Bee Sting MTG Card

Bee Sting carves its own space with its unique direct damage for green decks. While less efficient than some spells, it holds combo and board control potential. In the right meta, Bee Sting’s versatility makes it a worthy inclusion.

Portal (POR)
1997-05-01 - Number 159

Portal Second Age (P02)
1998-06-24 - Number 124

Masters Edition IV (ME4)
2011-01-10 - Number 144

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery

Text of card

Bee Sting deals 2 damage to any one creature or player.

There are few things as motivating as a swarm of bees.

Cards like Bee Sting

Bee Sting offers a unique role in the realm of Magic: The Gathering as a direct damage card. It shares conceptual grounds with cards like Lightning Bolt, a staple damage-dealing card that directs three damage to any target for a single red mana. Bee Sting, while dealing the same amount of damage, requires more of a resource commitment at four mana, including green — an interesting color choice for direct damage.

Looking at other comparisons, we have Hornet Sting, which is significantly cheaper at one green mana, but it only deals a single point of damage. The cost-to-damage ratio is clearly in favor of the immediate impact of Lightning Bolt, yet Bee Sting allows green decks, which usually focus on creatures and buffs, to access direct damage at a higher rate.

Finally, we can’t overlook Tribal Unity, yet another green-aligned card providing a very different utility. While not dealing direct damage, it boosts creature power based on the number of creatures you have of a particular type, proving that green mana can be quite versatile in terms of dealing damage, albeit indirectly.

Considering these comparisons, Bee Sting presents itself as an unusual option for green mages looking to include direct damage within their MTG deck strategies. Its higher mana cost is balanced by the ability to fit into a color that conventionally focuses on growth and strength through creatures rather than direct harm.

Cards similar to Bee Sting by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While the Bee Sting card doesn’t directly allow you to draw additional cards, its direct damage effect has the potential to remove an opponent’s creature from the board. This trade can indirectly translate into card advantage by disrupting your opponent’s strategy and preserving your resources on the field.

Resource Acceleration: Bee Sting stands out by offering a different kind of resource acceleration. Instead of generating mana, it accelerates your board presence by dealing damage. Deploying Bee Sting can accelerate your victory by chipping away at your opponent’s life total or removing key threats that block your path to winning the game.

Instant Speed: As Bee Sting is a sorcery, it doesn’t have the flexibility of an instant. However, its straightforward and impactful damage effect compensates for this by ensuring a clear and focused use of your mana resources during your turn. You can strategically plan when to deploy your resources, ensuring Bee Sting has the maximal impact on the game’s outcome.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One of the constraints when playing Bee Sting is that it doesn’t have a discard requirement, so card disadvantage is not a direct issue with this particular card. It is important for players to consider the overall hand management and strategy of their deck.

Specific Mana Cost: Bee Sting comes with a specific mana cost that requires both green mana and generic mana, which may not seamlessly fit into decks that aren’t built with green mana sources in mind.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost requiring three mana, including two green, Bee Sting’s damage output may seem inefficient when compared to other spells that deal similar damage at a lower cost or with additional benefits.

Reasons to Include Bee Sting in Your Collection

Versatility: Bee Sting offers flexibility as it serves multiple functions. It can be used to deal direct damage to creatures, making it a pragmatic pick for decks that need to manage the board or polish off weakened foes. Its ability to strike directly at opponents also gives it a space in decks focusing on direct damage strategies.

Combo Potential: This card’s untapped potential shines in combos. Its nature allows it to synergize with cards that capitalize on dealing non-combat damage or that trigger upon casting spells with a certain amount of mana. It can be used as a tool to activate such synergies and advance your game plan.

Meta-Relevance: With a shifting landscape in competitive play, having versatile and direct damage spells can be crucial. Bee Sting’s utility in targeting creatures or players can make it a relevant choice, especially in a meta-game where finishing off opponents with spell damage is as viable as combat damage.

How to beat

Bee Sting presents an interesting challenge on the battlefield with its direct damage ability. This classic card from Magic: The Gathering allows players to deal 2 damage to any target at the cost of four mana. Unlike lightning-paced spells such as Lightning Bolt, Bee Sting requires more resource investment for its effect. Navigating around its sting involves strategic planning and clever deck construction.

For a start, countering Bee Sting can be as simple as utilizing instant speed removal or counterspells like Counterspell or Negate to prevent it from resolving. Shields up with hexproof or shroud-equipped creatures can also nullify Bee Sting’s impact. Ultimately, making the card useless by maintaining a board state that undercuts its damage-dealing ability or swiftly outpacing the mana-heavy investment with cheaper, more efficient threats can be key to gaining the upper hand in a duel where Bee Sting flies into the deck strategies.

Assessing situations and having answers ready are fundamental in a game of Magic: The Gathering. While Bee Sting could pose a threat, its higher cost and limited impact offer players numerous pathways to neutralize it, keeping their deck’s synergies intact and their life totals healthy.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Bee Sting MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Portal Second Age, 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 Bee Sting and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Bee Sting Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2011-01-10. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1997-05-01	Portal	POR	159	1997	Normal	Black	Phil Foglio
2	1998-06-24	Portal Second Age	P02	124	1997	Normal	Black	Cris Dornaus
3	2011-01-10	Masters Edition IV	ME4	144	1997	Normal	Black	Cris Dornaus

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Bee Sting has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal