Tavern Swindler MTG Card


Life-gambling ability can provide tactical advantages when leveraging your life total in MTG matches. Instant-speed activation allows for strategic plays, making Tavern Swindler a versatile card during games. Despite potential for card disadvantage, Tavern Swindler has combo potential and can fit into meta-game strategies.
Card setsReleased in 8 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Rogue
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

, Pay 3 life: Flip a coin. If you win the flip, you gain 6 life.

Rakdos cultists are her best customers. They never flinch at pain and are seldom good at math.


Cards like Tavern Swindler

In the ever-evolving landscape of Magic: The Gathering, Tavern Swindler is a unique rogue that stands out due to its risky yet rewarding ability. It strikes a similarity with cards like Game of Chaos and Risky Move. These cards thrive on unpredictability and add a layer of excitement with their gamble mechanics. Tavern Swindler’s life exchange gambit is a prime example, offering a chance to gain life at the flip of a coin; whereas Game of Chaos increases the stakes with each successive flip, potentially leading to vast life swings.

Delving into the black mana pool, we encounter Vona’s Hunger which, like Tavern Swindler, caters to an aggressive and opportune playstyle. Although Vona’s Hunger doesn’t incorporate the chance aspect, both cards create dynamic situations on the battlefield that necessitate strategic foresight. Moreover, the swindler’s trade-off of 3 life for 6 when the bet is won can be a game-changer for life manipulation strategies, echoing the same ambitious plays encouraged by Vona’s Hunger.

Ultimately, Tavern Swindler’s place in MTG is cemented among cards that challenge players to weigh risk and reward. This daring rogue demands calculated risks that can sway the game’s tide, making it a thrilling choice for anyone willing to gamble their way to victory.

Game of Chaos - MTG Card versions
Risky Move - MTG Card versions
Vona's Hunger - MTG Card versions
Game of Chaos - MTG Card versions
Risky Move - MTG Card versions
Vona's Hunger - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Tavern Swindler by color, type and mana cost

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Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator - MTG Card versions
Drudge Skeletons - 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
Nezumi Graverobber // Nighteyes the Desecrator - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tavern Swindler does not directly generate card advantage in the typical sense of drawing more cards. However, her gamble ability offers the chance to increment your life total, potentially swaying the game in your favor by increasing your sustainability on the battlefield and enabling more risky plays or trades.

Resource Acceleration: While Tavern Swindler doesn’t provide traditional mana acceleration, the ability to potentially gain 3 life at instant speed for the cost of 3 life and 1 mana can be a surprising swerve in a tight match, allotting you the equivalent resource of an extra turn against aggressive strategies.

Instant Speed: The skill to activate Tavern Swindler’s ability at instant speed is a tactical advantage, allowing you to wait until the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn. This unpredictability can cause hesitation in your opponent’s strategy, potentially leading them to misplay or overcommit resources.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tavern Swindler requires you to risk a life point gamble, which could lead to a card disadvantage if the bet doesn’t pay off. This toss-up can be a significant setback, particularly if you’re already in a precarious board state against an aggressive opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a specific mana combination, which can sometimes be a challenge. The inclusion of both black and generic mana in its casting cost confines it primarily to black-centric or multicolored decks, potentially limiting its versatility across various archetypes.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two mana for a 2/2 creature, Tavern Swindler’s stats are on par. However, when you consider her activated ability’s gamble, you might question her efficiency compared to other two-drops that offer guaranteed benefits without the potential downside of losing life.


Reasons to Include Tavern Swindler in Your Collection

Versatility: Tavern Swindler offers players a cost-effective creature with a gambling twist. Suitable for casual and black-focused decks, it provides an unconventional source of life gain that can catch opponents off guard.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with strategies that exploit life total changes. Whether you’re triggering life-related abilities or aiming for a surprise win with an alternative condition like “Near-Death Experience,” its unique gamble ability can prove surprisingly effective in the right deck.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where life totals are both a resource and a path to victory, Tavern Swindler finds its niche. Especially in a meta where games may drag longer or decks are susceptible to incremental life changes, this card can tilt the balance in your favor subtly but significantly.


How to beat

Tavern Swindler joins the ranks of Magic: The Gathering’s risk-reward cards, tempting players with the possibility of gaining life at the toss of a virtual coin. However, for those finding themselves at the other end of this risky bargain, there are strategies to mitigate its impact on the game. The key to overpowering Tavern Swindler lies in managing risk and employing removals or negations strategically. Cards like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can dispatch the Swindler before the coin-flipping begins, denying opponents the chance to gamble on life points.

Moreover, using instant-speed interactions allows players to wait until the opponent commits mana to the Swindler’s ability, ensuring that they waste resources on a turn where they could have played more impactful cards. Cards such as Essence Scatter can prove critical by countering Tavern Swindler as it hits the battlefield, preventing any coin flip attempts altogether. In essence, maintaining control over the board and being judicious with removals and counters can effectively neutralize the Tavern Swindler’s chance-based potential.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tavern Swindler MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica and Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska, 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 Tavern Swindler and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tavern Swindler Magic the Gathering card was released in 8 different sets between 2012-10-05 and 2022-04-29. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12012-10-05Return to RavnicaRTR 792003NormalBlackCynthia Sheppard
22014-03-14Duel Decks: Jace vs. VraskaDDM 452003NormalBlackCynthia Sheppard
32017-11-17Iconic MastersIMA 1092015NormalBlackCynthia Sheppard
42018-06-08BattlebondBBD 1622015NormalBlackCynthia Sheppard
52019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 7882015NormalBlackCynthia Sheppard
62020-07-03Core Set 2021M21 1242015NormalBlackCynthia Sheppard
72020-09-26The ListPLST BBD-1622015NormalBlackCynthia Sheppard
82022-04-29Streets of New CapennaSNC 962015NormalBlackPauline Voss

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tavern Swindler has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2017-11-17 You can't activate Tavern Swindler's ability if your life total is less than 3. You can activate it if your life total is exactly 3, but it's probably a bad idea. You'll lose the game before the ability resolves.