Prowling Pangolin MTG Card


Prowling Pangolin offers card advantage by compelling opponent creature sacrifices upon its entry. It indirectly accelerates your game by clearing out potential blockers or threats. The pangolin enhances strategy through its potentially game-swinging entrance conditions.
Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Pangolin Beast
Power 6
Toughness 5

Text of card

When Prowling Pangolin comes into play, any player may sacrifice two creatures. If a player does, sacrifice Prowling Pangolin.

It's always hungry, yet easily sated.


Cards like Prowling Pangolin

Within the realm of creature cards in Magic the Gathering, Prowling Pangolin presents an intriguing quandary for players with its condition for entering the battlefield. Analogous to Desecration Demon, which also coerces opponents to sacrifice creatures, the Pangolin demands this as a costly condition. Unlike the Demon, Prowling Pangolin is immune to the whims of opponent sacrifices turn after turn, making its appearance on the board more predictable.

Comparing this to cards such as Fleshbag Marauder reveals similarities in the forced sacrifice theme. Fleshbag Marauder mandates a sacrifice from each player as part of its ETB (Enter the Battlefield) effect, a one-time mandatory offering affecting all players equally. Though both cards lead to creature sacrifices, the Marauder carries no assurance against your creatures being chosen. Meanwhile, the Pangolin only affects opponents but entails a potentially higher cost with two creatures sacrificed.

The assessment of Prowling Pangolin within the sphere of creature control cards showcases its unique balance of risk and reward. It demands strategic consideration and offers a unique approach to manipulating the field, distinguishing it among similar MTG effects.

Desecration Demon - MTG Card versions
Fleshbag Marauder - MTG Card versions
Desecration Demon - MTG Card versions
Fleshbag Marauder - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Prowling Pangolin by color, type and mana cost

Skyshroud Vampire - MTG Card versions
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Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions
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Halo Hunter - MTG Card versions
Malakir Bloodwitch - MTG Card versions
Caustic Crawler - MTG Card versions
Shriekmaw - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Vampire - MTG Card versions
Entropic Specter - MTG Card versions
Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions
Fallen Angel - MTG Card versions
Stone Catapult - MTG Card versions
Sengir Vampire - MTG Card versions
Hollow Dogs - MTG Card versions
Grotesque Hybrid - MTG Card versions
Earwig Squad - MTG Card versions
Indulgent Tormentor - MTG Card versions
Sootfeather Flock - MTG Card versions
Zombie Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Gluttonous Zombie - MTG Card versions
Vermiculos - MTG Card versions
Woebearer - MTG Card versions
Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions
Halo Hunter - MTG Card versions
Malakir Bloodwitch - MTG Card versions
Caustic Crawler - MTG Card versions
Shriekmaw - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Prowling Pangolin demands an answer from your opponent by forcing them to sacrifice two creatures upon entering the battlefield. This can result in a two-for-one situation, tipping the scales in your favor when it comes to card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: While the Prowling Pangolin itself doesn’t provide direct resource acceleration, the potential removal of opponents’ creatures can indirectly accelerate your game. Freeing the board from blockers or potential threats allows your other creatures to attack more freely, possibly leading to quicker victories.

Instant Speed: The real power of the Prowling Pangolin doesn’t come from instant speed but from the strategic setup it encourages. Playing this creature at the right moment, when your opponent is least prepared to sacrifice creatures, can give you a significant advantage, similar to the unexpected nature of instant-speed interactions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Prowling Pangolin demands you to discard two cards when it enters the battlefield, which could hinder your hand advantage and disrupt your strategy, particularly if your hand is full of critical spells or creatures that you cannot afford to lose.

Specific Mana Cost: This creature requires three black mana to cast. This mana specificity means it slots into mono-black or heavily black-weighted decks but can be cumbersome in multicolored decks, potentially affecting its versatility and inclusion in diverse strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, Prowling Pangolin may arrive on the battlefield relatively late in the game. Other creatures or spells at this cost point might provide more immediate impact or have additional abilities, reducing the Pangolin’s comparative effectiveness in a fast-paced match.


Reasons to Include Prowling Pangolin in Your Collection

Versatility: Prowling Pangolin can adapt to various strategies, fitting into decks that require a creature with a significant toughness to withstand board wipes or deter attacks.

Combo Potential: With a sac outlet, Prowling Pangolin can be part of a combo, enabling graveyard strategies or benefiting from death triggers in black-centric or aristocrat-style decks.

Meta-Relevance: As decks that leverage a high number of creature cards are common, including Prowling Pangolin may disrupt your opponent’s board, particularly in metas where players hesitate to lose creatures.


How to Beat Prowling Pangolin

Prowling Pangolin, an intriguing creature in the vast world of Magic: The Gathering, poses a unique challenge to overcome. On the surface, its ability to compel an opponent to sacrifice two creatures upon entering the battlefield might seem daunting. However, savvy players can navigate this obstacle with strategic planning. The key lies in managing your board presence effectively.

One approach is to maintain a stream of expendable creatures. Utilizing creature tokens or low-cost creatures that can regenerate or have death-triggered abilities ensures that Prowling Pangolin’s entry has a negligible impact on your overall strategy. Another tactic involves saving instant-speed removal spells to deploy when the Pangolin hits the battlefield, thus eliminating it before the sacrifice effect takes place.

Alternatively, taking a more proactive stance by applying pressure with powerful creatures or controlling the pace with counterspells can prevent your opponent from safely casting Prowling Pangolin. Ultimately, it comes down to resource management, both on the battlefield and in your hand, ensuring you’re ready to respond effectively to this formidable creature.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Prowling Pangolin MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught and Eternal Masters, 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 Prowling Pangolin and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Prowling Pangolin Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2002-10-07 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12002-10-07OnslaughtONS 1631997NormalBlackHeather Hudson
22016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 1042015NormalBlackTomasz Jedruszek
32019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 7392015NormalBlackTomasz Jedruszek
42020-09-26The ListPLST EMA-1042015NormalBlackTomasz Jedruszek

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Prowling Pangolin has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal