How to play Tinybones, the Pickpocket in MTG Outlaws of Thunder Junction

Many a foe from Magic: The Gathering’s wide multiverse are returning in Outlaws of Thunder Junction, and Tinybones, the Pickpocket is not one to miss out on the party.

The Urborg skeleton is back to wreak havoc in MTG all over again. We’ve seen him many times in the past, from drawing you cards when opponents discard to dropping 10-damage nukes if an opponent has no cards in hand. This time, he’ll be an annoying thief to any player who doesn’t have an immediate answer for him.

Here’s how Tinybones, the Pickpocket works in MTG OTJ.

What is Tinybones, the Pickpocket in MTG OTJ?

Tinybones, the Pickpocket is a mono-black, one-mana creature that snatches cards away from your opponent’s graveyard. Tinybones can be likened to the infamous Ragavan but with quite a few drawbacks compared to the Nimble Pilferer.

• Mana cost: B
• Type: Legendary Creature—Skeleton Rogue
• Rarity: Mythic Rare
• Stats: 1/1
• Keyword: Deathtouch
• Passive ability: Whenever Tinybones, the Pickpocket deals combat damage to a player, you may cast target nonland permanent card from that player’s graveyard, and mana of any type can be spent to cast that spell.

How to play Tinybones, the Ringleader in MTG OTJ

Tinybones, the Ringleader will be popular as a mono-black Commander but is also a handy addition to any deck splashing black, though its drawback of only replaying cards from the opponent’s graveyard will keep the skeleton rogue in check; playing Tinybones on turn one or two won’t net you much without a supplementary discard effect.

Forcing opponents to discard or using removal on their creatures will fill their graveyard so a Tinybones direct attack works, but again, you’ll still need the mana to cast their card. Getting the 1/1 to attack through an enemy’s board will also prove difficult, so giving Tinybones Menace via Murders at Karlov Manor’s Suspect ability will mean he can attack around a single target.

Having Deathtouch is a bonus as an opponent may not be so willing to trade their creatures away, and at the end of the day, if an opponent blocks Tinybones and sacrifices an important creature, it’s a net positive as your one-mana creature takes them down with it.

Even in the lategame Tinybones landing a hit is great as your opponent will assuredly have a strong creature or permanent that you’d be able to spend mana on. Throw on amazing synergy with the rest of the OTJ Rogue set, and you can be sure to encounter Tinybones, the Ringleader in every format out there. Hope you’ve got removal for him!