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 are not 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.