Daring Saboteur
Creature — Human Pirate
: This creature can't be blocked this turn.
Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.
- CMC
- 2
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- U
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Ixalan Promos
- Price
- —
- EDHREC rank
- #10375
Daring Saboteur earns its slot by combining a repeatable loot effect with a threat that demands an answer — two lines of text that pull together in the same combat step. In Francisco, Fowl Marauder // Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator builds specifically, it checks every relevant box: it's a Pirate, it connects to trigger Malcolm, and it replaces itself if the board stalls.
Best Commanders
Commanders with the highest synergy
Francisco, Fowl Marauder // Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator
Daring Saboteur is nearly a staple here — 46% inclusion — because every unblocked hit triggers Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator's Treasure production while the loot keeps the hand full for follow-up spells. Francisco, Fowl Marauder // Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator wants Pirates that do something beyond deal damage, and Daring Saboteur delivers on both axes.
Admiral Brass, Unsinkable
Admiral Brass, Unsinkable reanimates Pirates that die in combat, which means Daring Saboteur can trade, come back, and loot again next turn. The recursive loop turns a two-drop into persistent card selection across a long game.
Admiral Beckett Brass
Admiral Beckett Brass taxes the opponent with steal triggers whenever three Pirates connect, and Daring Saboteur's evasion — its activated ability lets it become unblockable — is one of the cleanest ways to push that third hit through. Daring Saboteur also loots on connection, so even a non-stealing combat step isn't wasted.
Breeches, Brazen Plunderer // Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator
Breeches, Brazen Plunderer // Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator rewards connecting with multiple Pirates in one turn, and Daring Saboteur's unblockable mode makes it the most reliable connector in the 99. Malcolm's Treasures fund the activated ability cost repeatedly, creating a self-sustaining evasion loop.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | legal |
| pioneer | legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Daring Saboteur sees essentially zero play in competitive Constructed — Modern, Pioneer, and Legacy all offer two-drops that either win the game or interact meaningfully with the opponent's gameplan, and a 2/1 looter clears neither bar. Commander is its native habitat: the Pirate type, the evasion on demand, and the looting on damage all scale well in a multiplayer format where card advantage compounds and tribal synergies do real work. Outside of tribal Pirate lists, it's rarely the right call even in Commander — there are stronger looters if you're not specifically leaning on the creature type.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
unknown tier
Pricing data isn't currently available for Daring Saboteur, so check Scryfall or TCGPlayer for the live number. Historically it's been a bulk rare, which means picking up a copy for a Pirate tribal build carries essentially no financial friction.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
- Francisco, Fowl Marauder // Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator
- Admiral Brass, Unsinkable
- Admiral Beckett Brass
- Breeches, Brazen Plunderer // Malcolm, Keen-Eyed Navigator
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.