I have very bad memories of this card. Ravager affinity anyone?
stygimoloch
★★★★☆ (4.8/5.0)(13 votes)
@ Mode: I guess they're some kind of naturally-occurring artifact creature on Mirrodin? The Mirrodin equivalent of the Baloth or Thrinax or Jhovall maybe?
As monstrous as Ravager undoubtedly was, the real evil power behind the throne was Disciple of the Vault.
MasterOfEtherium
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.8/5.0)(17 votes)
Beast Of Metal Town He Eats F-250S For Breakfeast
ScissorsLizard
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
The card itself was only broken because of all the other broken Mirrodin cards: anyone remember Skullclamp? Disciple of the Vault? The artifact lands? They all combined with the Ravager to make something awful.
SlackWareWolf
★☆☆☆☆ (1.2/5.0)(13 votes)
Quit saying it's broken or we're going to end up with another damn Homelands style set where NOTHING is good because they were too busy making it "Balanced".
Mode
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(3 votes)
(from 12/31/2008:) it would maybe even not have been that broken if this card wasn't released in Mirrodin Block along with artifact lands like Seat of the Synod and affinity cards like Frogmite.
another thing, why did The Grand Creature Type Update not assign all arcbound creatures the subtype "Construct"? they look a lot like this to me, and at least the Arcbound Worker has obtained that type as well. at any rate they all have something significant in common. and if they aren't constructs, wouldn't it be worth considering to give them the new creature type "Arcbound" instead?
Edit: yeah stygimoloch, Disciple of the Vault was definitely the second tech card that made Ravager Affinity that powerful. on the other hand, if it hadn't been for a mana base of artifact lands and further free artifact cards there wouldn't have been such an impact after all. but you're right, his trigger is still very powerful for a one-drop even when disregarding these conditions.
Mill_Master
★☆☆☆☆ (1.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Works extremely well with one Mycosyth Golem, 2 Myr Retrievers and a Brain Freeze.
ClockworkSwordfish
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(4 votes)
It's only broken in context. In an environment without any other Mirrodin cards and probably no Esper cards either, it would not be anything near as good. With even just Mirrodin-block though, ...hoo boy.
Behalter
★★☆☆☆ (2.8/5.0)(4 votes)
Freaking awesome card, was overpowerd in its day, but with the huge power climb now (path to exile, doom blade, o-rings etc.) its not as bad, although still insanely powerful and therefore awesome :)
BAN Affinity for Artifacts and allow Arcbound Ravager to return.
kronos539
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(6 votes)
can you sacrifice it to itself??
18scsc
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(2 votes)
person 1: i sacrifice all 89 of my aartafect tokens youre gona die. Person 2: oh yah vampire hex mage.
srsly do this card rocks
Luke_BPC
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
In context? This thing can unleash hell even if the only other thing in play is another Ravager. Also, it happens to bring back Sword of the Meek when it comes into play. I played with and against it when it came out. It does look even more scary in Mirrodin, but there were already enough artifacts out to sack for him, and they'll only keep comming. This guy is scary anytime it hits the battlefield.
phantom.lance
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(13 votes)
this little critter had so much power, it wasn't even funny. if you haven't used one of these in an affinity deck, you haven't lived. there's a reason why it's cousin set is called "scars of mirrodin" lol
boneclub
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
@kronos539: Yes you can.
JoshuaFH
★★☆☆☆ (2.3/5.0)(9 votes)
I'm probably miserably misinformed, but I must ask: why is everyone touting this card around as being so powerful? I just don't see it.
Rumblin-Slumm
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(14 votes)
@JoshuaFH:
Consider a set that is almost entirely made up of artifacts. Consider lands that count as artifacts, ornithopters and frogmites. Now consider that Desciple of the Vault makes an opponent lose 1 life whenever an artifact goes to the GY. Combine this with the fact that many Ravager Affinity decks could play out 4+ artifacts on turn 1 due to affinity, Ravager on 2, and use convolluted mechanics to swing with something crazy like a 12/12 Ravager on turn 3, and when Ravager is blocked, they sac him to himself and give thier unblocked Ornithopter 13 +1/+1 counters... Thats a pretty dead opponent...
Doom_Lich
★★★★☆ (4.2/5.0)(6 votes)
@ 18scsc:
"person 1: i sacrifice all 89 of my aartafect tokens youre gona die. Person 2: oh yah vampire hex mage.
srsly do this card rocks"
In response , person 1 sacs it to itself and put the counters onto his remaining arcbound worker. Honestly, if you're saying that, you don't understand the card. The one of the most powerful aspects of this card is that word modular. You just leave a single artifact creature open in case of removal. And even counter removal doesn't work because it can sac itself in response.
So yeah, "srsly do this card rocks".
Gelzo
★★★☆☆ (3.9/5.0)(4 votes)
If I understand the rules correctly, you could sacrifice it to pay the cost of the ability, but it would be countered since it would not have a target after paying the cost.
