Hunting Triad MTG Card

Hunting Triad excels in creating board presence with multiple tokens, offering significant card advantage. Its utility is somewhat diminished by a specific, somewhat high mana cost and discard requirement. Despite its downsides, its versatility and combo potential make it a robust choice for relevant metas.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeTribal Sorcery — Elf
Abilities Reinforce

Text of card

Put three 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature tokens into play. Reinforce 3— (, Discard this card: Put three +1/+1 counters on target creature.)

"Eyeblights are easy to track. Just follow the imperfections."

Cards like Hunting Triad

Hunting Triad is a versatile inclusion among token-generating spells in Magic: The Gathering. It finds parallels with cards like Scatter the Seeds, which also forges multiple creatures for a comparable mana cost. Hunting Triad, however, edges ahead with its convoke mechanic that allows your creatures to help cast the spell. Scatter the Seeds shares this convoke feature, but it doesn’t offer the persist power-up that Hunting Triad can bestow upon a creature if it’s entwined.

Pondering over other kindred cards, we see Fists of Ironwood, another card that’s adept at producing tokens. Although it generates fewer creatures, it bestows trample, a potentially game-shifting addition. Comparatively, Hunting Triad’s flexibility in either generating extra tokens or strengthening existing ones through counters offers a broader strategy scope.

Analyzing these token-oriented spells in Magic: The Gathering, Hunting Triad’s dual potential for bolstering your army with additional creatures or enhancing their resilience with +1/+1 counters allows for dynamic playstyles. This adaptability is what places Hunting Triad in a favorable position when selecting spells that expand your creature presence on the board.

Scatter the Seeds - MTG Card versions
Fists of Ironwood - MTG Card versions
Scatter the Seeds - MTG Card versions
Fists of Ironwood - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Hunting Triad comes with the potential for creating multiple creature tokens, effectively adding several cards’ worth of value on the board with just one spell. This can quickly tip the scales in your favor by fortifying your board presence.

Resource Acceleration: By generating additional Elf tokens, Hunting Triad enables you to ramp up your mana resources when those tokens are tapped for mana, propelling your strategy at a much faster pace.

Instant Speed: Though Hunting Triad is a sorcery, its effects are potent during the main phases, allowing for strategic development of your board that can be timed to disrupt your opponent’s plans or be used after their turn to maximize the surprise factor of the additional creatures.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Hunting Triad card necessitates discarding another card as part of its casting process. This may prove to be detrimental during gameplay, particularly if your hand is already scarce or the cards you hold are crucial for maintaining your strategic momentum.

Specific Mana Cost: Hunting Triad has a specific mana requirement, which includes not just one but two green mana symbols. This confines the card’s integration predominantly to green decks or multi-color decks with a stable green mana base, potentially limiting its versatility across a broader range of deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of four, including three generic and one green, players might find that Hunting Triad has a somewhat steep cost for the effects it delivers. In a game where tempo can be critical, utilizing four mana on this card could mean forgoing the opportunity to cast other, potentially more impactful spells or develop your board presence more efficiently that same turn.

Reasons to Include Hunting Triad in Your Collection

Versatility: Hunting Triad offers flexibility in deck-building with its capability to create multiple tokens, enhancing both swarm strategies and those which capitalize on creature count.

Combo Potential: The three Elf Warrior tokens synergize well with effects that benefit from creatures entering the battlefield, and can be pivotal in combo executions that revolve around creature-based mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where board presence and creature-based synergies are prevalent, Hunting Triad’s ability to quickly populate the battlefield can be a game-changer, making it a solid choice in such environments.

How to Beat Hunting Triad

Hunting Triad is a unique card offering players a troop of Elf tokens, enhancing strategies that rely on creature count and tribal synergies. However, it’s not without its flaws. One effective way of dealing with Hunting Triad is through cards that limit token production or outright destroy multiple creatures at once. Cards like Zealous Persecution or Electrickery can quickly sweep away the tokens before they become a significant threat on the battlefield.

Cards that alter the cost of spells can also hinder a Hunting Triad play. Thalia, Guardian of Thraben makes it costlier for opponents to cast non-creature spells, potentially delaying Hunting Triad’s reinforcement of the elf army. Additionally, having instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or Rapid Hybridization ensures you can respond directly to the Triad or the tokens it creates, maintaining control and preventing your opponent from overwhelming the board.

Understanding the dynamics of how Hunting Triad interacts with the board is crucial. Since it operates best within a deck that maximizes creature synergies, removing key pieces such as lords or anthem effects can significantly reduce the impact of those freshly summoned tokens. Keep these strategies in mind, and Hunting Triad’s advantage can be effectively neutralized, aligning the game in your favor.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hunting Triad MTG card by a specific set like Morningtide and Commander 2014, 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 Hunting Triad and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Hunting Triad Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2008-02-01 and 2017-06-09. Illustrated by Jim Nelson.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12008-02-01MorningtideMOR 1272003NormalBlackJim Nelson
22014-11-07Commander 2014C14 2002015NormalBlackJim Nelson
32017-06-09Commander AnthologyCMA 1162015NormalBlackJim Nelson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hunting Triad has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal