Lunar Hatchling MTG Card
2023-10-13 - Number 424
2023-10-13 - Number 141
2023-10-13 - Number 746
2023-10-13 - Number 1015
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Creature — Alien Beast |
| Abilities | Basic landcycling,Cycling,Escape,Flying,Landcycling,Trample |
| Power | 6 |
| Toughness | 6 |
Key Takeaways
- The Hatchling’s ability to draw cards can significantly tip card advantage in your favor.
- Its synergistic potential can lead to swift and strategic resource acceleration in-game.
- Interaction with instant-speed spells allows for a versatile, responsive board presence.
Text of card
Flying, trample Basic landcycling (, Discard this card: Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.) Escape—, Exile a land you control, Exile five other cards from your graveyard. (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its escape cost.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: A noteworthy perk of the Lunar Hatchling is its ability to escalate your resources by peeling extra cards from your deck. As a creature that possesses the potential to grow in power, every turn it remains in play can shift the balance of card advantage progressively in your favor, giving you the upper hand as the game advances.
Resource Acceleration: Lunar Hatchling’s entrance into the battlefield might not produce tokens or direct mana, but it sets the stage for escalating your resources swiftly. Its inherent synergy with other cards that support or benefit from the presence of dragons can catalyze powerful plays sooner than expected, lending a strategic advantage in resource acceleration.
Instant Speed: While this card itself may not have instant speed capabilities, it interacts well with other cards that operate at instant speed. Building a deck strategy that maximizes this dynamic can be the difference-maker, allowing you to adapt to the state of play responsively. Deploying other instant speed spells to protect or enhance your Lunar Hatchling can turn it into a formidable threat each time your opponent’s turn ends.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the hitches of playing Lunar Hatchling is the potential necessity to discard a card. While its abilities can be advantageous, they come at a cost. Having to throw away part of your hand could set you back, especially if your strategy relies on card advantage or certain key cards.
Specific Mana Cost: Lunar Hatchling comes with a mana cost that includes red mana. This pigeonholes the card into red-inclusive decks and could be problematic when you’re trying to build a more flexible mana base. It might not fit into every strategy, especially those not tailored to accommodate the red mana requirement.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Bearing in mind the card’s abilities, its mana cost is on the higher end. For a similar investment, you might be able to summon creatures with more immediate board impact or that synergize better with your overall game plan. Therefore, Lunar Hatchling may not always be the most resource-efficient choice in a tightly constructed deck.
Reasons to Include Lunar Hatchling in Your Collection
Versatility: Lunar Hatchling is a flexible card that fits snugly into various decks, particularly those looking to leverage flying creatures or those building around dragon synergies.
Combo Potential: This card’s scaling ability with the number of instant and sorcery spells you cast makes it a potent addition to decks focusing on spell-slinging, potentially amplifying its power each turn.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where decks are teeming with creature-based strategies, Lunar Hatchling can serve as both a valuable early-game defender and a consistent source of aerial pressure, asserting dominance as the game progresses.
How to beat
Lunar Hatchling is a card that introduces a dose of whimsy and strategy to deck building in MTG. This enchanting creature boasts an ability that lets players initiate a crescendo of power as the game progresses. Much like Tarmogoyf, another creature that grows with gameplay dynamics, Lunar Hatchling collects counters, but for each noncreature spell cast instead. In similarity to creatures such as Arcbound Ravager, its power stems from these accumulating counters.
However, despite its potential to become a formidable threat, Lunar Hatchling holds an Achilles heel in its reliance on a certain type of spell to thrive. Cards like Red Elemental Blast, which operates well as a countermeasure against blue spells, can stymie the Lunar Hatchling’s growth. Moreover, efficient removal spells that deal with small creatures, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, can handle the Hatchling long before it reaches a threatening size. To handle this creature, focusing on eliminating it early or disrupting the spells that feed it is key.
Taming the Lunar Hatchling’s growth is imperative in maintaining control of the game’s tempo. Addressing it promptly and strategically can mitigate the risk it poses, allowing for a smoother path to victory in your match.
Cards like Lunar Hatchling
The enchanting Lunar Hatchling joins the roster of incremental advantage creatures in Magic: The Gathering. It finds kinship with cards like Loyal Pegasus, which also provides a flying creature at a low cost. Yet the Lunar Hatchling offers a distinct edge, nurturing growth with each noncreature spell cast, a trait not seen in the Loyal Pegasus. As players cast spells, the hatchling’s strength swells, potentially turning it into a game-swinging threat over time.
Consider Thunderclap Wyvern in this same skyward category; it too is a flying creature, but with an immediate board impact bolstering other flyers’ strength upon entry. Conversely, the Lunar Hatchling promises individual growth, a journey of power accumulation aligning well with spell-heavy strategies.
Weighing these aspects, Lunar Hatchling stands out for its ability to scale with spell-slinging playstyles in the grand landscape of MTG. While its siblings in the sky offer various tactical benefits, the incremental power boost of the hatchling is a compelling feature for players favoring decks rich in noncreature spells.
Cards similar to Lunar Hatchling by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Lunar Hatchling MTG card by a specific set like Doctor Who and Doctor Who, 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 Lunar Hatchling and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Lunar Hatchling Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2023-10-13 and 2023-10-13. Illustrated by Ben Wootten.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 424 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ben Wootten | |
| 2 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 141 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ben Wootten | |
| 3 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 746 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ben Wootten | |
| 4 | 2023-10-13 | Doctor Who | WHO | 1015 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Ben Wootten |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Lunar Hatchling has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Lunar Hatchling card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2023-10-13 | After an escaped permanent spell resolves, it enters the battlefield and will return to its owner's graveyard if it dies later. |
| 2023-10-13 | Basic landcycling is a form of cycling. Any ability that triggers on a card being cycled also triggers on a card being basic landcycled. Any ability that stops a cycling ability from being activated also stops a basic landcycling ability from being activated. |
| 2023-10-13 | Escape's permission doesn't change when you may cast the spell from your graveyard. |
| 2023-10-13 | If a card has multiple abilities giving you permission to cast it, such as two escape abilities or an escape ability and a flashback ability, you choose which one to apply. The others have no effect. |
| 2023-10-13 | If you cast a spell with its escape permission, you can't choose to apply any other alternative costs or to cast it without paying its mana cost. If it has any additional costs, you must pay those. |
| 2023-10-13 | Once you begin casting a spell with escape, it immediately moves to the stack. Players can't take any other actions until you're done casting the spell. |
| 2023-10-13 | To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you're paying (such as an escape cost), add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The mana value of the spell remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was and no matter whether an alternative cost was paid. |
| 2023-10-13 | Unlike the normal cycling ability, basic landcycling doesn't allow you to draw a card. Instead, it lets you search your library for a basic land card. You don't choose the type of basic land card you'll find until you're performing the search. After you choose a basic land card in your library, you reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library. |