Scavenge

Scavenge
Keyword Ability
Type	Activated
Introduced	Return to Ravnica
Last used	Dragon's Maze
Reminder Text	Scavenge [cost] (Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card's power on target creature. Scavenge only as a sorcery.)
Storm Scale	4
Statistics	11 cards 27.3% 45.5% 27.3%
Scryfall Search
keyword:"scavenge only"

Scavenge is a keyword ability that was introduced in Return to Ravnica as the mechanic for the Golgari guild. Dragon's Maze added 2 cards with scavenge. It basically reads as a variation on flashback that makes target creature bigger.

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Scavenge

A keyword ability that allows you to exile a creature card from your graveyard to put +1/+1 counters on a creature. See rule 702.97, “Scavenge.”

From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

• 702.97. Scavenge
  • 702.97a Scavenge is an activated ability that functions only while the card with scavenge is in a graveyard. “Scavenge [cost]” means “[Cost], Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to the power of the card you exiled on target creature. Activate only as a sorcery.”

Rulings

• Exiling the creature card with scavenge is part of the cost of activating the scavenge ability. Once the ability is activated and the cost is paid, it’s too late to stop the ability from being activated by trying to remove the creature card from the graveyard.

Examples

Example

Dreg Mangler
Creature — Plant Zombie
3/3
Haste
Scavenge (, Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card's power on target creature. Scavenge only as a sorcery.)