Skulking Ghost MTG Card
1996-10-08 - Number 143
2016-06-10 - Number 107
2019-11-07 - Number 776
2020-09-26 - Number EMA-107
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Spirit |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Key Takeaways
- Skulking Ghost can grant card advantage by deterring opponents from targeting it, maintaining tempo control.
- Despite its triggered instant speed ability, it’s vulnerable to targeted spells, posing a high risk.
- Versatile and meta-relevant, it thrives in decks utilizing evasive creatures and sacrificing strategies.
Text of card
Flying If Skulking Ghost is the target of a spell or effect, bury Skulking Ghost.
"They exist only so long as the living take no notice." —Kifimbo, Shadow Guildmage
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Skulking Ghost can be an unexpected deterrent for your opponent’s creatures, potentially creating a scenario where they refrain from casting spells that would remove it, indirectly granting you card advantage as you control the tempo of the game.
Resource Acceleration: While Skulking Ghost does not directly provide resource acceleration, its low casting cost means you can deploy it early in the game, keeping mana available for more strategic plays or counterspells that can further your board state swiftly.
Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Skulking Ghost possesses a triggered ability that activates at instant speed. This can disrupt your opponent’s plans during combat or in response to their spells that target it, effectively saving your spirit from certain threats and potentially leading to a favorable state of resources.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Skulking Ghost can be a risky play since it demands an immediate exit from the battlefield when targeted by a spell or ability, effectively forcing you to lose the card without any benefits.
Specific Mana Cost: This creature card requires black mana, which restricts its seamless integration into multicolored decks, potentially narrowing your strategic options.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing two mana might not seem steep but for a creature with a vulnerability to being targeted and only offering 2/1 stats, there are other more resilient creatures available that might prove to be a better value for your mana investment.
Reasons to Include Skulking Ghost in Your Collection
Versatility: Skulking Ghost can be a useful piece in a variety of decks, particularly those that rely on evasive creatures. As a flying creature, it can often attack unblocked, making it a good candidate for decks focusing on direct life total reduction or utilizing combat tricks.
Combo Potential: This card acts as a beneficial tool in strategies that thrive on sacrificing creatures for greater gains. Since Skulking Ghost will automatically be sacrificed upon being targeted, it pairs well with effects that capitalize on creatures dying, such as death triggers or graveyard synergies.
Meta-Relevance: In a gameplay environment where targeted removal is prevalent, Skulking Ghost can serve as a deterrent for opponents’ removal spells, as they might not want to waste resources on a creature that dies easily. It fits well into aggressive strategies that aim to minimize the impact of opposing control measures.
How to beat
Skulking Ghost is an elusive creature in the MTG universe known for its evasion ability, making it a challenging opponent on the battlefield. Known for disappearing when targeted, the key to gaining the upper hand against Skulking Ghost is strategic planning. Utilizing cards that don’t specifically target the ghost but affect all creatures or the board could effectively negate its evasive nature. For instance, spells that force each player to sacrifice a creature can be excellent choices because they do not target the ghost directly. Similarly, widespread damage spells that deal damage to all creatures regardless of targeting can also bypass its ability and remove it from play.
Playing around Skulking Ghost also includes mindful creature management. Since the ghost flees when targeted, it’s wise to refrain from using targeted removal spells. Instead, opt for general board wipes or select non-targeting removal spells that can navigate around its abilities. Cards like this can help in maintaining enough board presence to deter an opposition running Skulking Ghost or in some cases, even cause an opponent to second-guess casting it altogether.
Ultimately, while Skulking Ghost can be an intimidating presence, clever card choices and tactical gameplay are the keys to overcoming this ethereal adversary in your MTG matchups.
Cards like Skulking Ghost
Skulking Ghost, a creature known for its haunting presence on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering, draws parallels with other spectral beings. Like the Ghost, cards such as Dauthi Slayer have shadow, allowing them to be blocked only by creatures with the same ability. This shadow trait gives Skulking Ghost an evasive edge much like the Slayer, albeit the Ghost dissipates when targeted by spells or abilities, unlike the resilient push of the Dauthi Slayer.
Further in the realm of the ethereal, we encounter cards like Will-o’-the-Wisp. Renowned for its flying ability and a mere one mana regeneration cost, it can persist on the field where Skulking Ghost cannot. The Wisp also boasts the enviable capability of dodging targeted spells, a feat our Ghost dramatically avoids, setting a spectral divide between survivability and fragility.
By examining these ghostly attributes, Skulking Ghost is seen as a mixed blessing in MTG. Its shadow gives it an aggressive, unblockable stance, yet its vulnerability reminds players to ply the battlefield carefully, lest their spectral ally is forced to vanish into the aether too soon.
Cards similar to Skulking Ghost by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Skulking Ghost MTG card by a specific set like Mirage and Eternal Masters, 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 Skulking Ghost 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 Skulking Ghost Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1996-10-08 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Robert Bliss.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1996-10-08 | Mirage | MIR | 143 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Robert Bliss | |
| 2 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 107 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Robert Bliss | |
| 3 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 776 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Robert Bliss | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | EMA-107 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Robert Bliss |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Skulking Ghost has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Skulking Ghost card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-06-08 | You’ll sacrifice this creature even if you counter the spell or ability that targets it. If that spell has no other targets, it’ll be countered when it tries to resolve. |
