Sawback Manticore
Creature — Manticore
: This creature gains flying until end of turn.
: This creature deals 2 damage to target attacking or blocking creature. Activate only if this creature is attacking or blocking and only once each turn.
- CMC
- 5
- Mana cost
- Color identity
- GR
- Rarity
- rare
- Set
- Mirage
- Price
- $0.51
- EDHREC rank
- #31021
Sawback Manticore gives you a 2/4 flying, first-striking body that can tap to deal 2 damage to any creature — relevant board presence at a fair cost. Six mana is steep for that effect, and it never quite does enough to justify the slot in a format full of cheaper, more efficient threats.
Format Analysis
Where it lives, where it can’t
| Format | Verdict |
|---|---|
| commander | legal |
| legacy | legal |
| modern | not legal |
| pioneer | not legal |
| standard | not legal |
| vintage | legal |
| pauper | not legal |
| oathbreaker | legal |
Sawback Manticore is legal in Commander, Legacy, Vintage, and Oathbreaker, but sees meaningful play in none of them. In Commander, six mana for a 2/4 with a tap ability is well below the curve — that slot wants a haymaker, and Sawback Manticore is a footnote. Legacy and Vintage have no interest in it; those formats operate at a speed and power level where a six-mana creature with a tap-to-ping ability doesn't register. Oathbreaker shares enough of Commander's card pool and philosophy that the same logic applies.
Key Combos
Combo lines featuring this card
Price Context
Current price
$0.51 bulk tier
At $0.51, Sawback Manticore sits firmly in bulk territory, and the price reflects its demand accurately. There's no competitive pressure driving it up, so don't expect movement — buy it if you want the nostalgia, not the edge.
Explore
Sources
Mentioned
Updated . Data from Scryfall, EDHREC, and Commander Spellbook.