I am hoping this guy's price goes down so I can put one in my standard "dredge" deck I plan on building.
Xilinoc
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Well sh*t.
axiobeta
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
I'd like to see the price go down to, and it probably will. This guy only really has a place (right now) as a one-of in Pod. The prohibitive price will stop people from trying it out, and hopefully it'll end up under $20 Can't wait to ruinate somebody though. From teh graveyard. 5/5
Lyoncet
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(3 votes)
This is one of those cards whose fortunes will rise and fall with the rest of the Innistrad block. He's completely dependent on other cards, but with the right support suite, he's an absolute monster. But you have to be heavy blue, you have to be heavy dredge, and you have to be heavy creatures. Not many decks can pull that off, but if those decks get the right cards to work, he'll be cleaning house.
I really want a playset (yeah, right $$$$) just so I can one day cast two of them on turn six off of two Jace, Memory Adept activations.
Comboes with Ruination. Target player punches you in the balls, then scoops. Open six prize packs.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Love is the only thing that can save this poor creature, and I am going to convince him that he is loved even at the cost of my own life. No matter what you hear in there, no matter how cruelly I beg you, no matter how terribly I may scream, do not open this door or you will undo everything I have worked for. Do you understand? Do not open this door.
Inga: Yes, Doctor.
Igor: Nice working with ya.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Let me out. Let me out of here. Get me the hell out of here. What's the matter with you people? I was joking! Don't you know a joke when you hear one? HA-HA-HA-HA. Jesus Christ, get me out of here! Open this goddamn door or I'll kick your rotten heads in! Mommy!
jthrock1337
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Helluva combo with birthing pod... and if you don't want to pay the extra cost again, just sun titan him back on the battlefield, better yet, sun titan your phantasmal image into a sun titan into a Ruinator. Although that could just be #morewinning
TherealphatMatt
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(11 votes)
Reminds me of Phyrexian Obliterator, in that he's stupidly cheap, mythic, powerful, and will probably cost a ton of money.
sonorhC
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
BarryOgg, I checked in here just to make sure that someone posted that comment.
DragonicSphinx
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
He ruins my day. :P
KarmasPayment
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"Blue Vengevine zombie?" ~Hayw00d0909
It personally reminds me of Tombstalker But it's both better and worse, better in the fact it takes down the stalker and you can cast it from the grave while removing less things from your graveyard. Worse in the fact that you need 3x creatures in the grave, not just any cards such as your spent disruption and removal, along with the extra to cast it. Nonetheless, seems like it could be ridiculous for standard, and to have some potential in Legacy.
@Lyoncet, as others have said, Birthing Pod means you don't have to run blue at all; you don't have to dredge at all; and you can be less creature heavy than you'd think. And I'd tip we see this guy in Pod long before any other successful build makes good use.
Quibbleflux
★★★★☆ (4.5/5.0)(13 votes)
When I look at this card I see one thing.
Big Daddy.
TheRealOak
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Pulled this little guy at the Pre-Release. Funny, my wife went with me just to see what goes on at one so she didnt pay. Sitting at the table in front of me, a DCI judge hands her 6 packs of cards.... Whats the win? I GOT THEM >:D
ExarVes
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This was my only blue pull at prerelease, and my only mythic. Really, my only decent rare. I played mono blue self-milling, rode this guy to victory almost every game. Probably not so viable outside limited/pod decks, but your opponents sure are ***ed when you get him out.
scorpiolegend
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(3 votes)
A creature with flashback? A CREATURE WITH FLASHBACK!
Knick_Knack
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Absolutely the most wonderful part of this card is casting from the graveyard. You don't have to regulate your milling!
I pulled one of these in a fat pack, and from what I've seen, the most powerful, simple counter to him is a simple Unsummon or something similar. If you can make him hexproof (which is not very difficult), watch your opponents despair.
The_Wolf
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(2 votes)
@TherealphatMatt The difference is that Phyrexian Obliterator goes in any deck that can cast it, while this guy requires a specific type of deck to shine.
Astraea
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(6 votes)
Cthulhu, what are you doing here? Go home.
starfox444
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(9 votes)
Living the dream means pulling up Skaab Ruinator and 3 other creatures with a Forbidden Alchemy.
This is exactly what a mythic rare with equal or overloaded P/T and a keyword ability should be. IT HAS A DRAWBACK! *Glares at Wurmcoil Engine, Phyrexian Obliterator, Titans and whatnot*
AncientTimer
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Very powerful but appears to be balanced due to the constraint on casting requirements. I want to see more of this kind of stuff instead of Consecrated Sphinx, Phyrexian Obliterator and Baneslayer Angel which are just plain broken. 5/5
Yeah and in addition I would like to see this powerful creatures in Green too...
