Huatli's Snubhorn MTG Card


Huatli's Snubhorn - Ixalan
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Dinosaur
Abilities Vigilance
Released2017-09-29
Set symbol
Set nameIxalan
Set codeXLN
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number286
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byRandy Vargas

Key Takeaways

  1. Huatli’s Snubhorn enhances board presence economically, without depleting your hand.
  2. It expedites mana use, allowing faster play of bigger threats or spells.
  3. While not instant speed, it compliments decks utilizing its stats anytime.
Vigilance card art

Guide to Vigilance card ability

In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.

Text of card

Vigilance (Attacking doesn't cause this creature to tap.)

Don't make the mistake of thinking blunt horns can't kill.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Huatli’s Snubhorn grants increased resilience against card advantage loss by bolstering your battlefield presence without costing you additional cards. While it may not draw cards directly, putting a creature into play can equate to maintaining parity or even advancing your board position over your opponents’.

Resource Acceleration: By providing a low-cost recruit for your army, Huatli’s Snubhorn aids in efficient mana usage. This can effectively accelerate your resource allocation, ensuring you are able to deploy larger threats or multiple spells in a single turn more quickly than usual.

Instant Speed: Although Huatli’s Snubhorn does not operate at instant speed, the card synergizes well with decks that are designed to make full use of its statline during any phase of the game. This adaptability contributes to a strategic advantage as it seamlessly integrates with cards capable of surprising your opponent during their turn or at the end of their phase.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Huatli’s Snubhorn doesn’t force a discard itself, it synergizes less effectively with decks that require discards. In such setups, you might struggle to maintain a substantial board presence needed to elevate the Dinosaur’s impact.

Specific Mana Cost: Huatli’s Snubhorn has a White mana cost, which could put constraints on your deck building. Incorporating the card into a multicolor deck could be challenging, as it might not always align with your mana curve or the deck’s primary strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a two-mana 2/2 creature, the expectations can be high, and with numerous alternatives available, the card may not always justify its place in a competitive deck. It competes with other two-drop creatures that offer immediate utility or have more relevant abilities in the current meta.


Reasons to Include Huatli’s Snubhorn in Your Collection

Versatility: Huatli’s Snubhorn slots into a range of white-based aggro decks with its modest mana cost and vigilance feature, allowing for both offense and defense without skipping a beat.

Combo Potential: As a Dinosaur, this card can easily synergize with Huatli planeswalkers or other Dinosaur-related cards, enabling enrage mechanics or boosting strength with tribal support.

Meta-Relevance: Given its resilience and utility in creature-heavy decks, Huatli’s Snubhorn can be a solid inclusion in formats where early board presence and tribal synergies matter.


How to Beat Huatli’s Snubhorn

Huatli’s Snubhorn presents a challenge primarily because of its capability to complement decks focused on creature synergy and its potential to become a game-altering dinosaur in Magic: The Gathering. This low-cost dinosaur maximizes value in decks that capitalize on the dinos’ strength with Huatli planeswalkers or make use of the Enrage mechanic.

To effectively handle Huatli’s Snubhorn, removal spells that bypass its ability to gain indestructibility when paired with Huatli, Warrior Poet are essential. Board wipe spells which don’t target, such as Wrath of God or Damnation, are effective because they sidestep the protection Huatli offers. Additionally, countering Huatli’s Snubhorn when it’s cast, through spells like Negate or Essence Scatter, prevents the dinosaur from impacting the battlefield altogether.

It’s also beneficial to either interrupt the tribal synergies or disable Huatli planeswalkers before they activate their abilities. Employing cards that restrain your opponent’s ability to cast creatures or planeswalkers can substantially diminish the impact of Huatli’s Snubhorn, ensuring it remains just a small obstacle on your path to victory in your Magic: The Gathering encounters.


Cards like Huatli's Snubhorn

Exploring the world of Magic: The Gathering, Huatli’s Snubhorn stands out for its vigilance ability, which is a feature it shares with other noteworthy cards. Take, for instance, Concordia Pegasus, a card that also flies high with vigilance, offering both defense and the potential for consistent pressure on your opponent. The Pegasus, however, lacks the subset synergy that Huatli’s Snubhorn can leverage within a Dinosaur-tribe deck.

Moving on, we find the Steadfast Sentry, another vigilant soldier in MTG that parallels the Snubhorn’s defensive utility. While similar in their ability to stay untapped after attacking, Steadfast Sentry offers an additional perk; upon its demise, it grants a +1/+1 counter to a creature you control. This introduces a strategic advantage that Huatli’s Snubhorn misses. Nevertheless, Huatli’s Snubhorn edges out with its lower mana cost, paving the way for an early board presence.

Scrutinizing these comparisons, Huatli’s Snubhorn secures a unique position in Dinosaur-centric decks and trades some versatility for cost-efficiency and thematic cohesion. In the realm of vigilant creatures, this unassuming dino may not be the mightiest, but its role in the early game and tribal interactions ensure it’s not overlooked.

Concordia Pegasus - MTG Card versions
Steadfast Sentry - MTG Card versions
Concordia Pegasus - MTG Card versions
Steadfast Sentry - MTG Card versions

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Soltari Monk - MTG Card versions
Talon Sliver - MTG Card versions
Keeper of the Light - MTG Card versions
Faith Healer - MTG Card versions
Angelic Page - MTG Card versions
Avenger en-Dal - MTG Card versions
Royal Falcon - MTG Card versions
Spirit Weaver - MTG Card versions
Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions
Stoneforge Mystic - MTG Card versions
Drannith Magistrate - MTG Card versions
Leonin Lightscribe - MTG Card versions
Silver Knight - MTG Card versions
Longbow Archer - MTG Card versions
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions
Flumph - MTG Card versions
Soltari Priest - MTG Card versions
Luminarch Aspirant - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Huatli's Snubhorn MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan, 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 Huatli's Snubhorn and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Huatli's Snubhorn has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
TimelessLegal

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