Howling Gale MTG Card
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 2 |
Rarity | Uncommon |
Type | Instant |
Abilities | Flashback |
Released | 2001-10-01 |
Set symbol | |
Set name | Odyssey |
Set code | ODY |
Number | 244 |
Frame | 1997 |
Layout | Normal |
Border | Black |
Illustred by | Greg Staples |
Text of card
Howling Gale deals 1 damage to each creature with flying and each player. Flashback o1o G (You may play this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then remove it from the game.)
Cards like Howling Gale
Howling Gale holds a unique position amongst the array of disruption tools in Magic: The Gathering. This card shares its space with cards like Squall Line and Hurricane, which also deal damage to each creature with flying and each player. Yet, Howling Gale differentiates itself with its flash ability, allowing players to cast it at any time, much like an instant.
The card Cyclonic Rift is another that echoes disruption, albeit through a different mechanism by returning nonland permanents to their owner’s hands. Although it doesn’t deal damage, the instant-speed and overload option present strategic implications that Howling Gale does not. Then, considering Gale Force, its focus is narrower, targeting only creatures with flying, but it compensates with its ability to destroy rather than just deal damage. This permanent solution to airborne threats is a significant tactical advantage over Howling Gale’s temporary setback.
Examining these cards illustrates that while Howling Gale offers a flexible and immediate response to flying creatures, alternatives like Cyclonic Rift and Gale Force serve different yet impactful roles that could be more suitable in certain scenarios or deck strategies within Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Howling Gale by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Howling Gale offers the potential to disrupt your opponent’s graveyard strategy while you draw a card, keeping your hand replenished for future plays.
Resource Acceleration: While Howling Gale doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it can potentially slow down your opponent’s, especially if they rely on graveyard synergies, giving you a relative advantage.
Instant Speed: Being an instant, Howling Gale enables strategic flexibility, allowing you to react to threats swiftly or making the best use of your mana at the end of your opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Howling Gale card requires the player to discard another card, which can deplete your hand and reduce your available options, especially in the late game when resources are critical.
Specific Mana Cost: Howling Gale demands both green mana and generic mana, making it somewhat restrictive as it asks for a particular type of mana source, potentially affecting the flexibility in multi-color decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: This card’s overall cost might be considered steep for the effect it provides. Above all, when there are alternative spells in the environment that could disrupt opponents’ plays or provide better tempo advantages at a lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Howling Gale fits into a variety of deck builds, particularly those that need an effective way to disrupt opponents’ strategies through instant-speed interaction with their graveyards. Additionally, it offers protection against decks that rely on flashback or other graveyard-based mechanics.
Combo Potential: This card works well in decks designed to capitalize on spells with flashback, allowing you to hinder your opponent’s moves while bolstering your own tactics. Its potential to be played from the graveyard adds an extra layer of utility, meshing seamlessly with strategies that exploit casting spells from unconventional zones.
Meta-Relevance: In metas where graveyard manipulation is common, Howling Gale can serve as a targeted control element, weakening your opponents’ graveyard strategies. Its weather-themed ability makes it a niche yet potent card against specific deck archetypes, maintaining its relevance in fluctuating gameplay environments.
How to beat
Howling Gale is an intriguing MTG card with the unique ability to disrupt an opponent’s graveyards, specifically targeting sorceries and instants. This green instant is not just a countermeasure against flashback mechanics but also serves as a line of defense against spells that rely on a plump graveyard for potency. The trick to conquering Howling Gale is to minimize the number of instants and sorceries in your graveyard, which it seeks to exile and diminish your plans with.
To effectively play against Howling Gale, consider diversifying your strategy with creatures and other non-instant or sorcery spells, thus reducing Howling Gale’s potential impact on your game plan. Additionally, employing cards that grant you or your spells hexproof can prevent Howling Gale from targeting them directly, securing your key components from being exiled. By considering these strategic adjustments and anticipating its insertion into the game, you can successfully navigate and beat the challenges imposed by Howling Gale.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Howling Gale MTG card by a specific set like Odyssey, 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 Howling Gale 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Howling Gale has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Commander | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Premodern | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Predh | Legal |