Spirit of the Hunt MTG Card
Key Takeaways
- Spirit of the Hunt provides a toughness boost to wolf-types, enhancing board longevity during play.
- Flash ability allows for strategic surprise plays, making it a flexible defensive and offensive tool.
- Mana cost and deck-specific nature may limit its versatility, but it excels in themed decks.
Guide to Flash card ability
Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.
Text of card
Flash When Spirit of the Hunt enters the battlefield, each other creature you control that's a Wolf or a Werewolf gets +0/+3 until end of turn.
The bonds of the pack transcend time and death.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Upon entering the battlefield, Spirit of the Hunt creates a beneficial scenario for your creatures with its static ability. This doesn’t directly equate to drawing cards but it can help maintain board presence, which is a form of card advantage by preserving your creature’s lifeforce during combat, potentially outmaneuvering opponents’ removal spells or combat tricks.
Resource Acceleration: While not a traditional ramp card, fielding Spirit of the Hunt can be seen as a type of resource acceleration in decks that capitalize on the Wolf or Werewolf creature types. By strengthening these creatures as it enters the battlefield, you’ll be boosting your existing assets, effectively accelerating your resource value on the board.
Instant Speed: Spirit of the Hunt’s ability to be cast at instant speed is a game-changer for reactive play. It allows you to surprise your opponent by bolstering your team’s toughness during combat or in response to spells that would otherwise decimate your creatures, making it a tactical asset in both offensive and defensive scenarios.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Spirit of the Hunt doesn’t have a discard requirement, players should be aware that cards synergizing with wolf or werewolf traits might necessitate hand management that could lead to strategic discarding. This could potentially detract from a player’s hand advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: The Spirit of the Hunt card requires a specific combination of mana to cast – one green and two generic mana. This specificity means that it is fundamentally suited to green-centric or green-inclusive decks, thus not fitting into every deck archetype.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana for a 3/3 creature, some players might consider the mana investment high when looking for creatures with immediate board impact. Although its ability to boost toughness of other Wolves and Werewolves is beneficial, the fact remains that in a fast-paced game, three mana for a situational toughness boost may not always be the most tempo-efficient play.
Reasons to Include Spirit of the Hunt in Your Collection
Versatility: Spirit of the Hunt is not just a stand-alone card; its ability makes it a flexible addition to decks centered around Wolves and Werewolves. It can be played for its flash ability, giving you an unexpected way to bolster your creatures during battle.
Combo Potential: This card pairs superbly with other creatures that benefit from, or contribute to, the overall toughness of your creatures. It can be a key component in a defensive strategy or a sudden offensive boost during your opponent’s turn.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-heavy strategies prevail, having Spirit of the Hunt can give you a significant edge. Its ability to protect and strengthen your board against sweepers and during combat can be invaluable. When timed right, it could be the turning point to secure a win.
How to beat
Spirit of the Hunt is a unique card that can be a real game changer in MTG due to its ability to strengthen your creatures as it enters the battlefield. Its flash ability also means it can be a surprise element during combat, fortifying your creatures unexpectedly and tipping the scales in your favor.
Overcoming this card requires strategy and timing. Removal spells that can target and destroy or exile creatures at instant speed are particularly effective as they can disrupt the opponent just before they deploy their Spirit of the Hunt. Board wipes are another solution to the challenge this card presents, sweeping the field of multiple threats at once, including the bolstered ones. Timing these spells after the Spirit’s ability has resolved will maximize their efficacy.
Alternatively, countering the spell outright ensures that Spirit of the Hunt doesn’t even get a chance to impact the board. Countermagic is crucial in these moments, preventing the buff to other creatures and maintaining the balance of power. Thus, while Spirit of the Hunt is a strong card, a well-constructed deck with the right answers can keep it in check.
Cards like Spirit of the Hunt
Spirit of the Hunt stands as a compelling creature within the world of Magic the Gathering, specifically within decks themed around wolves and werewolves. This card provides a unique protective ability by giving other wolves and werewolves you control an additional toughness boost during the turn it’s played. It’s often compared to cards like Nightpack Ambusher, which not only bolsters your wolf pack but also generates additional wolf tokens, enhancing your board presence even further.
Another card that Spirit of the Hunt might be measured against is Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves. Though Tolsimir offers a higher power and toughness, comes with a more demanding mana cost, and produces a wolf token with a beneficial life gain ability. While not offering the in-turn toughness boost, the sustained advantages of Tolsimir can’t be ignored. Additionally, Wolfir Silverheart presents a robust partner mechanic to double down on power and toughness, forging a significant impact that Spirit of the Hunt does not replicate.
When comparing these options, Spirit of the Hunt serves as a tactical instant shield in wolf-centric strategies, balancing the need for immediate protection with the potential for an aggressive board state. Its role is quite specialized, making it a precise, though not universally applicable, piece in MTG creature dynamics.
Cards similar to Spirit of the Hunt by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Spirit of the Hunt MTG card by a specific set like Eldritch Moon and Eldritch Moon 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 Spirit of the Hunt 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 Spirit of the Hunt Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-07-22 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by Bastien L. Deharme.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-07-22 | Eldritch Moon | EMN | 170 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Bastien L. Deharme | |
| 2 | 2016-07-22 | Eldritch Moon Promos | PEMN | 170s | 2015 | Normal | Black | Bastien L. Deharme | |
| 3 | 2023-03-21 | Shadows over Innistrad Remastered | SIR | 215 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Bastien L. Deharme |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Spirit of the Hunt has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
