Extraction Specialist MTG Card


Revives creatures with mana value 2 or less, enriching strategies and enhancing board control. High mana cost and discard requirement may limit its inclusion in certain decks. Effective in the right meta, but vulnerable to graveyard management and instant removal.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Rogue
Abilities Lifelink
Power 3
Toughness 2

Text of card

Lifelink When Extraction Specialist enters the battlefield, return target creature card with mana value 2 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield. That creature can't attack or block for as long as you control Extraction Specialist.


Cards like Extraction Specialist

The Extraction Specialist offers a unique tactical advantage in Magic: The Gathering. With abilities that pull creatures back from the graveyard, it’s often compared to other revival spells and creatures. The likes of Sun Titan come to mind, which, although more costly mana-wise, can bring back not just creatures but other permanents with a converted mana cost of three or less. Both cards resonate with strategies aiming to maximize value from the graveyard.

Tapping into a similar strategic vein, Phyrexian Delver revival effects can also be considered. While the Delver brings creatures back to the battlefield just like the Specialist, it imposes a life cost based on the revived creature’s mana value, a significant difference for players balancing life as a resource. Unlike the Delver, the Extraction Specialist requires a creature to have died during the turn, setting a more specific condition for its ability. The elegantly simple Restock, meanwhile, allows players to target two cards at once from the graveyard to their hand, offering broader recovery but lacking the immediate board presence the Specialist provides.

In essence, the Extraction Specialist holds its ground in the pantheon of reanimation cards in Magic: The Gathering. While it might have more specific conditions, its lower mana cost and potential for immediate combat utility make it a card worth considering in decks that capitalize on creature sacrifice or combat-based strategies.

Sun Titan - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Delver - MTG Card versions
Restock - MTG Card versions
Sun Titan - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Delver - MTG Card versions
Restock - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Extraction Specialist. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Abzan Amalia ComboAbzan Amalia Combo PioneerAbzan Amalia ComboPioneer Challenge 64 2024-05-13
4c Amalia Combo4c Amalia Combo Pioneer4c Amalia ComboPioneer Challenge 64 2024-05-13
Mono-White HumansMono-White Humans PioneerMono-White HumansPioneer League 2024-05-14
Mardu StonebladeMardu Stoneblade ModernMardu StonebladeModern League 2024-05-13

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Extraction Specialist offers a unique benefit on entering the battlefield by retrieving a creature from your graveyard. This helps to replenish your assets and ensures that your grip on the game stays strong with an increased number of options.

Resource Acceleration: Although the card itself doesn’t act as a direct source of ramp, the ability to return a high-impact creature to play can accelerate your game plan, effectively saving the mana you would have spent to cast that creature again.

Instant Speed: While this Specialist operates at sorcery speed, his ability can be utilized in conjunction with other instant speed tricks in your arsenal. Considering that this card can pull instant-speed creatures from your graveyard, it keeps your opponents on their toes, unsure of what you might have ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging a creature’s abilities often requires discarding a card, which could deplete your hand when you need resources the most.

Specific Mana Cost: Extraction Specialist demands a precise combination of colored mana, which might not fit seamlessly into multi-colored or color-demanding decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the utility it brings, the Specialist’s mana cost is on the higher end, potentially slowing down your early game momentum in contrast to other low-cost options.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Extraction Specialist offers great flexibility for deck builders. Its ability to return a creature with mana value 2 or less from the graveyard to the battlefield when it enters the game makes it a powerful addition to a variety of strategies, particularly those revolving around value-oriented or synergistic creature plays.

Combo Potential: The Specialist’s skill interacts well with numerous cards, providing opportunities to set up advantageous board states. It can reinitiate enter-the-battlefield effects, or create recurring value engines by pairing with self-sacrificing creatures, enhancing long-term game plans.

Meta-Relevance: Given its ability to selectively recur valuable creatures from the graveyard, Extraction Specialist shines in meta environments where trades and creature removal are frequent. This utility can give players an edge in maintaining their board presence against removal-heavy decks.


How to beat

Extraction Specialist poses a unique challenge on the battlefield of Magic: The Gathering. As a creature that can potentially recur powerful creatures with its enter the battlefield ability, it necessitates specific strategies to overcome. To effectively counter this card, it’s essential to keep graveyards clean or to prevent the Specialist from triggering its ability in the first place.

Players might consider utilizing instant-speed removal spells that can disrupt the Specialist before its ability resolves. Graveyard hate cards like Relic of Progenitus can eliminate the targets it depends on, while effects that strip cards out of a player’s hand can preemptively remove threats before they hit the board. Moreover, countering this creature when cast can shut down the threat before it starts. Being proactive rather than reactive is key when playing against a card like Extraction Specialist.

Understanding the dynamics of your deck in comparison to opponents who utilize creatures like Extraction Specialist will allow you to tailor your game plan effectively, ensuring you stay one step ahead. Adapt your strategy by including cards that address the abilities of the Specialist, and you’ll stand a better chance at maintaining control of the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

Extraction Specialist is a formidable card that can turn the tides in Magic: The Gathering. Its ability to bring a creature back to the battlefield plays a critical role in deck strategies that rely on recurring value. Whether battling against a removal-heavy meta or seeking to maximize enter-the-battlefield effects, the Specialist warrants careful consideration. With thoughtful deck building and a keen eye on the meta, this card can pave the way to victory. For those eager to master their plays and explore the depths of tactical revival, delve into our insights and bolster your collection strategically. Embrace the prowess of the Extraction Specialist and enrich your path to MTG mastery with BurnMana.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Extraction Specialist MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Streets of New Capenna, 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 Extraction Specialist and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Extraction Specialist Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2022-04-29 and 2022-04-29. Illustrated by Irina Nordsol.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-06-24Magic Online PromosPRM 997432015NormalBlackIrina Nordsol
22022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 4072015NormalBlackIrina Nordsol
32022-04-29Streets of New Capenna PromosPSNC 12p2015NormalBlackIrina Nordsol
42022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 122015NormalBlackIrina Nordsol
52022-04-29Streets of New Capenna PromosPSNC 12s2015NormalBlackIrina Nordsol

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Extraction Specialist has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2022-04-29 Once Extraction Specialist leaves the battlefield, the creature that is returned can attack and block as normal. If Extraction Specialist leaves the battlefield before its ability resolves, the creature that is returned will be able to attack and block as normal right away.