So you won't get an extra counter out of the deal, but it's useful if you need to dump all the counters on another artifact creature.
Joshua, put it this way, this thing was SO GOD DAMN POWERFUL, they were scared to put it in FTV: Exiled, which also had Balance, Berserk, and Tinker.
And they were scared to put it in FTV: Relics, next to Memory Jar, Nevinyrral's Disk, and Isochron Scepter.
They DID give Skullclamp and Aether Vial a FTV treatment, but NOT Arcbound Ravager and Disciple of the Vault. Because those guys are just scary, and should not be reprinted. In the context of the existence of 'card type-artifact' in the game, those two are the most horrifying dudes you can face across the table. except Basic Island, Go.
all joking aside though, seriously- Ravager's LEGIT.
land_comment
★★☆☆☆ (2.2/5.0)(3 votes)
Whoa...
I never saw the modular part... I just thought it was broken because of the power...
Not that the +1+1 counters basically never go away!!!!!!!!!!!!1
SeiberTross
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
You may take quite a beating for it, but you can Dismantle whatever got all those counters when they're done bouncing them around.
pigknight
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(6 votes)
Dies to rem- wait a second...it lives on even after being killed...
Hoonster
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(4 votes)
@18scsc - Sure buddy. Someone is stupid enough to put all the counters on Arcbound Ravager when Vampire Hexmage is on the field. What kind of stupid argument is that? Arcbound Ravager also can stack on Vampire Hexmage's ability and give all the counters to another artifact creature. Arcbound can easily dodge Hexmage's ability. Stupid argument is stupid.
Now add to it the ability to sacrifice any artifact to add another +1/+1 counter. In a block that has Ornithopter, that has Frogmite and Myr Enforcer that can become 0 cost artifacts with affinity, that has the aforementioned Arcbound Worker, that has 6 different artifact lands and that has a 1 drop that deals 1 damage to opponent every time an artifact hits the graveyard from the battlefield.
How much more should this cost? 1. Yeah. 1. This card's pretty good.
draco_nite
★★★★☆ (4.9/5.0)(13 votes)
How the hell the Mirrans lost the war with the Phyrexians with this thing on their side, I'll never know...
reapersaurus
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.6/5.0)(8 votes)
Incredibly overrated on here. Arcbound Ravager doesn't do anything, or win any games on its own. Q.E.D It does not deserve a 4.8 rating.
Superllama12
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(3 votes)
O MY FSM!!!! There is rarely a card that will win the game on its own!!! Emrakul, the Aeons Torn will win if you can get him out, but you need some ramp or combos to get it out earlier than turn 17 or 18 at best! This card had amazing synergy with the entire Mirrodin block! Artifact lands, 0 CMC artifacts, affinity...you could get obscene amounts of free stuff, attack with this and your Ornithopter, and when they block/remove it, you sac it to itself! The only cards that can really win on their own are ridiculous power creep crapp Baneslayer Angels, cuz you get them out earlier, and unless they've got some good removal handy, they're SKREWED!!!
@18scsc: aoikloso stoip tklnng lokg ths uoj lo ok lik an idsioidsoit;' (Translation for non idiots: stop talking like this, you look like an idiot.)
Paleopaladin
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(3 votes)
There totally needs to be a "Premium Deck Series: Arcbound Affinity" with these guys, Disciple of the Vault, and other favorites.
syrazemyla
★★★☆☆ (3.1/5.0)(5 votes)
@SlackWareWolf: They did. It's called "Kamigawa".
JFM2796
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(2 votes)
Uh... They forgot to ban this in Modern.
OmegaSerris
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
This card could have been easily fixed, or at least reigned in a bit. Just replace 'an' with 'another'. Then he could have been blocked (unless you had two out) without Ornithopter shenanigans. Meh, who am I kidding, still broken.
I wonder how it would have affected him if he was or even ? Would that have been enough to slow those decks down?
@ClockworkSwordfish That's like saying Black Lotus isn't broken as long as you don't play any of the turn 0 wins it enables. Wizards, themselves, have stated they would have no problem with it if people only dropped turn 5-6 creatures a few turns earlier. Since it's only one shot, that's what removal is for. BY ITSELF it won't do much but be a cost 1/1, not so scary. It's the synergy with other cards that gives almost all 'broken' ones that status.
Mike-C
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
I'd like to try building around this and Furnace celebration. Pump and damage.. Or as I like to call it: PUMP AND DUMP!!
MindAblaze
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Yeah, this card is totally not broken in my elf deck...Saying this card is only broken in context is like saying JTMS is only broken in an environment with creatures, where it's useful to know whats on top of your or your opponents library.
That being said I want some for my Glissa, The Traitor/ Heartless Lich deck.
Trygon_Predator
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(3 votes)
Looks like the ban on Arcbound Ravagers was in-universe as well. There's no way the Mirrans would have lost the war with those things.
