Crypt Ripper MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Shade
Abilities	Haste
Released	2009-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Zendikar
Set code	ZEN
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	85
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Dave Kendall

Key Takeaways

Crypt Ripper can often survive combat, improving card advantage and on-field bonuses.
Its mana abilities allow for a more aggressive strategy through resource acceleration.
Supports instant-speed plays by posing a substantial threat, optimizing versatility.

Text of card

Haste : Crypt Ripper gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

The tender light of the living quickens the pulse of the dead.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Crypt Ripper presents a strategic edge with its ability to enhance card advantage. With its toughness, it can often survive combat, ensuring it sticks around to keep any bonuses obtained.

Resource Acceleration: This creature card offers resource acceleration by potentially increasing your mana pool. Every time you play a Swamp, you boost Crypt Ripper’s power through its inherent mana abilities, allowing for a more aggressive game play.

Instant Speed: Though not an instant itself, Crypt Ripper complements a deck geared towards instant speed plays. It provides a substantial threat that must be dealt with while permitting you to keep mana open for other instant speed interactions on your opponent’s turn, making it a versatile card in various situations.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging as it may be, the Crypt Ripper demands a card discard as an additional cost. This mechanic could pose a setback if your hand is already dwindling and every card counts.

Specific Mana Cost: Taking advantage of Crypt Ripper’s abilities necessitates a commitment to black mana, potentially restricting its integration into multi-colored decks that can’t reliably generate the required mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite the allure of the creature’s strength, Crypt Ripper comes with a mana value that may be steep for some strategies, especially when other creatures or spells with lower costs could be more conducive to maintaining a swift and flexible gameplay.

Reasons to Include Crypt Ripper in Your Collection

Versatility: Crypt Ripper offers adaptability to multiple deck themes, thanks to its scalability with mana. It excels in decks that have a focus on increasing the number of swamps, as its power grows accordingly.

Combo Potential: This card shines in decks that utilize the swamp count, as its Haste ability allows it to be an immediate threat. Pairing Crypt Ripper with land ramp and swamp-doubling effects creates a formidable offensive combo.

Meta-Relevance: With decks that have a strong land focus trending in the current meta, Crypt Ripper can become an unexpectedly powerful asset, capable of swinging games with its potential for rapid and significant power growth.

How to beat

The Crypt Ripper card stands out in MTG as a force to be reckoned with, particularly for its Haste ability and the potential for boosting its power through its ability to increase strength on the fly with the mana-fueled boost. This combination can turn the Ripper into a relentless attacker that pressures opponents early in the game.

Confronting this shadowy menace requires a calculated approach. Efficient removal spells are your first line of defense. Consider using cost-effective spells like Fatal Push or Path to Exile to remove it from the board before the power boost becomes overwhelming. Counter spells are also effective in stopping the Ripper in its tracks—negating it before it can pose a threat. Moreover, creatures with ‘Deathtouch’ serve as a deterrent, discouraging attacks and potentially removing the Ripper without much cost.

Ultimately, keeping mana open for instant-speed responses and maintaining board control are key strategies. Understanding the pace of your opponent’s play and predicting when the Crypt Ripper might strike can turn the tide of battle in your favor, mitigating the threat it poses and keeping your life total safe from its sudden onslaught.

Cards like Crypt Ripper

Delving into the dark corridors of black mana spells leads us to Crypt Ripper, a creature card that gives players a formidable ally in the battlefield. Its haunting similarity with another creature, Vampire Nighthawk, is quite noticeable, mostly because both offer a blend of offense and defense. The Nighthawk is famed for its lifelink and deathtouch, while the Ripper specializes in boosting its power through the spend of black mana.

Another kin in its echelon is Quag Vampires. Like Crypt Ripper, these vampires thrive on mana investment, allowing players to scale the creature’s power and toughness through the multikicker ability. This flexibility could mean the difference between a swift win or a dragged-out battle.

Assessing these options, Crypt Ripper appeals to those who favor an aggressive style, capitalizing on the ever-flexible power pumping feature. When compared with its counterparts, the Ripper might not have the diverse abilities of the Nighthawk or the scalability of Quag Vampires, but it stands out in the sheer potency it can reach, transforming it into a potential game-ender with enough mana.

Cards similar to Crypt Ripper by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Crypt Ripper MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar, 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 Crypt Ripper and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Crypt Ripper has restrictions

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