TheNK
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Only $8 now. Im getting one!
Shadoflaam
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
HEAVY HANGS THE CROOOOOOOOOOOOOOWN...
Tiemuuu
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just pulled this from a booster pack. I was absolutely staggered by my luck, and I think my neighbours heard it too... Gee, I was hoping for a plainswalker, but I'm actually even happier with getting my Skaab!
It was supposed to be just another lazy Saturday, but I decided to go and check if the locall stall would be selling Magic cards again. I was already blasted by the fact that the booster box was finally there! I was going to pick the top boosters from each section, but then, my hand hesitated. I decided to make a gamble, and took my third booster from the mid-section instead. Looks like it was a decision I won't be regretting... When getting Angel of Flight Alabaster and Sulfur Falls just doesn't quite suffice /,,/
Time to make me a zombie deck, yay!
ZestuXIII
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(13 votes)
Dredge called. It wants Standard back.
Superllama12
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(11 votes)
This thing is beautiful!!! It obviously doesn't go in every single blue deck, and requires a specialized build. However, it is big, splashy, and when you play it, you feel like you broke the card! This is exactly how a mythic should be--fun, but not unbeatable
Arachibutyrophobia
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
this card was hugely overvalued in the beginning. it was like $15. lol
SkaerKrow
★☆☆☆☆ (1.7/5.0)(3 votes)
Overrated by quite a bit. Sure, it comes out early. So does Doom Blade and Go For The Throat. Any variant of Unsummon also ruins this guy's day. Dies to removal is arguably an overused cliche, but in this guy's case it's rather poignant. Not a bad card, mind you, but no better than a 3/5 in any competitive environment.
Megapossum
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Just need 2 more for a playset. I love the exile zombies from Innistrad. they bring balance to what would normally be insane. major props.
LordRandomness
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(9 votes)
Self-mill makes this thing nuts.
"Doom blade." "I re-cast it." "Go for the throat." "I re-cast it." "Sever the Bloodline! HA!" "I sacrifice the one you're targeting in response. (Altar's Reap, Stitcher's Apprentice, plenty of sac outlets)" "Dismember?" "Too big." "Memoricide!" "Hmm, yep, that'll do it. Good thing I've got a couple counterspells for the few cards that can deal with it."
Asmodi0000
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Finally had a chance to play it in a deck built around it.
It's a fantastic card. A 5/6 flyer is a solid win condition, and since it only costs 3 mana that leaves the rest open for counterspells so he can remain the biggest thing on the board.
In my last game with him, he got dayed and had his throat torn out a few times, but with Jace's Archivist, Solemn Simulcrum, Derranged Assistant, and plenty of illusions (which, for once, I was pretty glad they died so easily), I ended up recasting him from the graveyard five times without much effort.
The funny thing was, even when I had a Ruinator out along with 3 other creatures and my opponent used Day of Judgement, I didn't really feel like I was set back that far because the next turn I simply recast the Ruinator using those three creatures.
I thought I might need to run more than 2 copies in the deck that focused on him, but one copy alone managed to do one hell of a job. Overall, I was surprised how early this guy can start beating face, but more importantly how long he can.
LPFan55
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(6 votes)
Hey, play yawgmoth's will and you can cast this from your gra... Oh... wait...
hello4am
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
i can't believe no one else is playing this guy in their U/W illusions decks.
Axelle
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(9 votes)
If my opponent ever keeps getting rid of this card while I'm playing it, I'll say "Hey, why are you picking at my Skaab?"
And when I deal combat damage with it, I'll say "In Soviet Russia, Skaab picks AT YOU!"
JanusAurelius
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I hate this things name, it just doesn't fit.
Tsuichoi
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Unique, straight-forward, and powerful fun. Whats not to love?
DeaTh-ShiNoBi
★★★★☆ (4.0/5.0)(2 votes)
Mirror-Mad Phantasm (a fellow Mythic Rare from the same set) is a wonderful self-milling card to combine with this. Mirror-Mad Phantasm can practically self-mill your whole library.
j_mindfingerpainter
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
With an opening hand of this, 3 other creatures, and Lion's Eye Diamond, you can cast it your first turn. But of course, you can do anything with Lion's Eye Diamond.
Hanksingle
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(4 votes)
Some of my favorite art from Innistrad, and I've finally built a self-mill to use it in.
Incredibly cruel card in pod.
Demonic_Math_Tutor
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Type your comment here... I am honestly speechless...
