Scrap Trawler 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
Whenever this creature dies or another artifact you control is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, return to your hand target artifact card in your graveyard with lesser mana value.
Complete guide
Scrap Trawler is a cornerstone for artifact-based strategies, turning every loss on the battlefield into a resource in your hand. This Construct ensures that your graveyard is never a final resting place, but rather a toolbox for your next big play. By understanding its triggered ability, you can create powerful loops and sustain your board presence indefinitely.
Understanding the Trigger
Scrap Trawler features a triggered ability that looks for artifacts moving from the battlefield to your graveyard. This includes Scrap Trawler itself and any other artifacts you control. The ability is specific: you must target an artifact card already in your graveyard that has a strictly lower mana value than the artifact that was just destroyed or sacrificed. If multiple artifacts are destroyed simultaneously, such as by a board wipe, Scrap Trawler sees all of them—including itself—and triggers once for each.
Step-by-Step Resolution
First, an artifact you control is put into the graveyard. Second, the Scrap Trawler's ability triggers and is put onto the stack. At this point, you must choose a legal target in your graveyard with a lesser mana value. Third, as the ability resolves, the chosen card is returned to your hand. Note that the mana value of the artifact that died is determined by its status on the battlefield just before it left, which is crucial for copies or permanents with X in their costs.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
A frequent error is trying to return the same card that just triggered the ability; this is impossible because the target must have a 'lesser' mana value, not an equal one. Another mistake involves mana value calculations: while X is 0 in the graveyard, if a permanent with X in its cost is on the battlefield, X is whatever was paid for it. However, Scrap Trawler always uses the mana value as it existed on the battlefield to check the 'lesser' requirement.
When to Play It
Scrap Trawler shines in decks that utilize sacrifice outlets or frequent creature combat. It is best played when you already have low-cost utility artifacts in your graveyard, like Baubles or small creatures, ensuring that the death of a mid-range artifact yields immediate card advantage. It also acts as excellent insurance against sweepers, allowing you to refill your hand with most of your board.
Interaction examples
Solemn SimulacrumWith Scrap Trawler on the battlefield, your Solemn Simulacrum (mana value 4) dies. Scrap Trawler's ability triggers. You can target any artifact card in your graveyard with a mana value of 3 or less. Since Solemn Simulacrum also allows you to draw a card when it dies, you effectively replace the creature in your hand and draw a new card simultaneously.
Roaming ThroneIf Roaming Throne enters the battlefield and you choose 'Construct', it now shares a type with Scrap Trawler. When your Solemn Simulacrum (mana value 4) dies, Scrap Trawler's ability triggers. Because of Roaming Throne, the ability triggers an additional time. You can now target two artifact cards in your graveyard with mana values of 3 or less to return to your hand.
If an opponent plays a spell that destroys all creatures, both Scrap Trawler and Roaming Throne are put into the graveyard at the same time. Scrap Trawler triggers for itself and also triggers for Roaming Throne (mana value 4). You will be able to target one artifact with mana value 2 or less (for the Trawler's death) and one artifact with mana value 3 or less (for the Throne's death) from your graveyard.
Guide written with AI from the official text and rulings. Official English text prevails.
How it works : Scrap Trawler
Original English text — Wizards of the Coast / Scryfall
- #1· Wizards of the Coast
If Scrap Trawler and another artifact you control are put into a graveyard at the same time, Scrap Trawler's ability triggers for each of them.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #2· Wizards of the Coast
The target artifact card must have a lesser mana value than the artifact that caused Scrap Trawler's ability to trigger by being put into a graveyard. Use the artifact's mana value as it last existed on the battlefield to determine what may be returned.
No other card is named in this ruling.
- #3· Wizards of the Coast
While on the battlefield or in a graveyard,
in an object's mana cost is 0.No other card is named in this ruling.
- #4· Wizards of the Coast
If an artifact is a copy of another artifact with greater mana value, such as Sculpting Steel copying an artifact with mana value 4, Scrap Trawler's ability can target that artifact card in your graveyard when that artifact is put into your graveyard.
No other card is named in this ruling.
Popular combos
Real combos played by the community, sorted by popularity.
Scrap Trawler + Myr Retriever + Krark-Clan Ironworks + Foundry Inspector
- 1Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Myr Retriever, adding
. - 2When Myr Retriever dies, it triggers, returning Scrap Trawler from your graveyard to your hand.
