Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Measuring the odds on a battlefield of giants
In the world of MTG, probability isn’t just something you puzzle over in a math class; it’s a live, breathing factor at the table. When you’ve got a chrome-bronze package like Rakeclaw Gargantuan—a multicolored, three-color menace from the Commander 2013 era—the question becomes not just “does this card do something cool?” but “how often can I actually trigger something meaningful with it this game?” 🧙♂️🔥 That curiosity sits at the intersection of deck-building, timing, and the ever-unpredictable flow of a multiplayer match. Rakeclaw Gargantuan is a creature with a spicy promise: for a single generic mana you can grant first strike to any big-enough target until the end of the turn. Let’s break down what that means in practical, probability-driven terms. 🧭💎
Card fundamentals at a glance
- Mana cost: {2}{R}{G}{W} — a three-color, ramp-friendly ask that signals an aggressive, Naya-leaning strategy.
- Type and power: Creature — Beast, 5/3. A sturdy stat line that pairs well with other buffs and big threats.
- Color identity: Green, Red, White. The trio invites both ramp and combat tricks, plus color pie options for your build.
- Rarity and set: Common from Commander 2013 (c13). A card that often slides into budget and casual tables, but with design that rewards purposeful play. 🎨
- Activated ability: “{1}: Target creature with power 5 or greater gains first strike until end of turn.” This is the crux for our probability discussion—targeting is flexible, but the power threshold is the gatekeeper. ⚔️
- Flavor text: “Naya teems with gargantuans, titanic monsters to whom both nature and civilization defer.” A reminder that big creatures aren’t just numbers—they’re part of a living, stomping ecosystem. 🐉
The probabilistic lens: what actually needs to line up?
Two simple ingredients decide whether you can fire off Rakeclaw Gargantuan effectively in a given moment:
- Mana availability — The activation costs 1 generic mana, so you need at least one untapped mana source to pay. In practice, if you’re on a ramp-heavy EDH board, that’s often a given by midgame, but early turns can be tight. The probability you can activate on a specific turn hinges on your mana acceleration and what you’ve already tapped this turn. 🧭
- Legal target presence — The target must be a creature with power 5 or greater. If there are zero such targets on the battlefield, you can’t gain value even if you can pay the mana. Conversely, as soon as you have at least one eligible target, you can choose it and grant first strike for the turn. The odds of having a legal target are binary in the moment: either you have a qualifying creature on the battlefield or you don’t. If you do, this spell is a guaranteed value swing for that turn. ⚔️
To translate this into a simple practical model, imagine two numbers on a per-turn basis:
- A = number of creatures on the battlefield with power 5 or greater (your side and your opponents’ combined).
- M = number of untapped mana sources you have available to pay 1 generic mana (your total mana potential that turn).
Then the chances break down like this:
- If M ≥ 1 and A ≥ 1, you can activate and you have a guaranteed valid target this turn. Probability of successfully producing value this turn is 100% for that moment. 🧙♂️
- If M ≥ 1 but A = 0, you can pay the cost but there’s no eligible target—no value gained. Probability of value is 0% in that case, despite a successful mana payment. 🔎
- If M = 0, you cannot activate this turn regardless of A. Probability of value is 0% until you generate mana. 🔥
Where the math gets more interesting is across multiple turns, when you layer in ramp, card draw, and removal to influence both A and M over time. A realistic EDH table with green, red, and white ramp often yields growing mana pools and a rising number of 5+ power threats as the game unfolds. In other words, as you lean into land drops, mana rocks, and big creatures, the odds tilt toward more activations—especially on turns where you can both play a big beater and still have mana left to pay for Rakeclaw’s effect. 🎲
Practical scenarios you’ll actually encounter
Consider these common table states and what they mean for your chances to leverage Rakeclaw Gargantuan:
- Early game, tight board: If the board isn’t yet populated with 5+ power creatures, A is small or zero. Your best play is to use your first big drop to establish a target-rich board, then follow up with Rakeclaw to secure first strike for one aggressive swing. In this window, probability hinges heavily on ramp speed rather than pure chance. 🧙♂️
- Midgame, mixed threats: With a handful of opponent threats and a few big creatures of your own, A rises. If you also enjoy mana acceleration, you’ll find that there are windows where you can activate twice or more per turn, turning Rakeclaw into a rhythm tool that arrives with a sonic boom of first strike for each relevant target. 🔥⚡
- Late game, packed board: A is high, M is ample. The main limit becomes sequencing and careful targeting. If you can keep a big 5+ power creature alive, you can repeatedly apply the effect across several turns, making your local combat math feel almost scripted. The odds skew toward steady, reliable value rather than dramatic one-turn bursts. 💎
Deck-building tips to tilt the odds in your favor
If you’re drafting or playing a casual EDH list that wants to maximize the utility of Rakeclaw Gargantuan, here are concrete steps you can take. 🧙♂️
- Ramp into power — Include multiple sources of consistent mana ramp: green staples like ramp spells, rocks that generate mana on demand, and mana-fixing that supports a three-color shell. The more reliable your mana, the more turns you get to pull the trigger. 🔋
- Target variety — Build in a mix of big creatures (power 5+) you control and a few big targets on your opponents’ side. That ensures A stays high across games and gives you flexible decision points. ⚔️
- Protection and tempo — Since the trigger is on activation, not resolution, you’ll want to preserve your big threats until you can safely grant first strike to a preferred target during combat. A little recursion or protection can yield multiple, value-rich turns. 🧙♂️
- Color-pie considerations — In a deck with G/R/W, you have access to powerful, color-appropriate tools to accelerate mana, tutor up the right targets, or even pump your own 5+ power creatures to maintain a healthy pool of eligible targets. 🎨
“Naya teems with gargantuans, titanic monsters to whom both nature and civilization defer.”
Art, lore, and the design vibe
Jesper Ejsing’s art brings a sense of scale that matches the card’s mechanical heft. The visual of a colossal beast stomping through a multispectral landscape mirrors how the card plays: big, splashy, and a little chaotic in the best way. The three-color identity is not just flavor—it’s a strategic invitation to weave mana acceleration with aggressive combat tricks. The flavor text lands as a reminder that in the world of Rakeclaw Gargantuan, scale matters, and the table respects gargantuan power when wielded with intent. 🎨🧙♂️
Collector value and accessibility
As a common from a commander-focused set, Rakeclaw Gargantuan sits in a practical value tier that’s approachable for budget players while still serving as a thematic centerpiece for Naya-flavored decks. Its straightforward stats and activated ability make it a reliable inclusion in casual games where you’re chasing long, memorable combat turns rather than ultra-competitive meta polish. For collectors, its Commander 2013 print demonstrates how a popular color trio can yield consistent board presence—an evergreen reminder that simplicity, when paired with the right timing, can triumph in spirit as well as score. 💎
While you’re studying these probabilistic nuances, you might also be curating a desk setup that keeps pace with your MTG obsession. If you’re after a splash of neon aesthetic to brighten your play space, check out this custom neon desk pad. It’s a perfect companion to late-night streams or cube sessions, pairing well with the tactile thrill of counting outs and plotting lines of play. Here’s the link to explore: Custom Neon Desk Mouse Pad — 9.3x7.8 in 🧠🎲