Hive of the Eye Tyrant MTG Card
2021-07-23 - Number 355
2021-07-23 - Number 258p
2021-07-23 - Number 258s
2021-07-23 - Number 258a
2021-07-23 - Number 258
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
Text of card
If you control two or more other lands, Hive of the Eye Tyrant enters the battlefield tapped. : Add . : Until end of turn, Hive of the Eye Tyrant becomes a 3/3 black Beholder creature with menace and "Whenever this creature attacks, exile target card from defending player's graveyard." It's still a land.
Understanding the Dynamics of Hive of the Eye Tyrant
Hive of the Eye Tyrant stands as a compelling creature-land card that brings versatility to any MTG deck. While creature-lands like Crawling Barrens also offer a significant power boost, Hive of the Eye Tyrant is unique in its ability to not only become a creature but also imbue itself with menace until end of turn. This feature provides a tactical advantage, as opposed to the static nature of Crawling Barrens.
Cards like Hive of the Eye Tyrant
In comparing Hive of the Eye Tyrant to other creature-lands in MTG, Mutavault emerges as a notable parallel. Both have the capability to animate and turn into creatures, ideal for surprising opponents. However, Mutavault lacks the ability to consistently threaten as a menacing attacker, unlike Hive of the Eye Tyrant. Another card, Lavaclaw Reaches, also shares the transformation trait but additionally scales in power based on the amount of mana spent. Although Lavaclaw Reaches can become formidable over time, it doesn’t provide the same immediate board presence with menace.
Ultimately, Hive of the Eye Tyrant’s strength lies in its potential for creating unblockable situations due to its menace, making it a valuable inclusion in decks that aim to pressurize opponents with evasive and resilient threats.
Cards similar to Hive of the Eye Tyrant by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Hive of the Eye Tyrant. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Rakdos Vampires | Pioneer | Rakdos Vampires | Pioneer League 2024-05-16 |
| Rakdos Midrange | Pioneer | Rakdos Midrange | Pioneer Challenge 64 2024-05-16 |
 | Mono-Black Discard | Pioneer | Mono-Black Discard | Pioneer Challenge 32 2024-05-16 |
 | Rakdos Sacrifice | Pioneer | Rakdos Sacrifice | Pioneer League 2024-05-16 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While not directly drawing cards, Hive of the Eye Tyrant offers strategic versatility by doubling as a land and creature, ensuring you have access to resources whether you need mana or board presence.
Resource Acceleration: As a land, Hive of the Eye Tyrant can be a critical mana source, and its transformation into a creature can provide significant pressure without costing a card from your hand, effectively accelerating your resource utilization.
Instant Speed: The ability to turn Hive of the Eye Tyrant into a creature can be activated at instant speed, allowing players to adopt an adaptable playstyle—keeping mana open for reactionary spells and only committing to creating the creature if beneficial during the opponent’s end step.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Hive of the Eye Tyrant does not have a discard requirement itself, to fully benefit from its abilities, it may require other cards from your hand which can be a setback if your hand is already thin.
Specific Mana Cost: Activating Hive of the Eye Tyrant’s transformation into a creature requires both black and colorless mana, which may not seamlessly fit into a multicolored deck that doesn’t heavily utilize black mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: To turn Hive of the Eye Tyrant into a creature, four mana is needed, which is a significant investment, especially in the early game where mana can be put towards developing your board presence or disrupting opponents.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Hive of the Eye Tyrant stands out for its ability to be a land early in the game and transform into a creature later on. It’s an asset in decks that can use the added flexibility without taking up a valuable non-land slot.
Combo Potential: As a creature, it not only provides a solid attacking option but can also contribute to landfall strategies or interact with cards that care about creature type, thanks to its Zombie subtype.
Meta-Relevance: This card shores up strategies against control decks by offering a resilient threat that evades sorcery-speed removal. In a format dominated by non-creature spells, having a man-land like Hive of the Eye Tyrant means maintaining offensive capability even when the board is clear.
How to beat
Hive of the Eye Tyrant stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a dynamic land card capable of transforming into a creature. Unlike static lands that solely generate mana, this card morphs into a fearsome 3/3 black Beholder creature with menace and, when it attacks, gives you the ability to exile a card from the defending player’s graveyard. This ability not only enhances offense but disrupts opponents’ graveyard strategies.
To handle this versatile threat, efficient land destruction spells or targeted removal are essential when it’s in creature form. Direct land removal spells like Field of Ruin can take it out before it becomes a creature. Players facing Hive of the Eye Tyrant should also consider instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push when it attacks or blocks, thus countering its activated ability. Ensuring you have answers to land and creature threats alike is key when navigating against this mutable card.
Ultimately, the key to outmaneuvering Hive of the Eye Tyrant lies in staying alert and having versatile responses ready in your deck, allowing you to maintain control over the battlefield regardless of how your opponent plays their lands. This strategic foresight protects against the potential for a simple land card to evolve into a potent offensive weapon.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Hive of the Eye Tyrant MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms and Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos, 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 Hive of the Eye Tyrant and other MTG cards:
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Printings
The Hive of the Eye Tyrant Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2021-07-23 and 2021-07-23. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms | AFR | 355 | 2015 | Normal | Black | DiTerlizzi | |
| 2 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos | PAFR | 258p | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss | |
| 3 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos | PAFR | 258s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss | |
| 4 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos | PAFR | 258a | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss | |
| 5 | 2021-07-23 | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms | AFR | 258 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Johannes Voss |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Hive of the Eye Tyrant has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Hive of the Eye Tyrant card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2021-07-23 | If Hive of the Eye Tyrant enters the battlefield at the same time as one or more other lands, it doesn't take those lands into consideration when determining how many other lands you control. |
| 2021-07-23 | If you activate Hive of the Eye Tyrant's last ability multiple times, it gains multiple instances of the triggered ability that exiles cards. For example, if you activate it twice and attack, you will choose two target cards to exile (or the same card twice, if you want to). |
| 2021-07-23 | If you turn Hive of the Eye Tyrant into a creature but haven't controlled it continuously since your most recent turn began, you won't be able to activate its mana ability or attack with it. |