Deadeye Harpooner MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Dwarf Warrior
Abilities	Revolt
Released	2017-01-20
Set symbol
Set name	Aether Revolt
Set code	AER
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	15
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Ryan Pancoast

Key Takeaways

Offers board control by removing threats when triggering Revolt, providing a strategic edge.
Specific white mana cost and conditional ability limit its versatility in deck building.
Considering similar cards, it adds unique value with instant threat removal capabilities.

Text of card

Revolt — When Deadeye Harpooner enters the battlefield, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, destroy target tapped creature an opponent controls.

"It seems there's even better hunting down here."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Deadeye Harpooner can potentially remove an opposing creature upon entering the battlefield, offering you an advantageous board state that could deter your opponent’s threats effectively.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Harpooner itself does not directly accelerate resources, eliminating a key creature of your opponent can indirectly lead to resource acceleration by keeping pressure off your own creatures and maintaining a strong battlefield presence.

Instant Speed: While Deadeye Harpooner is not an instant, its interaction with the Revolt mechanic can lead to instant-speed-like effects when combined with flash creatures or instant-speed removals and sacrifices. This allows you to set up the battlefield subtly and spring the Harpooner’s ability at a moment’s notice, which can be particularly disruptive during your opponent’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Deadeye Harpooner’s effectiveness hinges on the revolt ability, which typically requires a permanent you control to have left the battlefield this turn. This can be seen as a form of indirect ‘discard,’ as it forces you to possibly alter your game plan or lose a valuable asset to trigger its ability.

Specific Mana Cost: Being a white creature card, Deadeye Harpooner needs a mana base aligned with white mana sources. This requirement may restrict its inclusion to certain strategies, primarily within white decks or specific multicolored decks that can accommodate its color needs.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two generic and one white, Deadeye Harpooner’s cost is substantial when you consider the card’s stats and the conditional nature of its ability. There are alternative creatures or removals in MTG that might offer instant removal or better stats for a similar or lower cost without relying on a revolt trigger.

Reasons to Include Deadeye Harpooner in Your Collection

Versatility: Deadeye Harpooner serves as a multi-functional piece in decks. It shines in strategies that seek to utilize creatures with enter-the-battlefield effects or those focusing on a robust removal suite.

Combo Potential: Coupled with flicker effects or repeatable revival methods, this card can become a recurring source of creature removal, disrupting opponents’ boards repeatedly over the course of a game.

Meta-Relevance: With creature-based strategies frequently dominating the landscape, Deadeye Harpooner offers a timely answer to opposing threats, making it an essential tool for maintaining board control.

How to beat

Deadeye Harpooner has emerged as a dynamic force on the battlefield, distinguished by its ability to dismantle an opponent’s strategy when paired with the Revolt mechanic. Toppling this vigilant creature requires a blend of tactics and foresight. One effective approach is to limit its opportunities for activation by controlling your creature interactions. Avoid unnecessary sacrifices or fetches that may inadvertently trigger Revolt, granting it a potent removal ability.

Another strategy involves direct removals or counterspells to nullify the Harpooner before its ability can be used. Instant-speed spells can be particularly useful, supplying the agility needed to intercept the Harpooner mid-play. Additionally, providing a robust defense with creatures that can withstand its attack or employing hexproof to protect your important assets will diminish the Harpooner’s impact, preserving your board presence.

Overall, being proactive and mindful of the Revolt trigger conditions are key to navigating around Deadeye Harpooner’s removal capabilities. By doing so, players can maintain their strategy with minimal disruption, ensuring that this MTG card doesn’t become an overwhelming hurdle in the match.

Cards like Deadeye Harpooner

Deadeye Harpooner is a unique card that offers pinpoint removal as a creature, positioning itself distinctly in Magic: The Gathering’s vast array of cards. It shares some parallels with cards like Fiend Hunter, which also exiles an opponent’s creature until it leaves the battlefield. While Fiend Hunter provides more permanent control, Deadeye Harpooner, with its Revolt ability, can instantly remove a threat when a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.

Comparatively, there’s Banisher Priest, offering a similar exile effect for enemy creatures. Although Banisher Priest does not necessitate a preceding condition like Deadeye Harpooner’s Revolt, its impact is less immediate since it can’t capitalize on the battlefield’s changing conditions. Moreover, Skyclave Apparition deserves a mention. Unlike the Harpooner, it can exile nonland permanents with varying mana value, providing a broader scope of disruption. However, Apparition lacks the tactical edge of Deadeye Harpooner, which synergizes well with decks that frequently trigger Revolt.

Ultimately, Deadeye Harpooner carves a niche for itself among creature-based removal in Magic: The Gathering. Its situational ability can be both a boon and a limitation, offering strategic depth and responsive gameplay where timing is key.

Cards similar to Deadeye Harpooner by color, type and mana cost

Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Deadeye Harpooner MTG card by a specific set like Aether Revolt, 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 Deadeye Harpooner and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Deadeye Harpooner has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2017-02-09	All cards in the Aether Revolt set with triggered revolt abilities use an intervening “if” clause. A permanent you controlled must have left the battlefield earlier in the turn in order for these abilities to trigger; otherwise they do nothing. In other words, there’s no way to have the ability trigger if no permanent you controlled has left the battlefield that turn, even if you intend to have one do so in response to the triggered ability.
2017-02-09	Energy counters aren’t permanents. Paying won’t satisfy a revolt ability.
2017-02-09	Revolt abilities check only whether a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn or not. They don’t apply multiple times if more than one permanent you controlled left the battlefield. They don’t check whether the permanent that left the battlefield is still in the zone it moved to.
2017-02-09	Revolt abilities don’t care why the permanent left the battlefield, who caused it to move, or where it moved to. They’re equally satisfied by an artifact you sacrificed to pay a cost, a creature you controlled that was destroyed by Murder, or an enchantment you returned to your hand with Leave in the Dust.
2017-02-09	Tokens that leave the battlefield will satisfy a revolt ability.