Scarecrows

Fresh off an updated look at creature types, I will look at 4-5 specific ones this month. In prior years, I covered soldiers, merfolk, zombies, goblins, elves, skeletons, treefolk, angels, elementals, and sphinxes. Today: scarecrows.

Introduction

The first scarecrow was called as such and appeared in The Dark set (from 1994; see above graphic). We got the second, Straw Soldiers, in 1999's Portal: Three Kingdoms set. But in my mind, this creature type really started with 2008's Shadowmoor/Eventide sets—20 of the 49 scarecrows printed to date come from that era.

Scarecrows are nearly always (48/49) artifacts, and 40 are colorless; the 8 that aren't are mostly black and green.

Sample/Staple Cards

In the Shadowmoor era, scarecrows were focused on the wither mechanic or buffed when in play with certain colored creatures:

The two most expensive Scarecrows, Painter's Servant and Scarecrone, are powerful for their abilities, but only the latter is related to kindred type per se.

Later releases focused the kindred on mana-producing abilities:

And a recent release, Duskmourn, gave them a 'delirium' focus.

Deck Ideas

I have a Commander deck centered on scarecrow kindred. And for that, there is really only one choice: Reaper King. 

Reaper King's ability is impressive: "whenever another Scarecrow enters under your control, destroy target permanent." Making each of your creatures double as a removal spell is impressive indeed. Throw in some of the themes on cards shown above for additional synergies, and add a dash of board wipes and creature type buffs, and you may be in business.

With so few cards to choose from, Scarecrow is not (currently) a viable tribe in other formats, but keep an eye out . . . you never know what the future holds.