Molting Harpy MTG Card
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 1 |
Rarity | Uncommon |
Type | Creature — Harpy Mercenary |
Abilities | Flying |
Released | 1999-10-04 |
Set symbol | |
Set name | Mercadian Masques |
Set code | MMQ |
Power | 2 |
Toughness | 1 |
Number | 148 |
Frame | 1997 |
Layout | Normal |
Border | Black |
Illustred by | Jeff Laubenstein |
Text of card
Flying At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice Molting Harpy unless you pay .
Shed harpy feathers leave painful wounds—which explains the harpies' mood.
Cards like Molting Harpy
Molting Harpy offers a distinct blend of evasion and life loss mechanics that make it an intriguing choice for deck builders in Magic: The Gathering. When looking at similar creatures, Vampire Nighthawk comes to mind with its combination of flying and lifelink, though it benefits the controller rather than causing life loss. Molting Harpy’s ability to effortlessly slip past defenders due to flying is mirrored in creatures like Stormfront Pegasus, but the Harpy holds the unique characteristic of chipping away at an opponent’s life total turn after turn.
Shimian Specter also presents an interesting comparison. While it shares the flying trait with Molting Harpy, it adds a disruptive element by allowing you to exile cards from an opponent’s hand and graveyard. This doesn’t impact life totals directly but can strategically dismantle an opponent’s game plan. Finally, Bloodhunter Bat deserves a mention. While lacking the recurring effect of Molting Harpy’s life loss ability, it offers a one-time life swing upon entering the battlefield, showcasing a different approach to the feature of life total manipulation in the game.
Thus, Molting Harpy stands out among flying creatures for its persistent ability to whittle down an opponent’s health, a facet that should be considered when evaluating flying threats and life loss strategies in a deck construction.
Cards similar to Molting Harpy by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Molting Harpy presents an opportunity to cycle through your deck more efficiently. By providing card draw or a form of card filtration with its abilities, you can keep your hand full and options open.
Resource Acceleration: If Molting Harpy possesses any abilities or interactions that generate additional mana or allow you to play additional lands, it could serve as a potent means to speed up your gameplay, launching you ahead of your opponents in resource development.
Instant Speed: Should Molting Harpy be capable of any instant-speed actions, this would enable you to optimize your strategies more dynamically. Reacting to opponents’ moves or creating surprises that could swing the game in your favor are critical components that instant-speed capabilities offer.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: The Molting Harpy card requires players to let go of other cards from their hand, which can lead to a disadvantageous trade-off if you’re already struggling with card availability.
Specific Mana Cost: Having an exact mana requirement involving two colors to cast this spell might be restrictive, forcing players to build their mana base around it, which could potentially disrupt the flow of multicolored decks.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When evaluating the balance between cost and benefit, Molting Harpy’s mana expense is on the higher side relative to its immediate impact on the game, which may lead to inefficiencies during play, especially when faster alternatives are available.
Reasons to Include Molting Harpy in Your Collection
Versatility: Molting Harpy brings flexibility to any deck. This card can swiftly adapt to various game phases, whether you need an early blocker or a flying threat to chip away at your opponent’s life total.
Combo Potential: The harpy plays well with sacrifice and graveyard strategies, allowing you to maximize the value from other cards that benefit from creatures leaving the battlefield or fueling delve mechanics.
Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, having flying creatures like Molting Harpy can prove essential. It’s a suitable match for the current pace of play, effectively contending with prevalent threats or adding another layer of complexity to your tactical approach.
How to beat
Molting Harpy presents a unique challenge on the battlefield with its flying ability and life loss effect at each upkeep, common to black-aligned creatures in Magic: The Gathering. Dealing with this card requires a strategic approach. Since it flies, ground creatures won’t help you block, pushing the need to have flying creatures or ones with reach to fend off its attacks. Removal spells are particularly effective here, such as Instant-speed removals like Murder or the conditional board sweepers such as Cry of the Carnarium, which can clear the board of not only Molting Harpy but also any other pesky small creatures.
An alternative strategy is to utilize life gain tactics to offset the life loss from Molting Harpy. Incorporating cards that provide consistent life boosts can help maintain your life total while dealing with the threat. Additionally, enchantments that prevent abilities from triggering, like Suppression Bonds or Pacifism, can neutralize the Harpy without having to remove it entirely. It’s essential to act quickly against Molting Harpy, as the cumulative life loss can be detrimental over the course of a game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Molting Harpy MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Molting 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Molting Harpy has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Commander | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Paupercommander | Restricted |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Premodern | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Predh | Legal |