Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Print Run Patterns: Plagued Rusalka Across Expansions
Magic: The Gathering cards aren’t just engines for battles on the battlefield; they’re artifacts of a sprawling printing calendar that both fans and collectors track with the same zeal we apply to our favorite mana bases. Plagued Rusalka provides a compelling case study in how a single mono-black creature can circulate through the years, landing in different expansions as a common staple for sacrifice-focused strategies. This 1/1 Spirit with a neatly compact production line—{B}, Sacrifice a creature: Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn—shows how Wizards balances utility, rarity, and flavor across sets. 🧙🔥💎⚔️
Card snapshot: what the text and design tell us
- Name: Plagued Rusalka
- Mana cost: {B} (one colorless and one black mana, converted mana cost 1)
- Type: Creature — Spirit
- Power/Toughness: 1/1
- Rarity: Common
- Set: Jumpstart (jmp)
- Released: 2020-07-17
- Oracle text: {B}, Sacrifice a creature: Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
- Flavor: "Look at her, once filled with innocence. Death has a way of wringing away such . . . deficiencies." —Savra
- Artwork: Alex Horley-Orlandelli
“Print runs aren’t just numbers; they’re a map of how players discover and value cards over time.”
From the moment you glimpse the shadowy figure on the battlefield, you know this is a card that thrives in the margins of a sacrifice-centric game plan. The one-mana investment for a 1/1 body paired with a reliable removal effect—albeit conditional on sacrifice—gives black a precise tempo tool. In the broader context of Jumpstart, where two-card booster play patterns create flavorful, draft-like experiences, Plagued Rusalka shines as a dependable piece for aggressive or aristocrat-tinged decks. 🧙🔥
Print history and what “reprint” means for this card
According to Scryfall’s data for this card, Plagued Rusalka is a reprint in Jumpstart. That “reprint” tag is more than a footnote; it signals the card’s continued relevance and the publisher’s desire to keep core mechanics—sacrifice, creature manipulation, and efficient costs—accessible to players exploring different themes. Jumpstart itself is designed to inject two-card, theme-driven experiences into a single product, making common cards like Plagued Rusalka relatively easy to draw in casual and budget-minded play. The combination of a low mana cost, straightforward effect, and a common rarity means it’s more likely to appear in fresh draft-themed packs than rarer staples, helping to seed new players into the black-sacrifice space. ⚔️🎨
Additionally, the card is listed as legal in a wide swath of formats—Historic, Modern, Legacy, Pauper, Commander, and many others—while not standard-legal. That legal spread matters for print frequency: cards that remain legal across enduring formats tend to be reprinted or showcased in many products, ensuring a broad audience and a steadier baseline of demand. The Jumpstart reprint aligns with Wizards’ ongoing strategy to balance accessibility with depth, letting new players discover mechanics like sacrifice while keeping veteran players’ stacks well-stocked with familiar options. 🧭
How print frequency informs deckbuilding and value over time
Common rarity guarantees a relatively high print run, and a reprint further amplifies copies in circulation. In Jumpstart, where the format invites quick, themed drafting, cards like Plagued Rusalka help smooth out curves and ensure that players can build coherent decks without chasing scarce rares. This often translates into healthier secondary market stability for the card, with price points more resilient to spikes than those of ultra-rare staples. If you’re keeping an eye on value trends, the card’s price—approximately $0.11 USD (roughly €0.18)—reflects its role as a reliable, budget-friendly option rather than a flashy chase. Still, for players chasing specific ’sacrifice’ synergies, every reprint is a reminder that the card remains a recognized part of the Black mana toolbox. 🌑
- Deck synergy: It pairs nicely with other sacrifice outlets and ETB/death triggers, turning “one-for-one” trades into sustained pressure.
- Format impact: It’s legal in many eternal formats, encouraging cross-format experimentation and casual tournament play with Jumpstart-sparked archetypes.
- Flavor resonance: The flavor text adds a Savra-esque gloom, aligning well with dark, ritualistic themes that have long anchored black in MTG lore.
Flavor, art, and the cultural moment
The art by Alex Horley-Orlandelli evokes a moody, haunted aesthetic that fits Jumpstart’s seasonally dark vibe. This isn’t just a card; it’s a mood piece that invites players to imagine a world where spirits and cursing are as common as black mana. The flavor line, conveyed by Savra’s line about innocence and deficiency, ties the card to timeless folklore vibes—death as a sharpening tool for character. In a game where art and lore often inform your emotional investment, Plagued Rusalka becomes a small, memorable portal into a broader mythic atmosphere. 🎨
When to pick up and how to wield it in your collection
If you’re building budget-friendly sacrifice themes or if you’re collecting Jumpstart reprints for completeness, Plagued Rusalka is a natural fit. Its consistent presence across formats means it tends to maintain a stable, accessible price point. For players chasing a specific casual or Commander slot, a few copies can be enough to support multiple archetypes—especially those that leverage sacrifice outlets or -1/-1 synergies to swing value in mid-game. For the bargain-minded, this is the kind of card that provides efficient role-play value without straining your wallet. 🧙🔥💎
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