- 3Cast Scrap Trawler by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Foundry Inspector.
- 4Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Scrap Trawler, adding .
- 5When Scrap Trawler dies, it triggers, returning Myr Retriever from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Cast Myr Retriever by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Foundry Inspector.
- 7Repeat.
Scrap Trawler + Myr Retriever + Krark-Clan Ironworks + Sol Ring
- 1Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Myr Retriever, adding .
- 2Myr Retriever dies, triggering itself and Scrap Trawler.
- 3Resolve the Myr Retriever trigger, returning Junk Diver from your graveyard to your hand.
- 4Resolve the Scrap Trawler trigger, returning Sol Ring from your hand to your graveyard.
- 5Cast Sol Ring by paying
. - 6Activate Sol Ring by tapping it, adding .
- 7Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Sol Ring, adding .
- 8Scrap Trawler triggers, choose not to return an artifact to your hand.
Scrap Trawler + Myr Retriever + Ashnod's Altar + Foundry Inspector
- 1Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Myr Retriever, adding .
- 2When Myr Retriever dies, it triggers, returning Scrap Trawler from your graveyard to your hand.
- 3Cast Scrap Trawler by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Foundry Inspector.
- 4Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Scrap Trawler, adding .
- 5When Scrap Trawler dies, it triggers, returning Myr Retriever from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Cast Myr Retriever by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Foundry Inspector.
- 7Repeat.
Scrap Trawler + Myr Retriever + Krark-Clan Ironworks + Cloud Key
- 1Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Myr Retriever, adding .
- 2When Myr Retriever dies, it triggers, returning Scrap Trawler from your graveyard to your hand.
- 3Cast Scrap Trawler by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Cloud Key.
- 4Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Scrap Trawler, adding .
- 5When Scrap Trawler dies, it triggers, returning Myr Retriever from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Cast Myr Retriever by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Cloud Key.
- 7Repeat.
Scrap Trawler + Myr Retriever + Krark-Clan Ironworks + Jhoira's Familiar
- 1Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Myr Retriever, adding .
- 2When Myr Retriever dies, it triggers, returning Scrap Trawler from your graveyard to your hand.
- 3Cast Scrap Trawler by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Jhoira's Familiar.
- 4Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Scrap Trawler, adding .
- 5When Scrap Trawler dies, it triggers, returning Myr Retriever from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Cast Myr Retriever by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Jhoira's Familiar.
- 7Repeat.
Scrap Trawler + Myr Retriever + Krark-Clan Ironworks + Etherium Sculptor
- 1Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Myr Retriever, adding .
- 2When Myr Retriever dies, it triggers, returning Scrap Trawler from your graveyard to your hand.
- 3Cast Scrap Trawler by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Etherium Sculptor.
- 4Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Scrap Trawler, adding .
- 5When Scrap Trawler dies, it triggers, returning Myr Retriever from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Cast Myr Retriever by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Etherium Sculptor.
- 7Repeat.
Scrap Trawler + Myr Retriever + Ashnod's Altar + Cloud Key
- 1Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Myr Retriever, adding .
- 2When Myr Retriever dies, it triggers, returning Scrap Trawler from your graveyard to your hand.
- 3Cast Scrap Trawler by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Cloud Key.
- 4Activate Ashnod's Altar by sacrificing Scrap Trawler, adding .
- 5When Scrap Trawler dies, it triggers, returning Myr Retriever from your graveyard to your hand.
- 6Cast Myr Retriever by paying its mana cost, which is reduced by Cloud Key.
- 7Repeat.
Sai, Master Thopterist + Myr Retriever + Scrap Trawler + Krark-Clan Ironworks
- 1Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks by sacrificing Scrap Trawler, adding .
- 2When Scrap Trawler dies, it triggers, returning Myr Retriever from your graveyard to your hand.
- 3Cast Myr Retriever by paying
. - 4Sai triggers, creating a 1/1 Thopter artifact creature token.
- 5Activate Krark-Clan Ironworks twice by sacrificing the Thopter and Myr Retriever, adding .
- 6When Myr Retriever dies, it triggers, returning Scrap Trawler from your graveyard to your hand.
- 7Cast Scrap Trawler by paying
. - 8Sai triggers, creating a 1/1 Thopter artifact creature token.
Legal formats
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