Hag of Syphoned Breath MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Hag Warlock |
| Released | 2022-07-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate |
| Set code | HBG |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | H24 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Konstantin Porubov |
Text of card
At the beginning of your upkeep, each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
Cards like Hag of Syphoned Breath
Hag of Syphoned Breath offers Magic: The Gathering players a thrilling ability to drain opponents’ life with each card drawn. This menacing creature stands out in the world of life-draining cards, akin to Disciple of the Vault. While Disciple of the Vault solely relies on artifact attrition, Hag of Syphoned Breath’s power is broader, encompassing any card draw by an opponent, which can be both more pervasive and potentially more punishing over the course of a game.
We can look to Underworld Dreams for a similar effect. Underworld Dreams also damages opponents when they draw, but unlike the Hag, it’s an enchantment rather than a creature, offering a different type of permanence on the board. Conversely, Kederekt Parasite requires a red permanent to activate its similar ability, making it somewhat more restrictive than the versatile Hag of Syphoned Breath.
Among these, Hag of Syphoned Breath’s unique positioning as a creature with a potent life-draining ability every time an opponent draws a card makes it a formidable presence that is hard to mirror. Its capability to pressure an opponent simply through their normal game actions makes it a card worth considering for strategic deck building in MTG.
Cards similar to Hag of Syphoned Breath by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Hag of Syphoned Breath creates significant card advantage by forcing each opponent to discard a card when it enters the battlefield and at the beginning of your upkeep. This disruption not only diminishes your opponents’ strategic options but also fills their graveyards, potentially benefiting your graveyard-based strategies.
Resource Acceleration: While this card itself doesn’t produce additional mana, the process of causing opponents to discard can effectively accelerate your own resources by diminishing your opponents’ ability to respond to your plays. In formats like Commander, where hand size can be pivotal, the Hag of Syphoned Breath can indirectly speed up your game plan by setting your opponents back.
Instant Speed: Although the Hag of Syphoned Breath is a creature and not an instant, it supports instant speed plays through its flash ability. This allows you to deploy it at the most opportune moments, be it during an opponent’s end step or in response to an action, keeping your mana open for interaction until you need to act. Additionally, the surprise factor of flashing in the Hag can disrupt the opponent’s calculations and planned plays.
Card Cons
Discard requirement: The Hag of Syphoned Breath comes with the demand that you part ways with another card from your hand, which can be quite the setback when your options are already dwindling.
Specific Mana Cost: Summoning this creature ensures that your mana pool must cater to its distinct color needs, potentially restricting its use to decks that can support such mana diversity.
Comparatively high mana cost: Allocating five mana to bring the Hag of Syphoned Breath into play is no small investment. This factor places it on the higher end of the mana spectrum, which could be spent on spells and creatures with potentially greater impact.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Hag of Syphoned Breath can be a flexible addition to any deck that leverages graveyard mechanics or benefits from discarding cards. This synergy plays well in both control and combo builds, expanding its utility across various play styles.
Combo Potential: This card’s unique ability to provide disruption through discard can be paired with cards that capitalize on opponents’ dwindling resources, or with those that benefit from the cards the Hag forces players to remove from their hand.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where players rely on maintaining a robust hand, the Hag can serve as a strategic counter. Its capacity to continually exert pressure on opponent’s resources makes it a relevant choice for disrupting their game plan.
How to beat
Hag of Syphoned Breath is a unique creature card that poses a distinct challenge on the MTG battlefield. With its abilities to disrupt hand and graveyard synergies, dealing with this card requires a bit of strategic planning. One approach to overcoming the Hag is by leveraging creature removals like Doom Blade or Path to Exile, rapidly clearing the way for your game plan.
It’s also worth considering the use of graveyard-hate cards, such as Relic of Progenitus or Tormod’s Crypt, which can negate the Hag’s ability to exploit graveyard resources. Additionally, countering it right when it hits the stack with spells like Counterspell mitigates the need to address its on-field abilities altogether.
Ultimately, preparing for and reacting to the presence of Hag of Syphoned Breath by including dedicated answers in your deck will enhance your winning edge. Careful monitoring of your hand size and managing your graveyard will minimize the disruption caused by this card and maintain your position in the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Hag of Syphoned Breath MTG card by a specific set like Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate, 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 Hag of Syphoned Breath 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
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