Insatiable Harpy MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Harpy |
| Abilities | Flying,Lifelink |
| Released | 2013-09-27 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Theros |
| Set code | THS |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 92 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Matt Stewart |
Text of card
Flying, lifelink
Gold coin, battered helmet, broken wrist bone—all have the same value in the eyes of a harpy.
Cards like Insatiable Harpy
Insatiable Harpy forges its unique presence among life-link creatures within MTG. It finds its parallel in Vampire Nighthawk, a similarly cost-efficient threat with flying and deathtouch. While Vampire Nighthawk offers an immediate board impact with its additional deathtouch ability, Insatiable Harpy stands out with its potential for growth through its strength-siphoning ability, allowing it to become a bigger menace over time.
Another relative in the life-link family is Ajani’s Pridemate, which also benefits from gaining life but relies on other cards to trigger its power boost. Insatiable Harpy, in contrast, consolidates the life gain and power increase in one self-reliant package. On a mana curve, Gifted Aetherborn slots in as another contender, offering life link and deathtouch, but unlike the Harpy, it is not a flier, which can be a pivotal tactical advantage.
Assessing the benefits in a field of life-link creatures, Insatiable Harpy holds a favorable position for its versatile role in both offense and defense, its capability to self-enhance, and its evasion through flying. This balance makes it a worthy consideration for any MTG player looking to tip the scales of life totals in their favor.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Insatiable Harpy can potentially offer repeatable card draw, keeping your hand filled with options and giving you an edge in maintaining control over the game’s flow.
Resource Acceleration: If equipped with artifacts or enchantments that trigger upon dealing damage, this creature can serve as a reliable source of resource acceleration, bolstering your position with additional mana or other valuable in-game assets.
Instant Speed: Boasting the ability to interact at instant speed, Insatiable Harpy meshes well with spells and abilities that operate on your opponent’s turn, providing tactical flexibility and opportunistic plays that can surprise your adversary and shift the game in your favor.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The insatiable appetite of the Insatiable Harpy demands discarding a card to tap into its potential. For avid deck-builders, this can be a ponderous toll, especially when playing from a position with fewer cards in hand. Optimizing the benefit from such an effect requires careful planning and a deck design that can afford to shed cards without sacrificing crucial momentum.
Specific Mana Cost: Summoning the Insatiable Harpy requires a precise mana alignment which can constrict deck diversification. Its reliance on both black and another specific mana type makes it less versatile, potentially cluttering hands unable to meet the color requirements soon enough to affect early game board states effectively.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an appetite for mana as large as its cravings for power, Insatiable Harpy’s cost-to-effect ratio can seem steep in a briskly moving game. As players evaluate the cost of bringing this card to flight, the requirement may prove too burdensome when other lower-cost creatures can fulfill similar roles with less resource commitment.
Reasons to Include Insatiable Harpy in Your Collection
Versatility: Insatiable Harpy offers flexibility to your deck, as a flying creature it has the ability to evade many ground-based defenses. This card can seamlessly adapt to various deck themes, whether you’re looking to add strength to your aerial assault or seeking a reliable blocker.
Combo Potential: The lifelink attribute of Insatiable Harpy enables various combo opportunities. It can work well with cards that thrive on life gain, or it can synergize with effects that trigger whenever you gain life, enhancing your strategic plays.
Meta-Relevance: Given the pace of the current meta, having a sturdy lifelink creature can be critical. Insatiable Harpy holds its own in a variety of match-ups, particularly against aggressive decks, making it a card worth considering for your collection.
How to beat
The Insatiable Harpy is a creature card that can pose a challenge with its flying ability and potential to gain strength over time. To conquer this card, players need to focus on developing a strategy that includes removal or control elements capable of targeting flying creatures. Utilizing cards that can destroy, exile, or force sacrifices can effectively neutralize the threat of the Insatiable Harpy. Spells that can deal with creatures regardless of their evasion capabilities are key.
Building a deck with adequate answers to flying creatures, including reach or other flying creatures for blocking, is a smart approach. Cards that can prevent the Harpy from attacking or block without destruction – avoiding any death triggers – are also useful. Remember, timing your removal spells to disrupt your opponent’s flow and prevent them from gaining an advantage with the Harpy is critical.
Overall, the most effective way to handle the Insatiable Harpy often involves being proactive rather than reactive. Controlling the board early on, understanding the pace of your opponent’s deck, and always keeping removal options at the ready will help ensure that the Harpy does not become an insurmountable threat.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Insatiable Harpy MTG card by a specific set like Theros, 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 Insatiable Harpy 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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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Insatiable Harpy has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |