Haunting Apparition MTG Card

Enhances card advantage and adaptability with instant speed actions and resource acceleration. Requires careful play due to its discard requirement and specific mana costs. Worth collecting for its combo potential, meta relevance, and combat tactics.

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Spirit
Abilities	Flying
Released	1996-10-08
Set symbol
Set name	Mirage
Set code	MIR
Power	1+*
Toughness	2
Number	267
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Chippy

Text of card

Flying Haunting Apparition has power equal to 1 plus the number of green creature cards in target opponent's graveyard.

Like some foul herdbeast, it grazes on the dead.

Understanding Haunting Apparition

The captivating world of MTG continues to expand with the strategic inclusion of Haunting Apparition. This unique spirit creature card sets a mysterious tone on the battlefield, hovering with eerie grace. Reminiscent of apparitions from folklore, this card brings forth strategic nuances that can shift the game in subtle, yet impactful ways. Let’s drift through the shadows and compare this spectral entity to its ethereal kin within the vast library of MTG cards.

Cards like Haunting Apparition

Haunting Apparition offers a spectral presence not unlike other ghostly cards in MTG. Its flying attribute is a shared trait with many other creatures of its ilk, such as the ethereal Phantom Monster. They both take to the skies, evading many ground-based defenses. Yet, where Haunting Apparition separates itself is in its flanking ability, offering an edge in combat by weakening the opposition.

Spectral Shepherd is another kindred card, allowing for a defensive maneuverability by returning spirits to your hand, offering strategic depth by safeguarding your phantasmal forces. Finally, the classic card, Ghost Ship, offers resilience with its regeneration capability, but lacks the offensive pressure that Haunting Apparition can apply with its flanking trait.

When pondering the inclusion of spooks and shades to your deck, Haunting Apparition’s ability to demoralize blockers could be the determining factor, setting it apart from its spectral companions, and granting it a haunting allure in MTG strategies.

Cards similar to Haunting Apparition by color, type and mana cost

Phyrexian Infiltrator - MTG Card versions

Shadowmage Infiltrator - MTG Card versions

Siren of the Silent Song - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Haunting Apparition card lets you access additional cards under specific conditions, contributing to a stronger hand and increased options during your turn.

Resource Acceleration: This ghostly creature can be a key player in decks focused on resource acceleration, as it often influences the board state in ways that benefit your mana curve or strategic plays.

Instant Speed: With abilities or interaction that can occur at instant speed, Haunting Apparition provides flexibility, allowing you to adapt quickly to the evolving game and make crucial decisions on the fly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Haunting Apparition forces you to discard another card upon casting. This can potentially set you back, especially if you’re already dealing with a depleted hand and need to maintain card advantage to keep momentum in the game.

Specific Mana Cost: This spirit creature card comes with a mana cost that requires both colorless and black mana, making it less flexible and potentially difficult to cast in a multicolored deck not heavily focused on black mana sources.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Haunting Apparition’s mana cost is on the higher side when considering its power and toughness. Other cards at a similar mana value may provide you with greater impact on the board state, making it less appealing in decks that prioritize efficiency.

Reasons to Include Haunting Apparition in Your Collection

Versatility: Haunting Apparition offers a flexible role in both aggressive and control strategies with its flying ability. Its adaptability makes it a useful inclusion in various deck archetypes looking for efficient evasive creatures.

Combo Potential: This spirit card has potential synergy with decks that capitalize on the graveyard and sacrifice mechanics. With its Flanking ability, it can also be a tactical asset in combat, allowing for intricate combat scenarios that can turn the tide of a game.

Meta-Relevance: Given its low mana cost and impactful abilities, Haunting Apparition can be particularly effective in a meta that favors tempo plays. As games often revolve around board presence and quick swings in advantage, this spirit can hold significant value in staying relevant against a wide array of popular strategies.

How to beat Haunting Apparition

Haunting Apparition can be elusive and problematic for players facing off against it in MTG. A critical approach to counteract this card involves examining its weakness to removal spells that don’t target, like board wipes, which can clear the field without needing to target individual creatures. It is also susceptible to spells that force a player to sacrifice a creature, bypassing hexproof or protection abilities it might have.

Strategically utilizing graveyard hate cards can also be effective. By exiling cards from your opponent’s graveyard, you reduce the power Haunting Apparition can get from its common ability that scales with the number of creature cards in the graveyard. Cards like Relic of Progenitus or Rest in Peace disrupt the potency of graveyard-centric strategies, therefore diminishing the effect of Haunting Apparition’s abilities.

Leveraging these strategies can help maintain control over the battlefield. It’s important for players to remember that the interaction between cards and timing is pivotal. Knowing when to play these spells can mean the difference between victory and defeat when facing a haunting presence like this apparition in your MTG game.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Haunting Apparition MTG card by a specific set like Mirage, 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 Haunting Apparition and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Haunting Apparition has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Haunting Apparition card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2004-10-04	You choose one opposing player when it enters the battlefield and it only affects that one player. This choice is not changed even if this card changes controllers. This card becomes useless but stays on the battlefield if the chosen player leaves the game.