Honden of Night's Reach MTG Card


Honden of Night’s Reach offers consistent opponent hand disruption, essential for control strategies. Its effectiveness escalates when paired with other Shrines, ramping up the cumulative discard effect. Adaptability and synergy with discard-based mechanics make it a metagame-relevant inclusion for a collection.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeLegendary Enchantment — Shrine

Text of card

At the beginning of your upkeep, target opponent discards a card for each Shrine you control.

To the sorrow of all, its dark reach grasped and crushed those who guarded its silent vigil.


Cards like Honden of Night's Reach

Honden of Night’s Reach is a unique enchantment in Magic: The Gathering that can be a persistent thorn in the side of your opponent by forcing them to discard a card during your upkeep. Its nearest kin in MTG come from the ‘Honden’ cycle itself, with cards like Honden of Cleansing Fire providing recurring life gain and Honden of Seeing Winds offering card draw. Each of these shines in its respective color within the ‘Spirit’ deck archetype.

Similarly, the card Liliana’s Caress magnifies the impact of discard, with each card your opponent discards causing them to lose life, effectively doubling the pain inflicted by Honden of Night’s Reach. Meanwhile, the Megrim card has the same effect as Liliana’s Caress though historically players may prefer the newer option due to a lower mana cost. Another card, Waste Not, provides resource advantage in the form of extra mana, cards, or creatures, depending on what type of card the opponent discards, which can synergize well with the disruption strategy invoked by Honden of Night’s Reach.

While each of these cards leverages the discard mechanism, the Honden’s shrine effect makes it a consistent and reliable source of hand disruption. For players running a Spirit deck or those looking to create a lock on an opponent’s resources, Honden of Night’s Reach stands out as a card with lasting influence throughout the game.

Honden of Cleansing Fire - MTG Card versions
Honden of Seeing Winds - MTG Card versions
Liliana's Caress - MTG Card versions
Megrim - MTG Card versions
Waste Not - MTG Card versions
Honden of Cleansing Fire - MTG Card versions
Honden of Seeing Winds - MTG Card versions
Liliana's Caress - MTG Card versions
Megrim - MTG Card versions
Waste Not - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Honden of Night's Reach by color, type and mana cost

Pestilence - MTG Card versions
Lich - MTG Card versions
Cursed Land - MTG Card versions
Nether Void - MTG Card versions
Breeding Pit - MTG Card versions
Greed - MTG Card versions
Feast of the Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Koskun Falls - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Servitude - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Embrace - MTG Card versions
Vile Requiem - MTG Card versions
Brink of Madness - MTG Card versions
Death Pit Offering - MTG Card versions
Tainted Aether - MTG Card versions
Strands of Night - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Desire - MTG Card versions
Nefarious Lich - MTG Card versions
Last Laugh - MTG Card versions
Court of Ambition - MTG Card versions
Nightmare Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Pestilence - MTG Card versions
Lich - MTG Card versions
Cursed Land - MTG Card versions
Nether Void - MTG Card versions
Breeding Pit - MTG Card versions
Greed - MTG Card versions
Feast of the Unicorn - MTG Card versions
Koskun Falls - MTG Card versions
Diabolic Servitude - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Embrace - MTG Card versions
Vile Requiem - MTG Card versions
Brink of Madness - MTG Card versions
Death Pit Offering - MTG Card versions
Tainted Aether - MTG Card versions
Strands of Night - MTG Card versions
Patriarch's Desire - MTG Card versions
Nefarious Lich - MTG Card versions
Last Laugh - MTG Card versions
Court of Ambition - MTG Card versions
Nightmare Shepherd - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Honden of Night’s Reach aids in steadily depleting your opponent’s hand, thereby offering an incremental advantage as the game progresses. This advantage is magnified when combined with other shrines to enhance the discard effect.

Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly generate mana or Treasure tokens, Honden of Night’s Reach can accelerate your strategy by limiting your opponent’s resources. Each turn, they have fewer options to counter your plays, effectively giving you a faster pathway to victory.

