Random card #8: Ravenous Rats

This card was printed for the first time in Urza's Destiny. It's a small creature with a 'comes into play ability', something that was quite new at the time, because it was first introduced in Visions about one year before.

'Comes into play' abilities in term of design allows designer to create a lot of different creature and make the game simpler because after the first turn, this type of creatures are just 'vanilla' creature. It make them more appealing. Otherwise, will you play a 1/1 for 2 ?

It's an efficient card, you will be able to discard a card from your opponent most of the time since you can play it early. And it's a rat, you can play it in a tribal deck with rats. You can also play him with rats with the ninjitsu ability. And then play it again. 

There are many ways to efficiently get him back into your hand. One of them is to play with Skull Collector from Saviors of Kamigawa. Get it back every upkeep and annoy your opponent! It won't cost you too much, just 2 mana per turn. This expansion featured a 'card in hand' matters theme, because in Kamigawa block, many abilities worked well with a lot of card in hand, or made you with cards in hand (ninjutsu, soulshift, splice into arcane...).

It looks like a 'staple card' of Magic, a card that had been reprinted many times, because it's a simple, clear  card and with a good effect.