Horned Cheetah MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Cat
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	251
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	John Matson

Key Takeaways

Lifegain from attacks with Horned Cheetah can create sustained player advantage, pivotal for long-term strategy.
Mandatory card discard and color-specific mana restricts its versatility and deck inclusion.
Decks that exploit lifegain synergies might find Horned Cheetah a valuable collection addition.

Text of card

Whenever Horned Cheetah deals damage, you gain that much life.

"I think she wants us to eat it," said Squee, staring at the oily carcass the cheetah had dragged to their fire.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Horned Cheetah offers a sustained advantage by allowing you to gain life with each successful attack, keeping you firmly ahead in the race for survival against your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: This creature can be a key component in strategies that focus on life gain to trigger various abilities or synergies, effectively serving as a catalyst for an accelerating your game plan.

Instant Speed: While Horned Cheetah itself doesn’t have instant speed, it complements decks that do, providing a reliable lifeline during your turn, which lets you reserve your instant speed spells for critical moments with confidence.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Horned Cheetah necessitates a card discard upon triggering its ability. This can be a setback if you’re already struggling with a depleted hand, ultimately diminishing your strategic options.

Specific Mana Cost: With its allegiance to a particular mana combination, the Horned Cheetah demands both green and white mana to play. This requirement restricts the card to decks that are capable of generating these colors, potentially limiting its overall versatility in the MTG landscape.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding a total of four mana to cast, Horned Cheetah’s cost might be considered steep relative to other creatures in its class. Savvy players may find alternative creatures or spells that deliver a more significant impact or provide additional utility for the same investment of resources.

Reasons to Include Horned Cheetah in Your Collection

Versatility: Horned Cheetah offers a dual benefit of providing life gain with each successful attack. Its versatility shines in decks that aim to stabilize against aggressive opponents while maintaining a solid offensive presence.

Combo Potential: This feline creature synergizes seamlessly with strategies revolving around lifegain. Horned Cheetah’s ability to earn you life points with each hit can trigger a variety of effects from other cards, opening doors to powerful combinations.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where racing for life totals is critical, Horned Cheetah proves to be a formidable asset. It swings the momentum in your favor, especially in match-ups where prevailing through incremental advantages can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

How to beat Horned Cheetah

Horned Cheetah is an interesting creature in Magic: The Gathering that offers its controller a little life boost every time they cast a spell. With its unique ability to gain life, this card can be advantageous in decks that focus on chain casting spells. It’s especially favorable in long games where incremental life gain can lead to a significant advantage. However, just like any other card, there are strategies that can undermine the Cheetah’s effectiveness.

To successfully counteract Horned Cheetah, players can use removal spells before it has a chance to generate value. Spells like Murder or Doom Blade are effective at this, eliminating the creature before the life gain becomes a recurring problem. In addition, counterspells can prevent Horned Cheetah from ever hitting the battlefield. It is also noteworthy to consider the pace of your own plays; applying pressure early in the game can force your opponent to respond rather than set up their life-gain strategy. Lastly, incorporating life-loss spells or abilities that erode your opponent’s life total can offset the Cheetah’s advantage, keeping the game in balance.

Even though Horned Cheetah presents a unique challenge with its life-gaining ability, these tactics prove that it can be effectively contained, ensuring it doesn’t tip the scales in your opponent’s favor.

Cards like Horned Cheetah

Horned Cheetah is a unique creature from the deserts of Jamuraa on the plane of Dominaria. With its ability to give you 2 life with each successful attack, it stands as an interesting choice for life gain decks in MTG. It can be compared to other life-generating creatures like Ajani’s Pridemate, which gains a +1/+1 counter each time you gain life. While the Pridemate can grow into a significant threat, the Cheetah offers consistent life regardless of how it grows in size or strength.

Another creature to consider is Healer’s Hawk, a low-cost flyer that has lifelink, giving it the ability to gain you life just by dealing combat damage. Although it’s smaller compared to Horned Cheetah, the flying ability can be a significant advantage as it’s often harder to block. Then, we have Voracious Wurm, which enters the battlefield with +1/+1 counters based on the amount of life you’ve gained in the turn. The Wurm can become a formidable force rapidly, but unlike Horned Cheetah, it doesn’t offer a consistent life gain upon each attack.

Ultimately, Horned Cheetah serves as a steady source of life gain and is a reliable addition to MTG decks that focus on life as a resource or those aiming to outlast opponents through incremental advantages.

Cards similar to Horned Cheetah by color, type and mana cost

Heron's Grace Champion - MTG Card versions

Lathiel, the Bounteous Dawn - MTG Card versions

Leinore, Autumn Sovereign - MTG Card versions

Sidar Kondo of Jamuraa - MTG Card versions

Trostani, Selesnya's Voice - MTG Card versions

Dr. Julius Jumblemorph - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Horned Cheetah MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Horned Cheetah and other MTG cards: