may pay and discard this card from your hand to draw a card. Play this ability as an instant.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Scrap card is a powerhouse when it comes to digging deeper into your deck, offering you the chance to replace itself in your hand and furthering your strategic depth as you play. The ability to pull more cards into your hand can often be the difference between winning or finding yourself at a stalemate.

Resource Acceleration: By converting unwanted elements into potential resources, Scrap facilitates an acceleration in game pace. This is especially pivotal if you’re pushing for an early advantage or trying to execute your win condition more swiftly than your adversary can respond.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of instant speed cards cannot be overstated. With Scrap, the ability to interact during your opponent’s turn or at the end of their end phase allows for adaptability and can catch opponents off-guard, fortifying your position without compromising your offensive or defensive strategies during your own turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks of using a Scrap card is the potential necessity to discard other cards from your hand. This can place you in a precarious position, especially if your hand size is depleted and you’re forced to forfeit valuable resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Scrap cards often come with a stringent mana requirement, sometimes demanding a particular color or combination thereof. This can make it challenging to incorporate them into a multi-color deck, potentially restricting their playability to specific archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Most notably, a selection of Scrap cards commands a high mana cost relative to their effects on the game. While the outcomes they provide can be impactful, there may be alternative cards that achieve similar results for less mana, thereby offering a more economical use of your resources within a match.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: A Scrap card in Magic the Gathering serves multiple purposes across various deck builds, leveraging flexibility in strategies that require artifact manipulation or graveyard synergy.

Combo Potential: Integrating a Scrap card can open doors to numerous combos, particularly in decks focusing on artifact recursion or self-mill tactics to capitalize on its innate traits.

Meta-Relevance: Given a meta that rewards inventive deck construction, including Scrap cards may provide a competitive edge, especially if the current trends lean towards innovative artifact playstyles.

How to beat

Scrap is a unique card that can be a bit of a conundrum for MTG players. In essence, it serves as a way to counter threats by removing an artifact from the game in exchange for a creature card later on, but knowing how to effectively handle Scrap when it’s played can make all the difference. Timing is key. If you suspect your opponent has Scrap in their hand, it’s often wise to bait it out with a less valuable artifact first.

Another method for tackling Scrap is by using graveyard manipulation spells, which can render Scrap’s delayed creature benefit moot. Cards that can exile artifacts directly from the graveyard ensure that even if the artifact is scrapped, it won’t come back to haunt you later. Lastly, don’t overlook the power of instant speed removal to take care of the creature that eventually emerges from the Scrap play. Staying one step ahead of the game with these strategies can greatly reduce Scrap’s impact on the battlefield.

Remember that patience and anticipation are your best tools against a Scrap strategy. By carefully managing the flow of your artifacts and keeping removal at the ready, you can mitigate the potential advantage that Scrap provides to your opponent. With thoughtfulness and strategy, Scrap can go from being a threat to a minor nuisance in your MTG matchups.

Cards like Scrap

Scrap is an intriguing utility spell for MTG players, offering a nuanced approach to resource management. Its closest relative in function is perhaps the card Shredded Sails. Both cards provide an answer to artifacts, which can be a persistent threat on the battlefield. However, Scrap offers more versatility, granting the option to gain life equal to the artifact’s power, making it a valuable card in a pinch against artifact-heavy decks.

Then there’s Naturalize, a staple in green decks for its straightforward artifact and enchantment removal. While it lacks the life gain feature that Scrap boasts, its simplicity and broader target range can make it a go-to in many sideboards. Comparatively, Forsake the Worldly not only allows you to exile an artifact or enchantment, but also includes cycling, giving you the flexibility to draw a card if the removal effect isn’t needed.

Evaluating the alternatives, Scrap’s ability to disrupt opponents while simultaneously providing life points positions it uniquely among MTG artifact interaction spells. It strikes a fine balance between defensive and offensive utility, offering strategic depth to those who wield it in their decks.

Cards similar to Scrap by color, type and mana cost

Merchant of the Vale // Haggle - MTG Card versions

Path of Anger's Flame - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scrap MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga and The Brothers' War Commander, 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 Scrap and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Scrap Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1998-10-12 and 2022-11-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1998-10-12	Urza's Saga	USG		213	1997	Normal	Black	Donato Giancola
2	2022-11-18	The Brothers' War Commander	BRC		12	2015	Token	Black	Drew Tucker

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Scrap has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2008-10-01	Cycling is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not.