Homura, Human Ascendant // Homura's Essence MTG Card
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Enchantment |
| Released | 2005-06-03 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Saviors of Kamigawa |
| Set code | SOK |
| Number | 103 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Flip |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Kev Walker |
Key Takeaways
- Homura offers a game-changing transformation, granting a permanent board-wide boost without extra card draw.
- The card accelerates your threat level, drastically improving the impact of all creatures you control.
- Despite its strengths, the card’s success hinges on surviving until its transformation can occur.
Text of card
Creatures you control get +2/+2 and have flying and ": This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Transforming Homura, Human Ascendant into Homura’s Essence upon death provides a strong card advantage as it progresses your board state without needing an additional card from your hand. This two-in-one feature means you’re effectively getting two powerful abilities within a single card slot in your deck.
Resource Acceleration: Once transformed, Homura’s Essence gives all your creatures +2/+2 and Firebreathing, which accelerates your resources by enhancing your entire creature lineup. This ability can dramatically shorten the game in your favor, turning even your most modest creatures into significant threats without the need for extra mana investment on individual pump spells.
Instant Speed: While Homura, Human Ascendant doesn’t operate at instant speed, the formidable effect it brings into play on its death trigger takes immediate effect, no matter when it occurs. This means that during any part of the game, losing Homura can instantaneously pivot the board state in your favor, simulating the flexible response typically associated with instant-speed interactions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Homura, Human Ascendant necessitates a sacrifice upon death to activate its transformation into Homura’s Essence. This can be unfavorable when you have limited creatures or are facing removal-heavy strategies.
Specific Mana Cost: The casting cost for Homura is specifically grounded in red mana, requiring three to play. This mono-color demand can be restrictive and is not ideal for multicolored or colorless decks that may struggle to meet such requirements.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The six mana investment for Homura’s initial form is significant. Considering the competitive environment, where mana efficiency is key, many players may opt for cards with lower costs or more immediate impacts on the game state.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Homura, Human Ascendant transforms into Homura’s Essence, serving dual roles in your deck. Initially, it provides defensive utility, and later, it turns into a game-changer, boosting all your creatures after its transformation.
Combo Potential: When Homura’s Essence is on the battlefield, it accelerates other combos with its ability to give all your creatures firebreathing. This can lead to explosive turns and synergize with various strategies that capitalize on empowered creatures.
Meta-Relevance: In a metagame rich with creature-based strategies, Homura’s Essence becomes a formidable inclusion. Its ability to enhance every creature makes it relevant in multiple deck archetypes and allows it to adapt to the ever-shifting battlefield of Magic.
How to beat
Homura, Human Ascendant is a unique element in the MTG universe known for transforming into Homura’s Essence upon demise. The card’s complexity lies in its transition, shifting from creature to a game-altering enchantment that provides power-ups to your creatures. It’s crucial to understand that this card’s weakness is its pre-transformation stage. During this time, it’s a creature without protection, leaving it vulnerable to removal spells such as Path to Exile or Doom Blade.
Removal is not the only tactic; countering the spell outright with counterspells like Mana Leak can prevent it from entering the battlefield entirely. If Homura’s Essence is already in play, enchantment removal becomes key. Look towards cards like Disenchant or Naturalize that can swiftly handle any troublesome enchantment. Moreover, board wipes such as Wrath of God can reset the playing field, nullifying the advantage given by Homura’s Essence without the need to directly target it.
Strategic planning and timely reactions are essential. By keeping removal spells or enchantment counters at the ready, you can mitigate the impact of Homura, Human Ascendant and maintain control of the board state.
Cards like Homura, Human Ascendant // Homura's Essence
Homura, Human Ascendant plays a unique role within the array of transformational creatures available in MTG. Much like Loyal Retainers, it resonates with the theme of sacrifice for greater gains. Loyal Retainers allows you to bring back a legendary creature from your graveyard to the battlefield, comparable to Homura’s transformation into Homura’s Essence when it dies, empowering your creatures from beyond.
Another card that echoes the essence of rebirth is Phoenix of Ash. It doesn’t transform but can recur from the graveyard, ensuring a continual presence on the battlefield much like Homura’s enduring spirit. Comparatively, Phoenix of Ash offers immediate flying capabilities and hence combat versatility, yet does not bolster other creatures as Homura’s Essence does.
Lastly, the similarity with Oathkeeper, Takeno’s Daisho is noteworthy. While Oathkeeper also interacts with legendary creatures and provides a combat boost, its return-from-the-graveyard effect is less comprehensive than the wide-reaching benefits granted by Homura’s Essence.
In essence, when we explore the characteristics and strategic worth of alternative choices, Homura, Human Ascendant provides a multifaceted tool in MTG that adeptly enhances your entire army, setting it apart as a transformative force on the battlefield.
Cards similar to Homura, Human Ascendant // Homura's Essence by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Homura, Human Ascendant // Homura's Essence MTG card by a specific set like Saviors of Kamigawa, 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 Homura, Human Ascendant // Homura's Essence and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Homura, Human Ascendant // Homura's Essence has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Homura, Human Ascendant // Homura's Essence card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2005-06-01 | Each Ascendant is legendary in both its unflipped and flipped forms. This means that effects that look for legendary creature cards, such as Time of Need and Captain Sisay, can find an Ascendant. |