I just notcied you can cast this from the graveyard. This is going to go so sweet with cards like @Molten-Tail Masticore , @Semblance Anvil , @Moorland Haunt and @Misthollow Griffin through in some counterspells ponders 2 mana extra turns maybe a @Surgical Extraction and with @Back from the Brink you've got a really sweet deck.
gatorjunkie
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I just ordered 4 of these for $1.50 each! I can't wait to play with this guy. I am constructing a casual deck and here is what I have so far:
The strategy is to generate massive card advantage by just getting a bunch of stuff in your graveyard that can easily come out. That makes 16 creatures that can come out of the graveyard.
I have 15 cards (including the 4 Trinket Mage's) that fetch me artifacts to get Metalcraft for the Phoenix. I also have a way tutor up a second or third Myr Servitor.
I have 10 ways to discard stuff in my graveyard, and with the high creature count there is a good chance I can get Skaab Ruinator out on turn 3.
krauser-gogetthegirl
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This guy is underrated in standard right now. Once scars rotates and Return to Ravnica is out, this guy is gonna be huge. Hold on to your copies.
Ramen_King
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(4 votes)
This should ruin alot of games in the TRI-STATE AREA.
Kesth
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(1 vote)
@Ramen_King Nice reference :D
BongRipper420
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm almost surprised this is not a demon.
pedrodyl
★★★☆☆ (3.0/5.0)(1 vote)
It's that third ability that makes this card all the more awesome
Emperorerror
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(1 vote)
Should totally have Islandwalk and Swampwalk, that would be cool.
MRK1
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
A black creature in blue? How rare.
Will ruinate your graveyard. Use with caution.
chainsmoker
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
with sun titan you need not to remove them buddies. also how sad for people who pulled this just to see its price tag to be ruinated. good news for people who can now easily afford it.
Arachnos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
At only 3 CMC, this abomination is absolutely terrifying.
jbump75
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
If you have a Torpor Orb in play, do you still have to pay the additional casting cost?
JimmyNoobPlayer
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@jbump75: Yes. Abilities have nothing to do with additional costs.
@Xineombine: I remember seeing an opponent sac Viridian Emissary to get the Ruinator. I didn't win that match.
Dragonshoredreamz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This is one of the most fascinating Skaabs I've ever come across. I constructed a mono-blue deck just for this creature. The direction of the deck itself is fairly linear but to take full advantage of Skaab Ruinator you more or less need to sacrifice some facets that would normally be present in any given blue deck. Either way, it's very interesting stuff to work with!
He definitely packs some serious refreshment for blue in general.
Really awesome art. Wicked concept as well.
Love it. Live it.
zzxyyzx
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
The last ability turns this already powerful card into an absolute monster. Mill yourself indiscriminately and you can easily get this guy out to wreck face. And if they burn or destroy him, just cast him again. Run a few sac engines and you possibly could protect him from almost anything your opponents could throw at him.
In a dedicated self-mill deck this functions similarly to Ghoultree in that it doesn't die like Splinterfright when your graveyard is exiled. It does shrink Splinterfright by 3 but you're bringing 5 power with flying into the equation...
blurrymadness
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Very cool as a finisher in decks with a lot of evoke creatures.
You're already swapping spells for creature spells and keeping their effects. Getting a second use out of them is grand! See Mulldrifter and AEthersnipe (and ghostly flicker!) for great ways to exploit this guy and them.
Further, looting effects (prominent in blue) turn him into card advantage.
Petertracy
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(3 votes)
:') The final boss of blue zombies. What an awesome card.
Comments (71)
Can't wait to ruinate somebody though. From teh graveyard. 5/5
I really want a playset (yeah, right $$$$) just so I can one day cast two of them on turn six off of two Jace, Memory Adept activations.
Ruinating the peasants,
Ruinating all the peoples,
And their thatched-roof COTTAGES!!
THATCHED-ROOF COTTAGES!
And the Skaabdor comes from the GRAVEYAAAAARD!
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Love is the only thing that can save this poor creature, and I am going to convince him that he is loved even at the cost of my own life. No matter what you hear in there, no matter how cruelly I beg you, no matter how terribly I may scream, do not open this door or you will undo everything I have worked for. Do you understand? Do not open this door.
Inga: Yes, Doctor.
Igor: Nice working with ya.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Let me out. Let me out of here. Get me the hell out of here. What's the matter with you people? I was joking! Don't you know a joke when you hear one? HA-HA-HA-HA. Jesus Christ, get me out of here! Open this goddamn door or I'll kick your rotten heads in! Mommy!
