Malanthrope is one of those cards players keep asking about. Here is, in plain words, what its official text says, the rulings published by Wizards of the Coast, and the combos players actually run.
Official card text
Flying Scavenge the Dead — When this creature enters, exile target player's graveyard. Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature for each creature card exiled this way.
Complete guide
Malanthrope is a soaring Tyranid that excels at recycling the resources of your enemies into raw power for itself. By clearing out graveyards upon arrival, it ensures that your opponents lose their recursive tools while it grows into a massive aerial threat. This card is a perfect meta-call for decks that need to punish graveyard strategies while maintaining board presence.
How Scavenge the Dead Works
When Malanthrope enters the battlefield, its 'Scavenge the Dead' ability triggers. You must choose a target player. When the ability resolves, every single card currently in that player's graveyard is moved to the exile zone. The game then counts how many of those exiled cards were specifically creature cards. Malanthrope receives one +1/+1 counter for each creature card found among the cards it just exiled. If the graveyard is empty or contains no creature cards, Malanthrope still exiles the zone but simply receives no counters.
Resolution Step-by-Step
First, Malanthrope enters the battlefield and the triggered ability is put onto the stack, requiring you to target a player. Second, players have an opportunity to respond with spells or abilities. Third, as the ability resolves, all cards in the targeted graveyard are exiled simultaneously. Finally, the number of creature cards exiled is determined, and the corresponding number of +1/+1 counters are placed on Malanthrope as a single event. Note that Malanthrope must be on the battlefield to receive the counters; if it is destroyed in response to its own trigger, the graveyard is still exiled, but no counters are placed anywhere.
Strategic Timing and Tips
Because Malanthrope targets a player and not specific cards, it is an incredibly effective way to bypass protection or 'hexproof from spells' that might apply to individual cards in a graveyard. To maximize its size, wait until an opponent has spent their resources or after a board wipe has occurred. It is also important to remember that this is an 'enters' trigger, meaning it works exceptionally well with effects that blink or flicker creatures, allowing you to repeatedly clear graveyards and stack even more counters on the Malanthrope.
Interaction examples
Sakura-Tribe ElderIf your opponent sacrifices a Sakura-Tribe Elder to find a land, it sits in their graveyard. When you play Malanthrope targeting that opponent, the Elder is exiled. Since Sakura-Tribe Elder is a creature card, Malanthrope will receive one +1/+1 counter, becoming a 3/3 flyer.
Solemn SimulacrumYour opponent has a Solemn Simulacrum that has already died and drawn them a card. When Malanthrope enters and targets that player, the Solemn Simulacrum is exiled from their graveyard. Even though it is an artifact creature, it still counts as a creature card, providing Malanthrope a +1/+1 counter.
If an opponent has both a Sakura-Tribe Elder and a Solemn Simulacrum in their graveyard, Malanthrope's trigger will exile both. The ability counts two creature cards, resulting in two +1/+1 counters being placed on Malanthrope, making it a 4/4 creature.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Malanthrope
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
No additional ruling has been published for this card.
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Meta decks with Malanthrope
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