Harbinger of Night MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Spirit
Released	1996-10-08
Set symbol
Set name	Mirage
Set code	MIR
Power	2
Toughness	3
Number	128
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Tom Kyffin

Key Takeaways

This card passively controls the board, clearing threats and shaping the game as turns progress.
While not resource-accelerating, it offers strategic resource-saving by reducing the need for removals.
Harbinger of Night complements instant speed spells, allowing crafty play and optimal use of removals.

Text of card

During your upkeep, put a -1/-1 counter on each creature.

Embrace the Harbinger —Suq'Ata expression meaning "abandon hope"

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Harbinger of Night stands out in games where long-term advantage is key. By gradually diminishing the power of all creatures, it passively thins the battlefield, potentially clearing away smaller threats and making way for your own strategic plays.

Resource Acceleration: This card, while not directly accelerating resources, can indirectly lead to resource benefits. As it weakens all creatures, it can help maintain your board state against opponents’ threats, effectively saving you the resources you might have spent on removal spells.

Instant Speed: Despite Harbinger of Night not being an instant, it works well with instant speed spells and effects. By setting up a consistent creature debuff each turn, you can better judge when to use your instant speed removals or combat tricks to maximum advantage during your opponents’ turns.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Harbinger of Night requires constant upkeep due to its cumulative upkeep cost, depleting your hand and potentially leaving you at a disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: The card has a specific mana cost that includes two black mana, which can hinder its inclusion in multi-color decks that may not have the mana flexibility needed.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a four mana cost and a delayed impact on the game state, players might find the immediate impact of other four-mana-cost creatures or spells more appealing for competitive play.

Reasons to Include Harbinger of Night in Your Collection

Versatility: Harbinger of Night offers a unique effect that impacts all creatures on the board, making it a flexible addition to decks that aim to manipulate the number of counters on creatures, either for control or synergistic purposes.

Combo Potential: This card has synergy with effects that benefit from -1/-1 counters, such as bolstering your own creatures’ resilience, weakening opponents’ creatures, or triggering “when a creature dies” abilities.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where creature-heavy decks are prevalent, Harbinger of Night can act as a recurring board management tool, tipping the scales in your favor each turn.

How to beat

Harbinger of Night is an intriguing creature card in MTG, known for its persistent impact on the battlefield. At the beginning of each player’s upkeep, Harbinger of Night places a fade counter on every creature. Then, during that player’s upkeep, any creature with a fade counter on it is dealt damage equal to the number of fade counters on it. This gradual effect can pose a considerable threat over time, weakening and potentially decimating entire armies.

To effectively combat the detrimental influence of Harbinger of Night, it’s advisable to prioritize strategic removal spells or abilities. Focus on cards capable of neutralizing it before the fade counters accumulate. A swift response is key, as delaying can have severe consequences for your creatures. Including instant-speed removal like Disenchant or Nature’s Claim in your deck ensures that you can respond to the Harbinger regardless of whose turn it is. Additionally, leveraging indestructible or regeneration abilities can help safeguard your creatures against the inevitable decay brought on by the Harbinger’s ability.

Understanding when to hold back creatures and when to play them is also crucial. Staggering your creature plays can mitigate the risk of losing your entire board to the Harbinger’s effect, keeping you in a position of strength throughout the game.

Cards like Harbinger of Night

Harbinger of Night stands out in Magic: The Gathering for its unique ability to place -1/-1 counters on every creature during each of your upkeep phases. Resembling the likes of Midnight Banshee, which also applies -1/-1 counters, Harbinger of Night does so in a manner that affects all creatures, unlike Midnight Banshee’s selective targeting of nonblack creatures. Illustrating versatility, Harbinger of Night impacts the board state irrespective of creature color, reminiscent of the all-encompassing nature of cards like Black Sun’s Zenith.

Another card that echoes the withering effect of Harbinger of Night is Necroskitter, although it operates quite differently by capitalizing on creatures killed by -1/-1 counters to snatch control of them post-mortem. Despite this, it lacks the ongoing, predictable countdown Harbinger ensures each turn. Additionally, the incremental effect of Harbinger of Night aligns in function with the card Carnifex Demon, which also uses -1/-1 counters as its mechanic; however, Carnifex has the added benefit of manipulating these counters to wipe the board selectively.

Ultimately, Harbinger of Night’s strength lies in its persistent, egalitarian erosion of creature strength, a trait that whilst mirrored in other MTG cards, presents a distinctive angle in handling opposing threats over time.

Cards similar to Harbinger of Night by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Harbinger of Night MTG card by a specific set like Mirage, 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 Harbinger of Night and other MTG cards: