Rotting Rats MTG Card


Rotting Rats excels in decks that benefit from both players discarding cards, enhancing graveyard-based play. Its Unearth ability provides flexibility, allowing reentry to the battlefield at instant speed for strategic advantage. While offering combo potential and strategic depth, Rotting Rats’ symmetrical discard can be detrimental if not planned for.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Zombie Rat
Abilities Unearth
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

When Rotting Rats comes into play, each player discards a card. Unearth (: Return this card from your graveyard to play. It gains haste. Remove it from the game at end of turn or if it would leave play. Unearth only as a sorcery.)


Cards like Rotting Rats

Rotting Rats stands as a notable creature in the vast arsenal of Magic: The Gathering, holding its own against other cards with comparable effects. It echoes the dissonant symphony of cards like Ravenous Rats that forces an opponent to discard upon entering the battlefield. What makes Rotting Rats unique is its unearth ability, allowing it to stir from the graveyard for another chance at unsettling the enemy’s hand.

Another creature card worth comparing would be Burglar Rat. While Burglar Rat also initiates a discard, it lacks the strategic recursion granted by unearth. The flexibility of Rotting Rats to re-emerge and pressure the opponent not just once, but potentially twice, sets it apart. Then there’s Chittering Rats, which not only prompts a discard but manipulates draw order, albeit at a higher cost and without the second wind provided by unearth.

Summing up, Rotting Rats presents a conceptually intriguing option for players keen on disrupting their adversaries’ strategies. Its combination of forcing card discard and potential to return from the graveyard endows it with an enduring presence and effectiveness in games that value persistent hand disruption.

Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Burglar Rat - MTG Card versions
Chittering Rats - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Burglar Rat - MTG Card versions
Chittering Rats - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Rotting Rats by color, type and mana cost

Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Nether Shadow - MTG Card versions
Erg Raiders - MTG Card versions
Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Blighted Shaman - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Skullsnatcher - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Nether Shadow - MTG Card versions
Erg Raiders - MTG Card versions
Cuombajj Witches - MTG Card versions
Order of the Ebon Hand - MTG Card versions
Bog Imp - MTG Card versions
Wall of Corpses - MTG Card versions
Blighted Shaman - MTG Card versions
Rabid Rats - MTG Card versions
Dakmor Bat - MTG Card versions
Ravenous Rats - MTG Card versions
Flesh Reaver - MTG Card versions
Bloodcurdler - MTG Card versions
Nantuko Shade - MTG Card versions
Piper of the Swarm - MTG Card versions
Undead Augur - MTG Card versions
Shepherd of Rot - MTG Card versions
Swarm of Rats - MTG Card versions
Skullsnatcher - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Cutthroat - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

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

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Crab VineCrab Vine ModernCrab VineModern League 2023-12-01 (1)
CrabvineCrabvine ModernCrab VineEternal Weekend Europe 2023 Modern Mainevent
Golgari ComboGolgari Combo PauperCycle StormSprint Wheel Event - Geddon Series 1^ tappa MILANO 2024

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The ability of Rotting Rats to force both players to discard a card plays to your benefit. If you’re leveraging a strategy that thrives on a full graveyard, this card turns discarding into a serious advantage, allowing you to populate your graveyard with tools you can use later in the game.

Resource Acceleration: Although Rotting Rats doesn’t directly accelerate resources in the traditional sense of providing additional mana, it can accelerate your game plan in decks that benefit from having cards in all players’ graveyards. This can effectively shorten the time it takes to set up potent graveyard-based combos or synergies.

Instant Speed: With its Unearth ability, Rotting Rats can be brought back from the graveyard at instant speed. This flexibility lets you wait until the most opportune moment to reintroduce the card to the battlefield, potentially disrupting your opponents’ plans during their turn or at the end of their turn to maximize the impact of its enter-the-battlefield effect.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Rotting Rats requires both the player and their opponent to discard a card upon entering the battlefield. This symmetrical effect can sometimes backfire, especially if your hand is full of essential cards or your opponent benefits from having cards in their graveyard.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a hybrid mana cost, which can be challenging to meet in multicolored decks that don’t focus on the necessary colors. Without black mana available, casting Rotting Rats becomes a difficulty, limiting its versatility across various deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that includes both black and colorless mana for a 1/1 creature, Rotting Rats might be considered inefficient compared to other creatures in the same mana bracket. Players often seek maximum impact for their mana investment, and there are creatures in MTG with more potent abilities or stats for a similar cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Rotting Rats slips into various deck archetypes with ease. This creature shines in strategies that seek to disrupt opponent’s hands while building up your own graveyard for synergistic plays.

Combo Potential: With its ability to force each player to discard a card, Rotting Rats excellently pairs with reanimator themes or cards that benefit from discarding, opening up multi-layered combo routes.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where hand advantage counts, the persistent pressure from Rotting Rats can tilt matches in your favor, especially against decks that rely heavily on having a full grip of cards.


How to beat

Confronting Rotting Rats in Magic: The Gathering poses a unique challenge with its unearth ability and its role in hand disruption strategies. Successfully overcoming this nuisance requires a deft mix of precision and timing. The key to dismantling its influence is to manage your own hand wisely. Holding onto cards with flash or instants that can be played on your opponent’s turn diminishes Rotting Rats’ impact, enabling you to bypass their discard effect productively.

Graveyard hate cards can also sever the connection with Rotting Rats’ recurring nature. Playing cards that exile from graveyards can ensure that once the Rotting Rats are down, they stay down. Moreover, cards that counter abilities can be integral in curbing the persistent threat this pesky creature often represents. Such strategic placements in your deck act as safeguards against not only Rotting Rats but other similar threats that capitalize on graveyard strategies.

Ultimately, countering Rotting Rats requires a balance between smart hand management and incorporating specific countermeasures within your deck. With these tactics, the irritating echo of the Rotting Rats’ influence can be silenced, giving you a clearer path to victory in your Magic: The Gathering matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the dual nature of Rotting Rats is pivotal for incorporating it into your MTG strategy. Embrace the power of forced discarding as you craft strategies that convert your graveyard into a valuable resource. Whether it’s capitalizing on your opponents’ empty hands or orchestrating your own graveyard shenanigans, Rotting Rats demands consideration for decks centered around these tactics. If you’re challenged by its drawbacks or seeking to forge paths to victory against it, refining your deck with precision can turn the tide. Dive into the deeper mechanics of Rotting Rats and refine your approach. There’s much more to learn; join our community and transform your game today.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rotting Rats MTG card by a specific set like Conflux and Planechase, 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 Rotting Rats and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Rotting Rats Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2009-02-06 and 2009-09-04. Illustrated by Dave Allsop.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-02-06ConfluxCON 512003NormalBlackDave Allsop
22009-09-04PlanechaseHOP 392003NormalBlackDave Allsop

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rotting Rats has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2009-02-01 When Rotting Rats’s enters-the-battlefield ability resolves, first the player whose turn it is chooses a card to discard, then each other player in turn order does the same, then all cards are discarded at the same time. No one sees what the other players are discarding before deciding which card to discard.