Hope Against Hope MTG Card
2016-04-08 - Number 22
2023-03-21 - Number 33
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Enchantment — Aura |
| Abilities | Enchant |
Text of card
Enchant creature Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 for each creature you control. As long as enchanted creature is a Human, it has first strike.
"I have given my life to the church, my soul to Avacyn, and my heart to the people."
Cards like Hope Against Hope
In Magic: The Gathering, Hope Against Hope stands as a unique enchantment that boosts a single creature’s strength. It draws some parallels to the aura card Ethereal Armor, which also amplifies a creature’s power and toughness based on enchantment count. Nonetheless, Hope Against Hope differentiates itself by adding an additional boon—when the enchanted creature dies, it creates a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying.
Ethereal Armor focuses purely on bolstering a creature based on the number of enchantments you control, potentially for a larger immediate impact. In comparison, Hyena Umbra provides a creature not only with a boost in power but also grants it first strike and totem armor for protection. Hope Against Hope offers a different kind of resilience, giving its controller an afterlife effect that continues to provide a board presence even after the enchanted creature’s demise.
The strategic value of Hope Against Hope in a player’s deck hinges on its synergy with both the quantity of enchantments present and the desired resilience against creature loss. It’s tailored for a different aspect of gameplay compared to Ethereal Armor and Hyena Umbra, rewarding the player for longer-term planning and resource extension beyond the immediate combat phase.
Cards similar to Hope Against Hope by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Hope Against Hope is a potent enchantment that bolster’s a creature’s strength and resilience with every ally that falls, potentially tipping the scales each turn.
Resource Acceleration: Its ability to provide a significant boost to power based on the number of creatures in your graveyard acts as a form of resource acceleration, turning losses into an advantage.
Instant Speed: Whilst not an instant itself, the aura offers an enchantment that can respond dynamically to the evolving battlefield, supporting strategies that require flexible and responsive plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Hope Against Hope doesn’t have a discard requirement, it’s important to note this mechanic can be a double-edged sword in other MTG cards. Discarding can deplete your hand, leaving you with fewer options later in the game.
Specific Mana Cost: Hope Against Hope requires a specific mana cost that includes one white mana. This makes the card less flexible as it necessitates a White-centric or a compatible multicolored deck to harness its full potential.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Hope Against Hope has a three-mana cost, which for an Aura that doesn’t provide an immediate board impact can be a bit steep compared to other buffing options available. Players may find other enhancements or creatures more mana-efficient for the same or similar effects.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Hope Against Hope is a flexible enchantment that can empower any creature, turning it into a significant threat. This card particularly shines in decks that focus on creature-based strategies and buffs.
Combo Potential: This aura synergizes well with decks that produce a lot of tokens or have numerous low-cost creatures, leveraging its strength in numbers strategy by granting a substantial boost to a creature’s power for each other creature you control.
Meta-Relevance: Given the shifting landscape of player decks, cards that can create quick and potent threats, like Hope Against Hope, are invaluable. It offers a boost that can pressure opponents in a variety of game scenarios, making it a solid inclusion against control or slower-paced decks.
How to Beat Hope Against Hope
Hope Against Hope is a unique enchantment in MTG, known for bolstering your creatures with additional strength, especially when utilized in decks that revolve around humans. What sets it apart is its ability to grant a considerable boost based on the number of creatures in your graveyard, making it a formidable card under the right circumstances.
To effectively counter it, consider cards that can manage or exile enchantments directly, such as Naturalize or Disenchant, to remove the threat immediately. Board wipes such as Wrath of God or Damnation will also prove useful, as they reduce the impact of a creature buffed by Hope Against Hope by clearing the board. Moreover, graveyard manipulation spells that can exile creatures from graveyards, like Tormod’s Crypt, will significantly weaken the enchantment’s potency by reducing the number of creatures it considers for the power boost.
When strategically deploying your resources, remember that cutting off the supply of creatures Hope Against Hope depends on will decrease its effectiveness. In essence, ensuring you have a way to disrupt your opponent’s graveyard or remove enchantments from the field is key to outmaneuvering the potential resilience and power Hope Against Hope brings to the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Hope Against Hope MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Shadows over Innistrad Remastered, 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 Hope Against Hope 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 Hope Against Hope Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by David Seguin.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-04-08 | Shadows over Innistrad | SOI | 22 | 2015 | Normal | Black | David Seguin | |
| 2 | 2023-03-21 | Shadows over Innistrad Remastered | SIR | 33 | 2015 | Normal | Black | David Seguin |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Hope Against Hope has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Hope Against Hope card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-04-08 | Hope Against Hope’s second ability counts the enchanted creature, so that creature will normally get at least +1/+1. |