Mardu Heart-Piercer MTG Card
2014-09-05 - Number 13
2014-09-26 - Number 116
2022-12-02 - Number 572
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Archer |
| Abilities | Raid |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Maximizes card advantage by pairing damage with potential card draw through its raid ability.
- Streamlines resource management by eliminating the need for additional removal spells.
- Requires careful mana base construction due to its specific three-color casting cost.
Text of card
Raid — When Mardu Heart-Piercer enters the battlefield, if you attacked with a creature this turn, Mardu Heart-Piercer deals 2 damage to target creature or player.
"Those who have never ridden before the wind do not know the true joy of war."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Mardu Heart-Piercer allows you to deal damage while potentially drawing you a card if you used the raid ability successfully, ensuring that you don’t fall behind in resources.
Resource Acceleration: This card, when played optimally, can accelerate your resource management by removing key enemy creatures, saving you potential mana expenditures on removal spells later on.
Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, the Mardu Heart-Piercer proficiencies synergize well with instant-speed interaction, setting up opportunities to trigger the raid mechanic by attacking with other creatures on your turn before casting it.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Mardu Heart-Piercer requires you to sacrifice another creature or discard a card to unleash its raid ability. During gameplay, this can be a significant setback when you’re already struggling to maintain card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Casting this card demands a precise combination of mana, including red, white, and black. If your mana base isn’t well-tuned, summoning Mardu Heart-Piercer can be challenging, especially in the early game when mana flexibility is critical.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that includes three different colors, Mardu Heart-Piercer can be demanding on your mana resources. For a four mana cost, other cards in your deck might offer more impact or versatility, potentially making this card a less optimal choice in certain strategical situations.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Mardu Heart-Piercer offers flexibility to various deck strategies with its unique raid ability. It can serve as both removal and a source of direct damage, fitting nicely into aggressive and control archetypes.
Combo Potential: The card’s ability to deal damage upon entering the battlefield pairs well with tactics that manipulate creature entries. It can be a critical piece in decks built around dealing non-combat damage or those that capitalize on creatures with comes-into-play effects.
Meta-Relevance: Considering its capacity to quickly remove smaller threats, Mardu Heart-Piercer is particularly effective in a meta dominated by creatures. Its direct damage ability can also be the linchpin in races against other aggressive decks or in disrupting the plans of tempo-based opponents.
How to beat
Mardu Heart-Piercer is a card that offers MTG players a unique advantage by dealing direct damage when it attacks a player. This card requires a strategy that includes removing it from play before it can cause significant damage. Utilizing instant-speed removal spells that can target creatures is a key method in handling it effectively. Examples include Path to Exile or Fatal Push, which can eliminate the threat before it has a chance to utilize its raid ability.
Another tactic to consider is using cards that prevent the Mardu Heart-Piercer from attacking. Cards that create a defensive wall or those that tap opposing creatures ensure that the Heart-Piercer’s ability is nullified. Ensnaring Bridge or Meekstone can significantly hinder creature-based attack strategies, thereby protecting your life total from direct damage inflicted by cards like the Mardu Heart-Piercer.
In essence, ensuring control over the board and being prepared to disrupt the opponent’s strategy are both critical. By leveraging efficient removal and utilizing control cards to prevent attacks, players can mitigate the threat posed by Mardu Heart-Piercer and maintain an edge in the game.
Cards like Mardu Heart-Piercer
Mardu Heart-Piercer is a unique choice for those crafting their decks around the Raid mechanic. When looking at creatures that have similar possibilities, creatures like Goblin Heelcutter come to mind. Although Goblin Heelcutter also disrupts opponents by preventing a creature from blocking, it doesn’t offer direct damage to a player or planeswalker. Mardu Heart-Piercer, in contrast, fulfills a dual function by potentially removing smaller threats on the board or chipping away at an opponent’s life total once it enters the battlefield if you’ve attacked with a creature this turn.
Mardu Scout is another card that can be compared due to its similar mana cost and dash ability, allowing for aggressive plays. However, it lacks Mardu Heart-Piercer’s ability to deal direct damage upon entering the battlefield under the Raid condition. On the other end, there is Alesha, Who Smiles at Death, which synergizes well with Mardu Heart-Piercer in a Raid-centric strategy, reviving it to repeat its damage-dealing entrance for continued pressure on the battlefield.
Overall, Mardu Heart-Piercer represents an intriguing choice in Rakdos or Mardu decks that value aggressive strategies combined with utility – pressing the advantage with both creature damage and direct impact on life totals or planeswalker loyalty.
Cards similar to Mardu Heart-Piercer by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Mardu Heart-Piercer MTG card by a specific set like Duel Decks: Speed vs. Cunning and Khans of Tarkir, 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 Mardu Heart-Piercer and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Mardu Heart-Piercer Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2014-09-05 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Karl Kopinski.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2014-09-05 | Duel Decks: Speed vs. Cunning | DDN | 13 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Karl Kopinski | |
| 2 | 2014-09-26 | Khans of Tarkir | KTK | 116 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Karl Kopinski | |
| 3 | 2022-12-02 | Jumpstart 2022 | J22 | 572 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Karl Kopinski |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Mardu Heart-Piercer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Mardu Heart-Piercer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-01-19 | Raid abilities care only that you attacked with a creature. It doesn’t matter how many creatures you attacked with, or which opponent or planeswalker controlled by an opponent those creatures attacked. |
| 2018-01-19 | Raid abilities evaluate the entire turn to see if you attacked with a creature. That creature doesn’t have to still be on the battlefield. Similarly, the player or planeswalker it attacked doesn’t have to still be in the game or on the battlefield, respectively. |
