Magic: The Gathering Core Set 2021 spoilers are here, and this is only the second time Scavenging Ooze has visited Standard. It was printed many times, but mostly in Commander or Masters sets. Nevertheless, it appears to be a promising addition to any deck that has green mana in it.
Scavenging Ooze in Magic: The Gathering Core Set 2021
Scavenging Ooze is a 2/2 Ooze that you summon for 2 mana, one of which must be green. Graveyard interaction has been a thing in Magic: The Gathering for a long time, but it has recently become very prominent in Standard. Scavenging Ooze’s effect can be used at instant speed. This means that you can use it in response to any of your opponent’s effects that aim to reanimate a creature or return a card to their hand. On top of that, it is a cheap answer to anything with the “Escape” mechanic, becoming quite problematic if it manages to stay on the board for more than a few turns. This, along with a few other cards, promises a good future for green.
Viability in other formats
In Limited, the Ooze can be a proper bomb, having the ability to reach monstrous power and toughness, even though it is just a 2-drop. Most exchanges will end up as a win for you. You will either have an extremely powerful creature, or you trade a 2-drop for a removal spell. You will not always be able to use the effect to disable the opponent’s graveyard interaction. However, in the rare situations where you will, it is sure to be a game-changer. Scavenging Ooze is a typical example of a valuable rare. It provides you with potential answers and threatens to be a win condition at the cheap cost of 2 mana. It might not be the perfect first pick, but you will want to pick it up when you can afford it.
Stay tuned to Daily Esports for more Magic: The Gathering Core Set 2021 spoilers.