MegaHertz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
this with Phrexian Dreadnought + Wurmcoil Engine
+ Arcbound Reclamier, Howling mine, Mind`s Eye
Nice....
Lord.Gold
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(3 votes)
I would really really really like to see some alternate art for this guy.
talcumpowder0046
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
One of my favorite cards ever! Can win on turn 3 even without Disciple of the Vault. Skullclamp and Ornithopters are boss with this powerhouse!
Cthulhu_Shin
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
"Om nom nom nom nom nom" Wise Arcbound Ravager words.
ThinkOriginal
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(1 vote)
@Lord.Gold You might just get that wish. I'd bet the farm that this Beast is going to show up in Modern Masters.
Comments (45)
As monstrous as Ravager undoubtedly was, the real evil power behind the throne was Disciple of the Vault.
another thing, why did The Grand Creature Type Update not assign all arcbound creatures the subtype "Construct"? they look a lot like this to me, and at least the Arcbound Worker has obtained that type as well. at any rate they all have something significant in common. and if they aren't constructs, wouldn't it be worth considering to give them the new creature type "Arcbound" instead?
Edit: yeah stygimoloch, Disciple of the Vault was definitely the second tech card that made Ravager Affinity that powerful. on the other hand, if it hadn't been for a mana base of artifact lands and further free artifact cards there wouldn't have been such an impact after all. but you're right, his trigger is still very powerful for a one-drop even when disregarding these conditions.
srsly do this card rocks
Consider a set that is almost entirely made up of artifacts. Consider lands that count as artifacts, ornithopters and frogmites. Now consider that Desciple of the Vault makes an opponent lose 1 life whenever an artifact goes to the GY. Combine this with the fact that many Ravager Affinity decks could play out 4+ artifacts on turn 1 due to affinity, Ravager on 2, and use convolluted mechanics to swing with something crazy like a 12/12 Ravager on turn 3, and when Ravager is blocked, they sac him to himself and give thier unblocked Ornithopter 13 +1/+1 counters... Thats a pretty dead opponent...
"person 1: i sacrifice all 89 of my aartafect tokens youre gona die. Person 2: oh yah vampire hex mage.
srsly do this card rocks"
In response , person 1 sacs it to itself and put the counters onto his remaining arcbound worker. Honestly, if you're saying that, you don't understand the card. The one of the most powerful aspects of this card is that word modular. You just leave a single artifact creature open in case of removal. And even counter removal doesn't work because it can sac itself in response.
So yeah, "srsly do this card rocks".
So you won't get an extra counter out of the deal, but it's useful if you need to dump all the counters on another artifact creature.
And they were scared to put it in FTV: Relics, next to Memory Jar, Nevinyrral's Disk, and Isochron Scepter.
They DID give Skullclamp and Aether Vial a FTV treatment, but NOT Arcbound Ravager and Disciple of the Vault. Because those guys are just scary, and should not be reprinted. In the context of the existence of 'card type-artifact' in the game, those two are the most horrifying dudes you can face across the table. except Basic Island, Go.
all joking aside though, seriously- Ravager's LEGIT.
I never saw the modular part... I just thought it was broken because of the power...
Not that the +1+1 counters basically never go away!!!!!!!!!!!!1
- Sure buddy. Someone is stupid enough to put all the counters on Arcbound Ravager when Vampire Hexmage is on the field. What kind of stupid argument is that?
Arcbound Ravager also can stack on Vampire Hexmage's ability and give all the counters to another artifact creature. Arcbound can easily dodge Hexmage's ability.
Stupid argument is stupid.
Now add to it the ability to sacrifice any artifact to add another +1/+1 counter. In a block that has Ornithopter, that has Frogmite and Myr Enforcer that can become 0 cost artifacts with affinity, that has the aforementioned Arcbound Worker, that has 6 different artifact lands and that has a 1 drop that deals 1 damage to opponent every time an artifact hits the graveyard from the battlefield.
How much more should this cost? 1. Yeah. 1. This card's pretty good.
Arcbound Ravager doesn't do anything, or win any games on its own.
Q.E.D It does not deserve a 4.8 rating.
@18scsc: aoikloso stoip tklnng lokg ths uoj lo ok lik an idsioidsoit;'
(Translation for non idiots: stop talking like this, you look like an idiot.)
I wonder how it would have affected him if he was
@ClockworkSwordfish
That's like saying Black Lotus isn't broken as long as you don't play any of the turn 0 wins it enables. Wizards, themselves, have stated they would have no problem with it if people only dropped turn 5-6 creatures a few turns earlier. Since it's only one shot, that's what removal is for. BY ITSELF it won't do much but be a
That being said I want some for my Glissa, The Traitor/ Heartless Lich deck.
+ Arcbound Reclamier, Howling mine, Mind`s Eye
Nice....
You might just get that wish. I'd bet the farm that this Beast is going to show up in Modern Masters.
@Lord.Gold: Your wish has been granted.