~Hayw00d0909
It personally reminds me of Tombstalker But it's both better and worse, better in the fact it takes down the stalker and you can cast it from the grave while removing less things from your graveyard. Worse in the fact that you need 3x creatures in the grave, not just any cards such as your spent disruption and removal, along with the extra
While I'm at it, Reassembling Skeleton.
Big Daddy.
Funny, my wife went with me just to see what goes on at one so she didnt pay.
Sitting at the table in front of me, a DCI judge hands her 6 packs of cards....
Whats the win? I GOT THEM >:D
I pulled one of these in a fat pack, and from what I've seen, the most powerful, simple counter to him is a simple Unsummon or something similar. If you can make him hexproof (which is not very difficult), watch your opponents despair.
The difference is that Phyrexian Obliterator goes in any deck that can cast it, while this guy requires a specific type of deck to shine.
Yeah and in addition I would like to see this powerful creatures in Green too...
It was supposed to be just another lazy Saturday, but I decided to go and check if the locall stall would be selling Magic cards again. I was already blasted by the fact that the booster box was finally there! I was going to pick the top boosters from each section, but then, my hand hesitated. I decided to make a gamble, and took my third booster from the mid-section instead. Looks like it was a decision I won't be regretting... When getting Angel of Flight Alabaster and Sulfur Falls just doesn't quite suffice /,,/
Time to make me a zombie deck, yay!
"Doom blade."
"I re-cast it."
"Go for the throat."
"I re-cast it."
"Sever the Bloodline! HA!"
"I sacrifice the one you're targeting in response. (Altar's Reap, Stitcher's Apprentice, plenty of sac outlets)"
"Dismember?"
"Too big."
"Memoricide!"
"Hmm, yep, that'll do it. Good thing I've got a couple counterspells for the few cards that can deal with it."
It's a fantastic card. A 5/6 flyer is a solid win condition, and since it only costs 3 mana that leaves the rest open for counterspells so he can remain the biggest thing on the board.
In my last game with him, he got dayed and had his throat torn out a few times, but with Jace's Archivist, Solemn Simulcrum, Derranged Assistant, and plenty of illusions (which, for once, I was pretty glad they died so easily), I ended up recasting him from the graveyard five times without much effort.
The funny thing was, even when I had a Ruinator out along with 3 other creatures and my opponent used Day of Judgement, I didn't really feel like I was set back that far because the next turn I simply recast the Ruinator using those three creatures.
I thought I might need to run more than 2 copies in the deck that focused on him, but one copy alone managed to do one hell of a job. Overall, I was surprised how early this guy can start beating face, but more importantly how long he can.
Oh... wait...
And when I deal combat damage with it, I'll say "In Soviet Russia, Skaab picks AT YOU!"
Incredibly cruel card in pod.
I am honestly speechless...
Skaab Ruinator x4
Kuldotha Phoenix x4
Reassembling Skeleton x4
Molten-Tail Masticore x2
Trinket Mage x4
Mox Opal x1
Myr Servitor x4
Sliversmith x4
Magus of the Bazaar x4
Bone Splinters x4
The strategy is to generate massive card advantage by just getting a bunch of stuff in your graveyard that can easily come out. That makes 16 creatures that can come out of the graveyard.
I have 15 cards (including the 4 Trinket Mage's) that fetch me artifacts to get Metalcraft for the Phoenix. I also have a way tutor up a second or third Myr Servitor.
I have 10 ways to discard stuff in my graveyard, and with the high creature count there is a good chance I can get Skaab Ruinator out on turn 3.
Nice reference :D
Will ruinate your graveyard. Use with caution.
also how sad for people who pulled this just to see its price tag to be ruinated.
good news for people who can now easily afford it.
@Xineombine: I remember seeing an opponent sac Viridian Emissary to get the Ruinator. I didn't win that match.
I constructed a mono-blue deck just for this creature. The direction of the deck itself is fairly linear but to take full advantage of Skaab Ruinator you more or less need to sacrifice some facets that would normally be present in any given blue deck. Either way, it's very interesting stuff to work with!
He definitely packs some serious refreshment for blue in general.
Really awesome art. Wicked concept as well.
Love it. Live it.
In a dedicated self-mill deck this functions similarly to Ghoultree in that it doesn't die like Splinterfright when your graveyard is exiled. It does shrink Splinterfright by 3 but you're bringing 5 power with flying into the equation...
You're already swapping spells for creature spells and keeping their effects. Getting a second use out of them is grand! See Mulldrifter and AEthersnipe (and ghostly flicker!) for great ways to exploit this guy and them.
Further, looting effects (prominent in blue) turn him into card advantage.
The final boss of blue zombies.
What an awesome card.
Read the last two lines... Also, research self mill, the deck this is supposed to be played in.