Rapacious One

Rapacious One

Commander 2011 Uncommon
Mana Cost: {5}{R}
Type: Creature — Eldrazi Drone
P/T: 5/4
Rapacious One Text:
Trample Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, create that many 0/1 colorless Eldrazi Spawn creature tokens. They have "Sacrifice this token: Add {C}."
Artist: Jason A. Engle
Collector Number: 133
Release Date: 2011-06-17
Art crop

Full Analysis

Generated on 2025-06-28T22:54:43.367250 • Legacy Format

The Powerhouse of Eldrazi: A Deep Dive into the Rapacious One

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The Rapacious One is a formidable and versatile Eldrazi Drone in Magic: The Gathering, capable of generating an endless supply of small creatures to swarm the board. Its Trample ability allows it to deal significant damage while its token generation feature enables it to create an army of smaller creatures to follow up on.

Card Mechanics and Interactions

The Rapacious One is a creature with a mana cost of {5}{R}, making it a relatively expensive card to play. However, its power and toughness (P/T) of 5/4 make it well-suited for dealing damage in combat. The Trample ability allows the Rapacious One to deal damage from the front row, bypassing opponent's defense.

The token generation feature is where the Rapacious One shines. Whenever it deals combat damage to a player, it creates that many 0/1 colorless Eldrazi Spawn creature tokens. These tokens have the ability "Sacrifice this token: Add {C}." This means that if the opponent sacrifices a token, they gain one white mana.

Strategic Uses, Combos, and Synergies

The Rapacious One is best used in aggressive decks that aim to swarm the board with small creatures. Its ability to generate an endless supply of tokens makes it perfect for controlling the board and applying pressure on opponents.

One popular strategy is to use the Rapacious One as a "filler" creature, playing it late game to create a massive army of Eldrazi Spawn tokens. This allows you to attack with a large force while also generating card advantage through its token generation ability.

Another common combination is pairing the Rapacious One with other aggressive creatures that have Trample or similar abilities. For example, playing a Monastery Swiftspear alongside the Rapacious One creates a formidable attacking force that can easily overwhelm opponents.

Some notable combos include:

  • Using the Rapacious One in conjunction with cards like Thought-Knot Seer or Teysa Karlov to generate an endless supply of tokens.
  • Pairing the Rapacious One with creatures like Beast Whisperer or Conclave Tribunal to create a strong board presence.
  • Using the Rapacious One as a "sweeper" card, playing it late game to clear the board and set up for a sweep.

Deckbuilding Roles and Archetypes

The Rapacious One is typically played in aggressive and midrange decks that focus on controlling the board with small creatures. Its ability to generate tokens makes it perfect for controlling the board and applying pressure on opponents.

Some popular deck archetypes include:

  • Eldrazi Control: A deck that focuses on controlling the board with Eldrazi creatures, using the Rapacious One as a key component.
  • Swarm Aggro: An aggressive deck that uses the Rapacious One to swarm the board with small creatures.
  • Midrange Control: A deck that balances aggression and control, using the Rapacious One to generate tokens and apply pressure on opponents.

Format Viability and Competitive Context

The Rapacious One is a viable card in modern and vintage formats. Its ability to generate an endless supply of small creatures makes it perfect for controlling the board and applying pressure on opponents.

In modern formats, such as Standard and Modern, the Rapacious One is often played in aggressive decks that focus on controlling the board with small creatures. Its viability has been maintained due to its relatively low power level, making it accessible to a wide range of deck builds.

Rules Interactions and Technical Notes

The Rapacious One's token generation ability interacts with other cards as follows:

  • If an opponent controls a creature that would destroy the Eldrazi Spawn tokens, they can use their own creatures to destroy the tokens instead.
  • The Rapacious One does not create tokens when it attacks itself or its controller.
  • Tokens created by the Rapacious One are 0/1 colorless Eldrazi Spawn creatures.

Art, Flavor, and Historical Context

The Rapacious One is one of the many Eldrazi creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Its art depicts a massive, tentacled creature that appears to be devouring everything around it.

According to its flavor text, the Rapacious One feeds on the life force of its enemies, growing stronger with each sacrifice. This reflects its ability to generate tokens and apply pressure on opponents.

Summary of Key Points

The Rapacious One is a powerful Eldrazi Drone that generates an endless supply of small creatures to swarm the board. Its Trample ability allows it to deal significant damage while its token generation feature enables it to create an army of smaller creatures to follow up on.

Its ability to generate tokens makes it perfect for controlling the board and applying pressure on opponents, making it a staple in aggressive and midrange decks. Its relatively low power level also makes it accessible to a wide range of deck builds.

Overall, the Rapacious One is an incredibly versatile card that can be played in a variety of formats and archetypes, making it a must-have for any serious Magic: The Gathering player.

Common Misconceptions about the Rapacious One

  • Some players may think that the Rapacious One's token generation ability is too restrictive, requiring opponents to sacrifice tokens to gain mana. However, this can be seen as a benefit in terms of generating card advantage.
  • Others may believe that the Rapacious One is too expensive, but its power level and versatility make it worth the investment for many deck builds.

Conclusion

The Rapacious One is a formidable Eldrazi Drone that generates an endless supply of small creatures to swarm the board. Its Trample ability allows it to deal significant damage while its token generation feature enables it to create an army of smaller creatures to follow up on.

Its ability to generate tokens makes it perfect for controlling the board and applying pressure on opponents, making it a staple in aggressive and midrange decks.