Hired Muscle // Scarmaker MTG Card

Hired Muscle // Scarmaker - Betrayers of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Warrior
Released	2005-02-04
Set symbol
Set name	Betrayers of Kamigawa
Set code	BOK
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	69
Frame	2003
Layout	Flip
Border	Black
Illustred by	Arnie Swekel

Key Takeaways

Hired Muscle transforms at instant speed, elevating game tactics with its surprise factor.
Low casting cost and flip ability for Scarmaker ensure tempo and resource efficiency.
Demands card discard for flipping, which can be a strategic disadvantage later on.

Text of card

Whenever you play a Spirit or Arcane spell, you may put a ki counter on Hired Muscle. At end of turn, if there are two or more ki counters on Hired Muscle, you may flip it.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: When discussing Hired Muscle, also known in its flip form as Scarmaker, this card presents a unique dual nature that provides long-term value. With the ability to transform into Scarmaker, you effectively obtain two creatures in one card, maximizing your resources. In addition, Scarmaker’s ability to discard cards for an effect plays into strategies that benefit from cycling through your deck, potentially offering indirect card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Hired Muscle’s low casting cost makes it an accessible play early in the game, contributing to an efficient mana curve. As Scarmaker, it further accelerates resources through its potential to churn through your deck, getting to your key cards quicker. This makes the card a versatile asset in decks focusing on tempo and resource management.

Instant Speed: The transformation from Hired Muscle to Scarmaker occurs at instant speed, allowing for unexpected plays and maintaining the element of surprise. This can disrupt opponent strategies and creates opportunities for powerful interactions on your opponent’s turn, keeping you one step ahead.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Hired Muscle // Scarmaker necessitates discarding a card for its flipping mechanic. This can be a steep price, particularly in late-game scenarios where holding onto every card is critical. Depleting your hand can sometimes leave you vulnerable and unable to counter your opponent’s moves.

Specific Mana Cost: With its Black mana cost, Hired Muscle // Scarmaker is tailored for mono-Black or certain two-color decks. This can restrict deck building options, limiting the card’s versatility across the different archetypes commonly seen in the game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana for a 2/2 creature isn’t the most mana-efficient investment, especially when considering other creatures at the same cost can offer more impact on the board. When you’re aiming to maintain tempo or establish dominance early, it can underperform compared to alternatives.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Hired Muscle // Scarmaker brings flexibility to your deck-building. As a flip card, it serves dual functions – starting as a creature that can become an enchantment later on. This allows you to tailor your strategy depending on the game’s state and react dynamically to your opponents’ moves.

Combo Potential: With its ability to flip into Scarmaker, this card opens the door to various combo possibilities. It can act as a key piece in setups that manipulate counters or take advantage of switching card types, tapping into the synergies that emerge from its unique mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In metas where versatility and adaptability are crucial, Hired Muscle // Scarmaker secures its spot by catering to various roles your deck might need. It’s able to hold its own in formats where the ability to evolve and conform to the board is invaluable.

How to beat

Hired Muscle, known for its ability to transform into Scarmaker, presents a unique challenge in the world of Magic: The Gathering. This card offers a strategic flexibility that can be hard to play against. While in its initial form as Hired Muscle, the card acts as a steady creature but once it flips into Scarmaker, it becomes a much more potent threat, giving all your creatures fear and making them unblockable by except black or artifact creatures.

To counter this formidable card, focus on removal spells that can target Hired Muscle before its transformation takes place. Direct damage or “destroy creature” spells are especially effective here. If Scarmaker is already on the board, consider wider-reaching removals that can bypass the fear ability, such as board wipes or spells that don’t target creatures directly. It’s also worth maintaining a strong defense with creatures that can block black creatures or utilizing artifact creatures that aren’t hindered by fear. Having these strategies in place will significantly diminish the impact of Hired Muscle // Scarmaker and keep your board state secure.

Understanding the nature of the battlefield and having the right answers at the right time are key to maintaining an edge over a card as versatile as Hired Muscle // Scarmaker. Keep your removal options varied and your defenses up to ensure that this double-sided card doesn’t tip the scales against you.

Cards like Hired Muscle // Scarmaker

Hired Muscle, which converts into Scarmaker, offers versatility unique among creature cards in Magic: The Gathering. Its flip mechanism is reminiscent of the transform cards from the Innistrad block, like Delver of Secrets that turns into Insectile Aberration. While Delver changes upon meeting a spell condition, Hired Muscle evolves with the usage of Ki counters, marking a different kind of resource management for players.

Furthermore, Loyal Subordinate is another creature that exudes a threatening presence like Scarmaker, imposing a loss of life to opponents during your upkeep if you control your commander. Although it doesn’t transform, the consistent pressure it applies echoes the intimidating effect Scarmaker has once it’s unleashed onto the battlefield.

To sum up, Hired Muscle’s dual nature provides a tactical depth to gameplay, and its comparison to creatures like Delver of Secrets and Loyal Subordinate highlights the variety of strategic applications available in creature-based decks, each with their unique advantages in terms of adaptability, timing, and board impact.

Cards similar to Hired Muscle // Scarmaker by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hired Muscle // Scarmaker MTG card by a specific set like Betrayers of Kamigawa, 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 Hired Muscle // Scarmaker and other MTG cards: