Hellkite Hatchling MTG Card
2009-02-06 - Number 111
2012-06-01 - Number 95
2016-11-25 - Number 95
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Dragon |
| Abilities | Devour |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
Devour 1 (As this comes into play, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature comes into play with that many +1/+1 counters on it.) Hellkite Hatchling has flying and trample if it devoured a creature.
A killing machine from birth.
Cards like Hellkite Hatchling
Hellkite Hatchling is a creature card that has its own unique space in MTG. With its devour ability, it can grow to be quite powerful by consuming other creatures as it enters the battlefield. It’s an intriguing mechanic similar to that seen on creatures like Thromok the Insatiable, which also gets bigger for each creature devoured upon entry. Yet, Hellkite Hatchling’s lower casting cost makes it more accessible in the early game stages compared to its more mana-intense counterpart.
Another card worth mentioning is Voracious Dragon, which also carries the torch for the devour ability in red’s dragon arsenal. Although Voracious Dragon demands a higher mana investment, it compensates with a direct damage ability that can be a game finisher. Unlike Hellkite Hatchling, the Voracious Dragon requires tactical play to capitalize on its strengths effectively.
The balance between cost, potential power, and additional abilities is what sets Hellkite Hatchling apart in MTG. Its adaptability in decks focusing on token generation makes it an attractive choice, offering a versatile strategy for players enjoying Red-Green archetypes.
Cards similar to Hellkite Hatchling by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Hellkite Hatchling comes with devour 1, which provides potential card advantage by converting surplus creatures into power. This allows players to turn less useful creatures on the battlefield into immediate value, making it easier to outpace opponents in terms of board presence.
Resource Acceleration: Although Hellkite Hatchling itself doesn’t directly produce resources, its devour ability synergizes with mechanics that generate creature tokens. This can accelerate your resources by combining small tokens into a more formidable threat, optimizing the use of your available creatures and mana.
Instant Speed: While Hellkite Hatchling is not an instant, it benefits from being played at a time when it can maximize its devour ability. Players can strategically sacrifice creatures in response to an opponent’s actions or at the end of their turn to surprise adversaries with a suddenly larger flyer.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Hellkite Hatchling card necessitates the utilization of a discard strategy for optimal performance, known as devouring. This trait may force players to sacrifice desirable creatures simply to empower this creature, which can be counterproductive to your overall strategy if you are not running a specifically designed deck.
Specific Mana Cost: Hellkite Hatchling demands a precise mix of mana, a combination of red and green, along with any two additional mana. This requirement restricts its integration to decks that can reliably produce both types of mana, potentially excluding it from mono-colored or certain dual-colored strategies that don’t align with its color identity.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an investment of four mana to cast Hellkite Hatchling, players may find the return insufficiently impactful compared to other creatures available at a similar cost. Without additional creatures to devour, its initial size is relatively modest, and it may be overshadowed by creatures that offer immediate value or more imposing board presence right upon entry.
Reasons to Include Hellkite Hatchling in Your Collection
Versatility: Hellkite Hatchling is a dynamic addition that complements decks utilizing creature and power-boosting mechanics. With its potential to grow and the easiness to cast, it can swiftly evolve into a significant threat on the board, perfect for diverse strategies.
Combo Potential: Given its devour ability, this card synergizes with token generation methods, allowing you to sacrifice spawned creatures for a much larger and more menacing dragon, thus bolstering your board presence significantly.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment filled with creature-based decks, Hellkite Hatchling offers a strategic edge. It can quickly become a powerhouse with the right setup, making it a worthy competitor against other prevalent creature-oriented strategies.
How to beat
Hellkite Hatchling is a unique creature in the world of Magic: The Gathering, bringing an intriguing mechanic to the table with its devour ability. This card can swiftly become a threatening foe on the battlefield when fueled by other creatures to beef up its power and toughness. To effectively neutralize this burgeoning threat, strategic removal is key.
Instant-speed removal spells are the optimum strategy against Hellkite Hatchling. By deploying cards like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization at the right moment, preferably when your opponent sacrifices creatures to its devour ability, you can eliminate the Hatchling before it grows too powerful. It’s vital to act swiftly, disrupting the opponent’s play without letting the Hatchling’s presence dictate the flow of the game.
In essence, while Hellkite Hatchling has the potential to tip the scales with its size-increasing ability, its dependency on other creatures leaves it vulnerable to well-timed removal tactics, making it manageable with a bit of foresight and the right cards in your deck.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Hellkite Hatchling MTG card by a specific set like Conflux and Planechase 2012, 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 Hellkite Hatchling 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
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Printings
The Hellkite Hatchling Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2009-02-06 and 2016-11-25. Illustrated by Daarken.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009-02-06 | Conflux | CON | 111 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Daarken | |
| 2 | 2012-06-01 | Planechase 2012 | PC2 | 95 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Daarken | |
| 3 | 2016-11-25 | Planechase Anthology | PCA | 95 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Daarken |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Hellkite Hatchling has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Hellkite Hatchling card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-02-01 | Hellkite Hatchling has flying and trample if at least one creature was sacrificed as a result of the Hatchling’s devour ability as it entered the battlefield. It retains those abilities even if its +1/+1 counters are somehow removed. |
| 2009-02-01 | If another creature becomes a copy of Hellkite Hatchling (due to Mirrorweave, for example), the second ability checks to see whether that creature — not the original Hellkite Hatchling — devoured a creature as it entered the battlefield. |