Hua Tuo, Honored Physician MTG Card
1999-05-01 - Number 137
2009-09-07 - Number 123
2013-11-01 - Number 149
2020-09-26 - Number C13-149
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Legendary Creature — Human |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
On your turn, before you attack, you may tap Hua Tuo to put any one creature card from your graveyard on the top of your library.
Cards like Hua Tuo, Honored Physician
In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Hua Tuo, Honored Physician stands as a unique card among creature-focused utility options. Like Hua Tuo, Aphetto Alchemist enables repeated utility, offering untapping abilities rather than creature recursion. However, Hua Tuo’s specialization in returning creatures from the graveyard to the top of your library at the end of the turn offers a different strategic advantage, especially in decks focused on creature-based strategies.
Another similar card is Oriq Loremage. While Oriq Loremage delves into the graveyard, selecting cards to segregate, Hua Tuo allows for direct creature retrieval. This can be pivotal in longer matches where specific creatures can turn the tide of the game. Moreover, the constant threat of recursion posed by Hua Tuo can shape how opponents play, trying to negate his impact with removal or graveyard disruption.
Cardboard comparison brings us to Den Protector. With a morphing ability, Den Protector not only provides creature retrieval from the graveyard to hand but also becomes a hidden threat on the battlefield. However, Hua Tuo’s passive recurrence offers a dependable source of top-deck replenishment, setting up powerful draws for subsequent turns without the need for combat or additional mana.
Cards similar to Hua Tuo, Honored Physician by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Hua Tuo, Honored Physician brings strategic depth to your gameplay by allowing recurring access to creature cards in your graveyard. This generates a form of card advantage as it effectively extends the choices available in your hand and opens opportunities for tactical plays.
Resource Acceleration: By enabling you to put creatures back into play directly from your graveyard, Hua Tuo bypasses the need for additional mana to cast those creatures again. This accelerates your resource availability, making it seem like you’re drawing an extra creature card each turn without depleting your hand.
Instant Speed: Hua Tuo doesn’t operate at instant speed himself, but his ability to top-deck a creature at the end of an opponent’s turn effectively mimics instant-speed play. It ensures that you are always ready to draw into powerful creature spells right when you need them, keeping your opponents on their toes and allowing for surprise comebacks.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Hua Tuo, Honored Physician requires you to discard a creature card from your hand to activate its ability. This can potentially deplete your valuable resources, especially in tight game situations where each card in hand counts.
Specific Mana Cost: Hua Tuo comes with a strict green mana cost, which might not always align with multi-color deck strategies. This narrow mana requirement can potentially restrict deck-building options and reduce the card’s versatility across various deck archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including two greens, and his ability costing one green to activate, Hua Tuo may prove costly in terms of resource allocation. Considering the mana investment compared to other cards with similar resurrection effects, players might find Hua Tuo less mana-efficient, affecting the overall tempo of gameplay.
Reasons to Include Hua Tuo, Honored Physician in Your Collection
Versatility: Hua Tuo, Honored Physician offers a unique set of abilities that can be adapted to a variety of deck strategies, primarily in Commander format where recurring creatures from the graveyard is advantageous.
Combo Potential: This card provides endless synergies with cards that benefit from creatures entering the graveyard or being cast from it, setting up potential combo finishes or value engines within your game plan.
Meta-Relevance: In metas where creature-based strategies are present, Hua Tuo’s ability to consistently bring back key creatures can be crucial for maintaining presence on the board and outpacing opponents.
How to beat Hua Tuo, Honored Physician
Hua Tuo, Honored Physician brings a unique dynamic to the game, allowing players to reclaim creatures from their graveyard for future use. This means that simply removing your opponent’s creatures isn’t always a lasting solution. To effectively counteract Hua Tuo’s ability, consider using graveyard hate cards. Cards like Rest in Peace or Leyline of the Void prevent card abilities from targeting cards in graveyards, thereby neutralizing Hua Tuo’s potential.
Additionally, employing instant-speed removal can be crucial. This method ensures that Hua Tuo is removed before his ability can be activated, usually in response to him being summoned or at the end of your opponent’s turn. Cards like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization can dispatch Hua Tuo before he gets a chance to manipulate the graveyard.
It’s also beneficial to disrupt your opponent’s strategy by using control elements. Counterspells like Counterspell or Mana Leak can stop Hua Tuo from hitting the battlefield at all. Remember, maintaining pressure and denying your opponent’s strategies forms the crux of overpowering cards like Hua Tuo, Honored Physician.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Hua Tuo, Honored Physician MTG card by a specific set like Portal Three Kingdoms and Masters Edition III, 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 Hua Tuo, Honored Physician and other MTG cards:
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- Card Kingdom
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- MTG Mint Card
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Printings
The Hua Tuo, Honored Physician Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1999-05-01 and 2013-11-01. Illustrated by Gao Jianzhang.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999-05-01 | Portal Three Kingdoms | PTK | 137 | 1997 | Normal | White | Gao Jianzhang | |
| 2 | 2009-09-07 | Masters Edition III | ME3 | 123 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Gao Jianzhang | |
| 3 | 2013-11-01 | Commander 2013 | C13 | 149 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Gao Jianzhang | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | C13-149 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Gao Jianzhang |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Hua Tuo, Honored Physician has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Hua Tuo, Honored Physician card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2013-09-20 | If a turn has multiple combat phases, the ability can only be activated before the beginning of the declare attackers step of the first combat phase in that turn. |