Dirty Rat MTG Card

Unstable (UST)
2017-12-08 - Number 53

Unsanctioned (UND)
2020-02-29 - Number 34

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Host Creature — Rat
Power	1
Toughness	1
Un-set :-)	This card is part of an Un-set

Key Takeaways

Dirty Rat’s discard effect offers an edge by tilting card balance in your favor.
Being able to force a discard at instant speed disrupts opponents unexpectedly.
While potent, Dirty Rat’s mana cost and self-discarding can limit its use.

Text of card

When this creature enters the battlefield, target opponent discards a card.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Dirty Rat card forces your opponent to discard a card, effectively reducing their resources while maintaining your own. This disruptive ability can tilt the balance of card quantity in your favor, providing an edge during gameplay.

Resource Acceleration: While Dirty Rat itself doesn’t provide traditional mana acceleration, it disrupts your opponent’s hand which may slow down their resource acceleration. This inherent tempo advantage can translate into a form of indirect resource acceleration for the player using Dirty Rat.

Instant Speed: Although Dirty Rat is a creature, its unique ability to force a discard when it enters the battlefield can be leveraged at instant speed with the help of other cards that allow you to play creatures as though they had flash. This potential for instant-speed interaction can catch an opponent off-guard and disrupt their strategy at a critical moment.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Dirty Rat card forces your opponent to discard, it may also cause you to discard a card you need, negatively impacting your hand and strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Dirty Rat’s double black mana cost requires a commitment to black mana sources, potentially restricting deck flexibility and making it difficult to play in multi-colored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Dirty Rat’s mana value of two may be seen as a significant investment for an early game disruption tactic, especially when competing with other low-cost creatures or control spells in your deck’s curve.

Reasons to Include Dirty Rat in Your Collection

Versatility: Dirty Rat has a place in various deck builds, particularly those looking to disrupt opponents early in the game. Its ability to force an opponent to discard gives it strategic importance across multiple formats.

Combo Potential: Dirty Rat synergizes well with discard-focused strategies and can be a critical part of combos that take advantage of opponents having fewer cards in hand, like enhancing the effectiveness of mind rot effects or enabling reanimation spells.

Meta-Relevance: Given its utility in dealing with opponents’ hands, Dirty Rat has relevance in metas where hand disruption is crucial. It can be especially potent in metagames heavy on combo decks, removing key pieces before they can be played.

How to beat

Dirty Rat is a notorious card that often catches players off guard in Magic: The Gathering. Known for its ability to disrupt the opponent’s hand, it’s a creature that forces the adversary to discard a card as soon as it hits the battlefield. This feature makes it a staple in decks aiming to create early game advantage and to deprive opponents of key resources. However, there are strategies to mitigate the impact of Dirty Rat and turn the tides of the match.

One effective method is to hold on to cards that are less valuable or have recursion abilities, leaving critical spells safe in your hand. Another approach is using instant-speed cards to draw or flash, allowing you to replenish your hand immediately, reducing the rat’s sting. Lastly, if Dirty Rat has become a common threat in your games, consider incorporating hexproof abilities or counterspells into your deck to protect your hand, denying the rat its disruptive entry. By anticipating this diminutive yet potent foe, you can preserve your plan and maintain control over the game.

Combatting Dirty Rat requires forethought and the understanding that its power lies in hand disruption. With calculated play and a deck tailored to counteract its effect, you’ll find this card to be less daunting and more like a minor nuisance in your path to victory.

Cards like Dirty Rat

Within the vast collection of Magic: The Gathering, Dirty Rat lends itself to the archetype of disruptive creatures. Casting a shadow over cards such as Burglar Rat, Dirty Rat shares the ability to force opponent’s hand disruption, yet stands unique due to its immediate impact upon entering the battlefield. Burglar Rat also compels a discard, but lacks the instant pressure Dirty Rat can apply during your opponent’s most crucial turns.

Chittering Rats is another relative worth mentioning as it not only forces a discard but also disrupts the top deck, adding a layer of control over the impending draw. Although it has a higher mana cost compared to Dirty Rat, the added control can be pivotal. Hypnotic Specter, while costlier in mana and part of the older sets, has a stronger presence on the battlefield, turning each attack into a potential discard, posing a continuous threat that Dirty Rat does not maintain after summoning.

In the realm of hand disruption cards, Dirty Rat stands out for its immediate and disruptive play, proving that simple actions can have a significant impact on the direction of a match. It may not have the lasting presence of Hypnotic Specter, but its value in strategic and timely hand disruption is undeniable.

Cards similar to Dirty Rat by color, type and mana cost

Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dirty Rat MTG card by a specific set like Unstable and Unsanctioned, 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 Dirty Rat and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Dirty Rat Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-12-08 and 2020-02-29. Illustrated by Kari Christensen.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2017-12-08	Unstable	UST		53	2015	Host	Silver	Kari Christensen
2	2020-02-29	Unsanctioned	UND		34	2015	Host	Silver	Kari Christensen

Rules and information

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