Haunting Echoes MTG Card
2001-10-01 - Number 142
2003-08-07 - Number pk142sb
2009-07-17 - Number 98
2010-07-16 - Number 99
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Remove all cards in target player's graveyard other than basic land cards from the game. Search that player's library for all cards with the same name as cards removed this way and remove them from the game. Then that player shuffles his or her library.
Cards like Haunting Echoes
Haunting Echoes stands out in the realm of MTG as a unique spell that fundamentally alters the late-game dynamics. It finds its closest relatives in cards like Cranial Extraction or Memoricide, which also target the opponent’s deck, aiming to disrupt their game plan. While Cranial Extraction focuses on nonland cards with a single name, Memoricide extends this effect to all copies of that card, much like Haunting Echoes. However, Haunting Echoes takes it a step further by exiling all cards except for basic land cards in the opponent’s graveyard in addition to their deck, which can be a game-ender in the right circumstances.
Another card with a similar disruptive intention is Sadistic Sacrament. Although it doesn’t exile cards from the graveyard, it enables you to search through an opponent’s deck and exile up to three cards with its basic effect, or up to fifteen when kicked. This makes it a preemptive strike compared to the post-graveyard sweep of Haunting Echoes.
In essence, Haunting Echoes may not be the quickest tool for disrupting an opponent’s plan, but its sweeping graveyard exile can have a devastating impact in the late game. Its strategic value sets it apart from other targeted disruption spells in MTG, catering to players who delight in methodically dismantling their opponent’s resources.
Cards similar to Haunting Echoes by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Haunting Echoes. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Decklist | Free form | MO89#CS | |
 | Mono-Black Control | Legacy | MO82#CS |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Haunting Echoes stands out as a card capable of stripping an opponent’s graveyard of valuable resources, leaving them at a significant disadvantage. By removing the bulk of their graveyard, it limits the opportunities for them to leverage those cards for future plays, directly affecting the potential card advantage they might have had.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly accelerating your resources, Haunting Echoes can be viewed as a form of indirect resource acceleration. By drastically thinning your opponent’s deck, it raises the density of land draws for them, thereby reducing the quality of their draws compared to yours. This imbalance can lead to a form of acceleration in your game strategy as you continue to draw more actionable cards.
Instant Speed: Although Haunting Echoes is a sorcery, its impact on the game is often felt immediately and can be as disrupting as any instant speed interaction. When played at the right moment, especially after an opponent has filled their graveyard with tools for recursion, Haunting Echoes effectively counters their strategy before they can benefit from it on their turn, akin to the timely disruption typically provided by instant speed plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Haunting Echoes can be a powerful tool for disrupting your opponent’s game plan, it requires that a player’s graveyard already be populated with plenty of cards to be effective. This means that the impact of this card is largely dependent on how the early game unfolds and might not always be consistent.
Specific Mana Cost: As a card with a distinct black mana requirement, Haunting Echoes demands a heavy presence of black mana sources within your deck. This can limit deck-building options, making it less versatile and potentially restricting it from multi-color decks that don’t focus heavily on black.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At five mana, including two black mana, Haunting Echoes is a significant investment. Given that it doesn’t directly affect the battlefield when it’s played, its cost can be steep in comparison to other spells that might present immediate threats to your opponent or strengthen your own board presence.
Reasons to Include Haunting Echoes in Your Collection
Versatility: Haunting Echoes is a unique card that can be slotted into various control and mill decks. Its ability to purge an opponent’s graveyard can be especially useful in long-drawn games where resources become thin.
Combo Potential: This card has significant synergy with strategies that focus on graveyard manipulation. It can work as a late-game finisher after you’ve filled your opponent’s graveyard, ensuring they have a limited set of options to draw from.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where players rely on graveyard strategies or specific combos, Haunting Echoes can serve as a powerful counter. It disrupts not only current board states but future plans as well, making it a timely inclusion in any collection watching out for metagame shifts.
How to beat
Overcoming Haunting Echoes in Magic: The Gathering requires a blend of foresight and tactical deck building. This potent sorcery can cripple your strategies by exiling all cards from your graveyard and then stripping away all copies of those cards from your library. To counter this, consider incorporating cards that benefit from having a thinner deck or using graveyard shuffling effects to restock quickly.
Leveraging cards like Gaea’s Blessing or Elixir of Immortality can effectively negate the impact of Haunting Echoes by recycling your graveyard into your library. Additionally, running a lower count of duplicates or employing a diverse array of singletons minimizes the card’s debilitating effect. Magic veterans often sidestep graveyard reliance or quickly repopulate their library, rendering Haunting Echoes far less threatening.
Strategically, timing is paramount; observe your opponent’s mana and play style to anticipate the casting of such powerful spells. Swift responses with your own counterspells or hand disruption tactics can disrupt their plans before they execute the echo haunting your deck. In this way, your deck remains resilient and dynamic against existential threats like Haunting Echoes.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Haunting Echoes MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey and World Championship Decks 2003, 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 Echoes and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
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- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
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- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Haunting Echoes Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2001-10-01 and 2010-07-16. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2001-10-01 | Odyssey | ODY | 142 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Arnie Swekel | |
| 2 | 2003-08-07 | World Championship Decks 2003 | WC03 | pk142sb | 2003 | Normal | Gold | Arnie Swekel | |
| 3 | 2009-07-17 | Magic 2010 | M10 | 98 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Nils Hamm | |
| 4 | 2010-07-16 | Magic 2011 | M11 | 99 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Nils Hamm |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Haunting Echoes has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Haunting Echoes card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | While you’re searching the player’s library, you don’t have to find all the cards with the same name as an exiled card if you don’t want to. You can leave any number of them in that player’s library. |