Hangman MTG Card
Text of card
As Hangman enters the battlefield, secretly note a word with six to eight letters. : Target player who doesn't control Hangman guesses the noted word or an unguessed letter in that word. If he or she guesses wrong, put a +1/+1 counter on Hangman. Any player may activate this ability. When a player guesses the noted word or all of its letters, sacrifice Hangman.
Cards like Hangman
The card Hangman adds suspense and strategy to Magic: The Gathering decks, reminding us of other cards that turn the game into a betting match of wits. Hangman’s unique guessing game mechanic echoes the deliberation found in Cabal Therapy. While Cabal Therapy allows you to name a card and tear it from an opponent’s hand, Hangman’s playful challenge involves opponents guessing the name for its release. Both introduce psychological play, but Hangman’s use is repeated and its outcome more random.
Shadowmage Infiltrator is another related card, offering the advantage of drawing cards when dealing combat damage to a player, similar to Hangman’s facet of potentially drawing cards upon stumping opponents. However, Shadowmage doesn’t involve the same high-stakes minigame. Conversely, Pithing Needle shares the characteristic of naming cards, although its preventative effect on activated abilities has a different focus from Hangman’s variable outcomes depending on the guesses made.
Evaluating Hangman alongside similar cards showcases its distinct mix of fun and competitive edge. The card’s unique gameplay element provides a refreshing shift from the typical MTG strategies, making it a memorable choice for players who relish gamesmanship.
Cards similar to Hangman by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Hangman can potentially remove a key creature from the board while allowing you to maintain parity or pull ahead in resources. It forces your opponent to guess a card in your hand, potentially revealing information and leading to them guessing incorrectly, thus losing a creature without trading cards from hand.
Resource Acceleration: While Hangman itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it can effectively be a one-mana play that deals with creatures much more costly than itself. This discrepancy can give you a significant mana advantage over your opponent, letting you deploy more threats or keep mana up for other interactions.
Instant Speed: Hangman operates at sorcery speed, which means it requires strategic planning to fully utilize its potential. However, it fits into the instant speed-driven mind games of MTG, bluffing and forcing your opponent to make difficult decisions on their own turn, maintaining the pace to your advantage.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Hangman calls for discarding a card, which could hinder your hand advantage, particularly if your hand is already dwindling or if the discarded card is essential to your strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Hangman necessitates a precise combination of mana types to cast. This condition could restrict its integration into multi-colored decks that might struggle with mana consistency.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Considering Hangman’s mana cost of four, players might find its abilities underwhelming. This is especially true when measured against other creatures or spells with more impactful effects for the same, or even a lower, mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Hangman card is a multifaceted tool that can adapt to various deck archetypes. Its ability to impact the board from turn one makes it an excellent choice for decks that aim to disrupt opponents early or require flexible mana sinks.
Combo Potential: This card carries significant combo potential, as it can be a key piece in strategies focused on manipulating the number of counters or activating abilities. It synergizes with mechanics that benefit from creature sacrifice or death-triggered effects, paving the way for powerful plays.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where games can be a tug of war between aggressive and controlling decks, Hangman’s low casting cost and utility give it a leg up. This makes it a relevant choice that can adjust to shifts in the meta, ensuring your deck stays competitive.
How to beat
Hangman is a unique card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, challenging players to rely on strategy over brute force. Defeating a Hangman requires a multifaceted approach, often engaging both your mind and your deck’s capabilities. The key to overcoming this tricky adversary is to disrupt your opponent’s guesswork game. Cards that restrict your opponent’s ability to choose or guess, such as Pithing Needle or Sorcerous Spyglass, can be particularly effective here.
Employing instant-speed removal spells is also a solid strategy. Waiting for your opponent to invest mana and effort into transforming Hangman can be your cue to cast a removal spell, nullifying their advantage and preserving your resources. Alternatively, considering that Hangman operates on your opponent’s turn, flash creatures can serve as another surprise element for blocking and putting their plans to the test.
Consistently deciphering the nuances of each card can make the difference between victory and defeat. Thus, understanding the strengths and limitations of Hangman in Magic: The Gathering, offers you the tactical edge needed to dismantle its potential, transforming it from a threat to just another card on the board.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Hangman MTG card by a specific set like Unstable, 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 Hangman 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
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Hangman 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 | Each letter can be guessed only once. |
| 2018-01-19 | If Hangman changes controllers, the person who originally chose the word continues to fulfill their duties as letters or words are guessed. Now that this player doesn’t control Hangman, they will have a much easier time figuring out the word. |
| 2018-01-19 | If a guessed letter appears multiple times in the word, you should fill in each instance of the letter in the word. |
| 2018-01-19 | The abilities mimic the game of hangman. You tell each player how long the secret word is. You may even draw out blanks as one does in the game of hangman. |
| 2018-01-19 | You must choose a word in a language each player understands. If there are multiple such languages, you should specify which one you’re using as you secretly note the word. |