Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist MTG Card
2016-04-08 - Number 108s
2016-04-08 - Number 108
2016-04-08 - Number 108
2002-06-24 - Number 60472
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Vampire Wizard |
| Abilities | Transform |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Text of card
, Discard a card: Transform Elusive Tormentor.
Older vampires are usually more cautious than the newly-sired, calling upon ancient magic for which neonates lack patience.
Cards like Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist
Elusive Tormentor, a unique card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, continues to intrigue players with its dual-faced nature and transformative ability. It holds a certain similarity to werewolf cards like Huntmaster of the Fells, which also have the capability to flip and change form. Yet, Elusive Tormentor stands out by enabling the transformation at the player’s discretion, without the dependency on the spells cast the previous turn, which is a condition for werewolves.
Another comparator in this space is Bloodline Keeper, a card that also evolves to a more powerful version, Lord of Lineage. While transformation is a mutual theme, Bloodline Keeper focuses on creating vampire tokens rather than protective evasion. The Tormentor’s ability to become hexproof and indestructible as Insidious Mist gives players a distinct tactical advantage by ensuring their creature’s survivability during critical moments of gameplay without relying on other cards or specific conditions.
Assessing both the versatility and control offered by Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist, it’s clear why it has garnered attention among players who value flexibility and the power to dictate the pace of their creature’s evolution within the game’s dynamic landscape.
Cards similar to Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Elusive Tormentor can create significant card advantage by protecting itself from removal. As you discard a card, you not only potentially set up your graveyard for future strategies but also transform it into Insidious Mist, a nearly untouchable threat.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly impacting your mana pool, the Elusive Tormentor’s ability to flip into Insidious Mist can be a form of resource acceleration. It allows you to sidestep the need for protective spells, thereby saving mana and resources for more proactive plays.
Instant Speed: The transformation of Elusive Tormentor into Insidious Mist can be activated at instant speed, offering a responsive play to opponents’ actions. This adaptability ensures that your threat remains on the board, poised for your next move.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The transformation ability of Elusive Tormentor to Insidious Mist necessitates the discard of a card, which can be tricky when your hand is dwindling and each card becomes a valuable asset to your game plan.
Specific Mana Cost: Elusive Tormentor’s casting cost requires both black and generic mana, which commits you to a color that must be consistently available. This can be restrictive for multicolored decks that struggle with mana fixing or for players who prefer a broader color strategy.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial investment of four mana to get Elusive Tormentor on the board, players may find the cost a bit steep, particularly when evaluating other creatures and spells of similar or even lower mana value that could provide immediate effects or present a faster path to victory.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist can seamlessly adapt to various gameplay styles. Its ability to transform into an almost untouchable creature makes it a strong inclusion in decks that emphasize resilience and evasion.
Combo Potential: Key interactions play a large role with this card. Its transformation mechanic allows for interesting combos, potentially protecting vital combo pieces or enabling surprise block and attack tactics that can catch opponents off guard.
Meta-Relevance: With its capability to dodge common removal spells, Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist holds relevance in metagames where targeted removal is prevalent. Its transformative nature can outmaneuver some of the popular removal strategies, ensuring its viability in certain matchups.
How to beat
The Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist card in MTG presents a unique challenge with its ability to transform and become hexproof and indestructible. However, there are strategies effective against it. Ensuring you have control elements like sacrifice effects can bypass its defenses, as they don’t target the creature directly. Cards like Crackling Doom force a player to sacrifice without choosing a specific target, offering a way to deal with the otherwise elusive threat.
Board wipes also serve as a reliable countermeasure, clearing the field of all creatures, including those that are indestructible. The key is to play these spells when the Tormentor is on its vulnerable human side before it turns into the shrouded Mist. Always be mindful of the mana your opponent has available, as the transformation ability can be activated at instant speed, potentially in response to your actions. Playing around this card requires careful timing and an understanding of your opponent’s potential to react.
Ultimately, while the Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist can be a formidable adversary, a well-constructed deck with the right answers can navigate and neutralize this shapeshifting menace, maintaining the upper hand in your duels.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Shadows over Innistrad 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 Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
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- MTG Mint Card
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- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2016-04-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 60472 | 2015 | Transform | Black | Anna Steinbauer | ||
| 2 | 2016-04-08 | Shadows over Innistrad Promos | PSOI | 108s | 2015 | Transform | Black | Izzy | |
| 3 | 2016-04-08 | Shadows over Innistrad | SOI | 108 | 2015 | Transform | Black | Izzy | |
| 4 | 2016-04-08 | Shadows over Innistrad Promos | PSOI | 108 | 2015 | Transform | Black | Anna Steinbauer |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Elusive Tormentor // Insidious Mist card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-04-08 | Once blockers have been chosen, transforming Elusive Tormentor into Insidious Mist won’t cause it to become unblocked. |
| 2016-04-08 | You can activate Elusive Tormentor’s ability multiple times to discard multiple cards. Only the first instance of the ability to resolve will cause it to transform. |
| 2016-04-08 | You can, all within one turn, attack with Elusive Tormentor, transform it into Insidious Mist before blockers are chosen, transform it back as its triggered ability resolves, and have it deal 4 combat damage. |
| 2016-07-13 | For more information on double-faced cards, see the Shadows over Innistrad mechanics article (http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/shadows-over-innistrad-mechanics). |