Instant Speed: Although Honden of Night’s Reach itself does not operate at instant speed, its ongoing effect applies pressure during each of your upkeep phases. This timing allows you to play other instant speed spells during your opponents’ turns without losing momentum, maintaining control over the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Honden of Night’s Reach requires your opponents to discard cards, but it does not target, which means if an opponent has no cards in hand, its effect is useless. This can be problematic against empty-handed opponents or in the late game when players have fewer cards.

Specific Mana Cost: This enchantment card needs both black mana and generic mana to be cast. Its strict mana requirement can be challenging for multicolored decks that may struggle with mana consistency, making it tougher to play outside of mono-black or heavily black-inclined decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three generic and one black mana, the Honden of Night’s Reach comes with a higher investment compared to other discard-enforcing cards. This cost can be significant, especially considering the card is part of a cycle and, ideally, is played alongside others for maximum effect, requiring a substantial mana base dedicated to this strategy.


Reasons to Include Honden of Night’s Reach in Your Collection

Versatility: Honden of Night’s Reach offers flexibility in deck-building for players looking to enhance control strategies. It’s a solid addition to any deck focused on diminishing opponents’ resources, particularly in formats where the Shrine mechanic shines.

Combo Potential: As part of the Shrine collection, this card becomes increasingly powerful when combined with other Shrines. It works seamlessly with cards that capitalize on opponent’s hand disruption or that benefit from having multiple enchantments on the field.

Meta-Relevance: With a meta that rotates around hand size and control, Honden of Night’s Reach becomes a valuable card. It persistently whittles down an opponent’s hand, potentially disrupting their ability to counteract your strategies, making it a worthwhile card for games against decks that rely heavily on card advantage.


How to Beat Honden of Night’s Reach

Honden of Night’s Reach is a unique enchantment in the pantheon of MTG’s Shrine cards, renowned for its ability to consistently deplete the opponent’s hand each turn when combined with other Shrines. Unlike spot discard spells that target specific cards once, this Shrine works gradually, making it initially less disruptive by comparison. While powerful in a dedicated Shrine deck, its impact is slower, offering opponents the opportunity to counter or outpace the strategy.

To overcome the challenge Honden of Night’s Reach presents, consider using enchantment removal spells such as Disenchant or Naturalize to remove it directly. Other enchantment removal options include cards with more versatility like Return to Nature, which can target artifacts and cards in graveyards as well. Alternatively, pace your hand strategically and apply pressure to force the Shrine player to react, potentially leaving them vulnerable to your key plays. It’s vital to remember the importance of speed when playing against a Shrine-based strategy; aim to close the game quickly before the continual discard effect can significantly diminish your resources.

With various tools at your disposal and an understanding of your opponent’s deck, defeating Honden of Night’s Reach is achievable. By keeping a swift tempo and using precise removal, the threat can be neutralized, giving you the edge in the battle of wits and strategy that is MTG.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic depth of MTG gets even more intriguing with cards like Honden of Night’s Reach. It can be the linchpin in a carefully structured deck, designed to disrupt opponents and tip the scales in your favor. If your goal is to assert dominance over the game by controlling the flow of your opponent’s resources, this Shrine is a compelling addition. Enhance your understanding about synergies, strategic discards, and hand disruption by integrating it with your MTG arsenal. Delve deeper into strategies that go beyond the battlefield; optimize your deck’s potential and adapt it to the evolving meta. Let’s explore together the hidden tactics and unleash the full power of your MTG collection. Join us to learn more and discover the true power of strategic disruption.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Honden of Night's Reach MTG card by a specific set like Champions of Kamigawa and Eternal Masters, 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 Honden of Night's Reach and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Honden of Night's Reach Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2004-10-01 and 2016-06-10. Illustrated by Jim Nelson.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12004-10-01Champions of KamigawaCHK 1162003NormalBlackJim Nelson
22016-06-10Eternal MastersEMA 912015NormalBlackJim Nelson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Honden of Night's Reach has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
GladiatorLegal
TimelessLegal