Bloodtracker MTG Card


Bloodtracker excels at card advantage, increasing hand size and power through +1/+1 counters. Its instant speed ability allows players to react and strategize resourcefully during play. While adept at card draw, Bloodtracker can be restrictive due to its specific mana needs.
Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Vampire Wizard
Abilities Flying
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Flying , Pay 2 life: Put a +1/+1 counter on Bloodtracker. When Bloodtracker leaves the battlefield, draw a card for each +1/+1 counter on it.

"Flee all you like. The further you run the more firmly I feel your heartbeat."


Cards like Bloodtracker

Bloodtracker stands out in MTG as a unique creature that leverages life totals for card advantage. It draws parallels with other creatures such as Erebos, Bleak-Hearted, which also offers the ability to draw cards albeit through sacrificing another creature instead of paying life and mana. Erebos’s ability is reliant on the death of a creature, providing a different angle of resource accrual.

Another comparable card is Greed, an enchantment that allows card drawing in exchange for life and mana just like Bloodtracker. Greed demands a steady stream of life and mana but without the board presence of a creature. Bloodtracker’s advantage is its potential growth, becoming a larger threat as you draw more cards. Additionally, there is Twilight Prophet, a creature that provides card advantage and life loss to your opponents without any additional cost when ascended. However, it lacks the user control over when and how many cards are drawn compared to Bloodtracker, which can be crucial in clutch moments.

In essence, Bloodtracker finds its niche among life-for-cards mechanisms in MTG, providing both a threat on the board and a repeatable card advantage engine for players adept at balancing their life totals for strategic depth.

Erebos, Bleak-Hearted - MTG Card versions
Greed - MTG Card versions
Twilight Prophet - MTG Card versions
Erebos, Bleak-Hearted - MTG Card versions
Greed - MTG Card versions
Twilight Prophet - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Bloodtracker offers a versatile mechanism for card draw, allowing players to build a significant hand advantage over time. By placing +1/+1 counters, you not only enhance its power but also set up for multiple card draws later, potentializing your game plan and keeping your options numerous.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly influencing mana, the value Bloodtracker provides can translate into accelerated board presence. Its ability to grow and become an imposing threat on the board makes it a resource in itself, one that can draw attention away from your other strategic plays.

Instant Speed: Bloodtracker’s ability can be used at instant speed, which means you can manage your resources efficiently while keeping your opponents guessing. Reacting to your opponent’s moves by converting life into potential card draw ensures that you stay ahead, all without missing a beat in your chain of plays.


Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Bloodtracker demands black mana, which can restrict deck-building options, especially in formats that value mana flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, this card might compete with other crucial plays in your curve, making it less desirable in fast-paced matches.

Discard Requirement: While able to provide card advantage, Bloodtracker can be less impactful in situations where your hand is already depleted, as it hinges on paying life and having the means to draw cards later.


Reasons to Include Bloodtracker in Your Collection

Versatility: Bloodtracker offers a highly flexible role in various deck builds, shining in those that focus on life gain or loss as a strategy. Its ability to generate card advantage while influencing your life total makes it a strong asset in multiple scenarios.

Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with strategies that manipulate life totals, plus its ability to convert life points into card draw can be the lynchpin in combo decks looking to assemble specific card interactions for a win.

Meta-Relevance: Given the right meta environment, particularly one where games tend to go longer, Bloodtracker’s value can skyrocket. Its sustained card draw capability provides a crucial edge in grindy match-ups.


How to Beat Bloodtracker

Bloodtracker is a formidable creature in the MTG universe, offering players the ability to pay life and draw cards, therefore, enhancing their strategic depth. When it leaves the battlefield, its lure is the potential to translate into card advantage. To effectively neutralize Bloodtracker, consider utilizing removal spells that don’t cause it to leave the battlefield, such as exile or bounce mechanisms. Cards like Path to Exile or Unsummon can be efficient tools against this threat.

Denying your opponent the ability to gain life is another strategy, since it limits the efficiency of Bloodtracker’s ability. Employ cards that restrict life gain or use life as a resource cautiously. Moreover, take advantage of the moments when your opponent is at a lower life total, making it riskier for them to capitalize on Bloodtracker’s draw ability. Pacing your threats to demand answers before Bloodtracker can become a significant advantage can shift the game in your favor.

Remember that the key is patience and tactical removal. Targeted spells or effects that alter the flow of the game without triggering Bloodtracker’s leaving-the-battlefield ability will decrease its impact and help you maintain control over the match.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the depths of deck-building and gameplay strategy in MTG is a constant challenge. The introduction of Bloodtracker into your card collection could open new avenues for victory, especially in decks that thrive on the careful management of life points for card advantage. Consider the pros and cons, its unique role in card-draw mechanisms, and the potent combos it can create. When facing this creature across the battlefield, strategic removal and life-total management prove vital. Dive deeper into the intricacies of Bloodtracker, perfect your strategy, and add an edge to your gameplay. Leap forward in your MTG journey with us for more insights.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bloodtracker MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and Commander 2018, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.

For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.

Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.

Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Bloodtracker and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bloodtracker Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2023-11-17. Illustrated by Magali Villeneuve.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 706892015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
22018-08-09Commander 2018C18 142015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
32021-04-23Commander 2021C21 1372015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
42021-11-19Crimson Vow CommanderVOC 1222015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
52022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 3822015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve
62023-11-17The Lost Caverns of Ixalan CommanderLCC 1862015NormalBlackMagali Villeneuve

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bloodtracker has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Bloodtracker card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date Text
2018-07-13 If enough -1/-1 counters are put on Bloodtracker at the same time to make its toughness 0 or less, the number of +1/+1 counters on it before it got any -1/-1 counters will be used to determine how many cards you draw. For example, if there are three +1/+1 counters on Bloodtracker and it gets six -1/-1 counters, you'll draw three cards. That's because Bloodtracker's triggered ability checks the creature's existence just before it leaves the battlefield, and it still has all those counters on it at that point.