Moonlit Strider MTG Card
2005-02-04 - Number 16
2015-05-22 - Number 27
2019-11-07 - Number 181
2020-09-26 - Number MM2-27
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Spirit |
| Abilities | Soulshift |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 4 |
Text of card
Sacrifice Moonlit Strider: Target creature you control gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn. Soulshift 3 (When this is put into a graveyard from play, you may return target Spirit card with converted mana cost 3 or less from your graveyard to your hand.)
Cards like Moonlit Strider
Moonlit Strider, a member of the vast array of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, offers players a unique blend of protection and sacrifice ability. When you consider other cards with the ability to protect creatures, you might think of Mother of Runes. Both serve a function of defending valuable creatures. Moonlit Strider’s key offering is its soulshift ability, allowing you to bring back a spirit card from your graveyard when it’s put there from play. This recycle potential provides a layer of strategy, particularly in decks focused on spirit or arcane synergies.
Within the protective bounds, we also have the card Selfless Spirit. While it lacks the soulshift feature, it’s an efficient flyer that can sacrifice itself to grant indestructibility to your creatures for a turn. This presents a crucial difference, enabling a more immediate blanket protection. Compare this to Moonlit Strider’s targeted but repeatable protection option, and the choices in deck-building become interesting.
Ultimately, each option serves a slightly different role while sharing the common goal of defense. Strategically incorporating cards like Moonlit Strider enriches deck versatility, reacting to or preparing for an opponent’s moves with a utility that extends beyond a single game scenario.
Cards similar to Moonlit Strider by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Moonlit Strider card provides a valuable boon by allowing you to return a creature card from your graveyard to your hand when it’s sacrificed. This not only recovers resources but effectively cycles your creature for continued utility, bolstering your in-hand options throughout the duel.
Resource Acceleration: Playing Moonlit Strider can serve as a sort of indirect resource acceleration. By offering protection with its soulshift ability, it enables you to maintain a presence on the board without expending additional cards from your hand. This allows you to deploy other spells sooner and with greater confidence, knowing your key creatures could be safeguarded.
Instant Speed: While Moonlit Strider itself isn’t an instant, its ability to give a creature protection from a color until end of turn can be used at instant speed. This can disrupt an opponent’s plans during their turn by unexpectedly shielding your crucial creatures from targeted spells or removal, thus keeping them safe when it matters most.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: For Moonlit Strider, although no discard is explicitly required for casting this card, its ability to give creatures protection from a color will mean sacrificing the Strider. This cost is equivalent to a discard, giving up a field presence that may be critical in certain situations.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both generic and white mana for its casting cost, Moonlit Strider might not seamlessly integrate into multi-colored decks that don’t prioritize white mana. Decks that run on a tight mana curve may find the inclusion of this card restrictive.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana value of three for a 1/4 creature, Moonlit Strider’s cost competes with other cards that might offer more immediate board impact or lower costed protection effects. While its ability is useful, players must consider whether the cost-to-benefit ratio aligns with their deck’s strategy.
Reasons to Include Moonlit Strider in Your Collection
Versatility: Moonlit Strider serves a dual purpose as both a protective measure for your key creatures and as a sacrificial piece for greater strategic plays. Its ability to grant protection from a color makes it adaptable to various in-game situations, fitting well into decks that prioritize creature safety.
Combo Potential: Thanks to its Soulshift ability, Moonlit Strider can be a cog in a machine of intricate combinatorial plays. When it goes to the graveyard, you can return another Spirit card with a lower mana value from your graveyard to your hand, lending itself to decks designed around Spirit or graveyard retrieval synergies.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta where targeted removal is prevalent, Moonlit Strider’s ability to safeguard key creatures is invaluable. It’s an asset in environments where control strategies threaten single powerful creatures, as it provides an affordable way to prevent disruption and maintain board presence.
How to beat
Moonlit Strider might seem like an underwhelming presence on the battlefield at first glance, but savvy players know that its ability to grant protection can be a real game-changer in Magic: The Gathering. With its Soulshift ability, it can also be a nuisance by recurring other spirits from your graveyard to your hand. However, dealing with Moonlit Strider is all about timing and the right removal spells.
To effectively counteract this card, consider using instant-speed removal when the Moonlit Strider’s ability is on the stack. This way, you can bypass the protection it aims to give another creature. You can also target it with board wipes that don’t target, like Supreme Verdict or Wrath of God, to circumvent its safeguarding abilities. Edict effects, which force a player to sacrifice a creature, such as Diabolic Edict or Liliana of the Veil’s +1 ability, can also be a smart strategy against Moonlit Strider since they don’t target directly.
Always remember, understanding the stack and the sequence of abilities can be your ally in turning the tide to your favor against Moonlit Strider and other similar tricks within the MTG arena.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Moonlit Strider MTG card by a specific set like Betrayers of Kamigawa and Modern Masters 2015, 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 Moonlit Strider and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
Printings
The Moonlit Strider Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2005-02-04 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by John Avon.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005-02-04 | Betrayers of Kamigawa | BOK | 16 | 2003 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 2 | 2015-05-22 | Modern Masters 2015 | MM2 | 27 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 3 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 181 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon | |
| 4 | The List | PLST | MM2-27 | 2015 | Normal | Black | John Avon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Moonlit Strider has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |