Caustic Hound MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Phyrexian Dog |
| Released | 2011-02-04 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Mirrodin Besieged |
| Set code | MBS |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 40 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Dave Allsop |
Text of card
When Caustic Hound is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, each player loses 4 life.
At first, the Mirrans aimed for its exposed gut. The survivors quickly learned to do otherwise.
Cards like Caustic Hound
In the roster of potent creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, Caustic Hound presents intriguing gameplay decisions. It aligns with creatures like Cindervines, which deals damage to each opponent whenever they cast a noncreature spell, though Caustic Hound’s trigger is tied to its death. What distinguishes Caustic Hound is the equal loss of life both you and an opponent experience, whereas Cindervines is a one-sided affair.
Exploring further, Furnace Scamp shares a resemblance, dealing damage upon death, just like Caustic Hound. Yet, the Scamp requires dealing combat damage for its effect to trigger, providing a different tactical angle. Magmatic Chasm, though not a creature, influences attacks like our discussed creature. However, it prevents blocking for only a single turn, contrasting with Caustic Hound’s final act of life loss.
To wrap it up, while there are various cards that induce loss of life or damage upon leaving the battlefield, Caustic Hound’s mutual life loss gives it a unique place within the landscape of Magic: The Gathering cards. It can serve as a strategic choice for players who enjoy balancing risk and reward to secure victory.
Cards similar to Caustic Hound by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The grim presence of Caustic Hound on the battlefield can be quite the deterrent, often causing players to think twice before engaging. It smartly leverages player removal, potentially leading to advantageous board states. Subsequently, this pressure could force opponents into unfavorable trades, potentially edging you into a position of card advantage as they sacrifice valuable creatures to avoid the toxic bite of the hound.
Resource Acceleration: While Caustic Hound itself may not directly contribute to ramp or resource acceleration, its sheer threat could indirectly impact resource allocation. Opponents might need to divert resources they would otherwise use for development to deal with the hound, giving you room to build up your board and accelerate your game plan.
Instant Speed: Although Caustic Hound doesn’t operate at instant speed, its potent death-trigger ability can seamlessly fit into strategies revolving around instant speed interactions. Knowing that the Hound can devastate multiple opponents at once, you can tactically navigate your instant speed spells to manipulate the flow of play, holding back to capitalize on the imminent havoc the hound promises to your adversaries.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Caustic Hound comes with a discard clause that could detract from your hand advantage. Every time you wish to deploy this creature, you’re compelled to throw another card away, potentially disrupting your game plan and pace.
Specific Mana Cost: To cast Caustic Hound, a precise combination of mana is required, which includes black mana. This requirement can be restrictive as it necessitates a dedicated color commitment, rendering the card less flexible in multi-colored or colorless deck strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an imposing mana value attached to Caustic Hound, it stands on the pricier side when stacked against other creatures with similar or even more impactful abilities. Players might find more cost-effective alternatives that don’t impinge on their mana resources as heavily.
Reasons to Include Caustic Hound in Your Collection
Versatility: The Caustic Hound card offers a robust solution for players seeking a potent board presence. Its ability to inflict damage upon death makes it a formidable threat in different deck builds, serving various strategic roles.
Combo Potential: This card can synergize with strategies focused on sacrifice and recursion, turning a potential liability into an asset. Players can engineer situations where Caustic Hound’s departure from the battlefield turns into an advantage, decimating opponent’s life totals in concert with other cards.
Meta-Relevance: Considering the dynamics of current gameplay, where life totals can be as much a resource as a scoreboard, Caustic Hound’s impact could shift the scales in your favor. Its presence is particularly relevant in meta environments that do not heavily prioritize exile removal, allowing its effect to be a consistent threat.
How to Beat
Caustic Hound presents itself as a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, challenging opponents with its menacing death-trigger ability. Its uniqueness stems from its potential to deal considerable damage to each player when it dies. Unlike other creatures that might focus on board control or singular target damage, the Caustic Hound impacts every player’s life total, reshaping the dynamics of the game.
To navigate around this potent ability, consider employing removal spells that exile it rather than sending it to the graveyard, thus negating its lethal death-trigger. Spells such as Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares are solid choices in this scenario. Alternatively, use effects that negate abilities or transform the creature, like Polymorphist’s Jest, to handle the Hound without triggering its harmful effect. In multiplayer formats, strategic alliance may also play a pivotal role – team up temporarily to manage threats like Caustic Hound before it unleashes its havoc.
Ultimately, understanding the intricate interactions and timing your responses effectively can turn the tide in your favor. Thwarting the Caustic Hound’s ability not only preserves your life total but also demoralizes opponents relying on that crucial damage as part of their strategy.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Caustic Hound MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged, 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 Caustic Hound and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Caustic Hound has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |