Moonsnare Specialist MTG Card
Key Takeaways
- The Specialist can aid in gaining card advantage and tactical flexibility.
- Instant speed allows for surprise plays and resource management.
- Demands careful consideration due to discard requirement and mana cost.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Moonsnare Specialist MTG card by a specific set like Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty and Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty, 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 Moonsnare Specialist 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
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Text of card
Ninjutsu (, Return an unblocked attacker you control to hand: Put this card onto the battlefield from your hand tapped and attacking.) When Moonsnare Specialist enters the battlefield, return up to one target creature to its owner's hand.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While the Moonsnare Specialist itself may not directly allow you to draw cards, its inclusion in a deck can be pivotal in supporting strategies that lead to greater card advantage. Through its interactions and synergies with other cards, it can be an important piece in the puzzle of maintaining a flow of resources in your hand.
Resource Acceleration: As a specialist, this card could hypothetically provide a specific kind of resource acceleration that aligns with its abilities. Think of it lending support to your mana curve or being part of a combo that unlocks a higher mana potential on the board, ensuring you are steps ahead of your adversary.
Instant Speed: If the Moonsnare Specialist has a capability or an associated card that operates at instant speed, it brings flexibility and surprise to your gameplay. This speed allows you to respond reactively to your opponent’s moves, making it a tactical asset during crucial moments. You can adapt to the state of the game without committing resources prematurely, keeping your options open until the timing is just right.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Moonsnare Specialist demands that a player discards another card from their hand to unlock its potential. This can be particularly burdensome during the late game or in situations where hand size is already compromised.
Specific Mana Cost: Locked into a singular blue mana cost, Moonsnare Specialist requires a dedicated blue mana source to play. This can pose deckbuilding restrictions and can make it challenging for multicolored decks to accommodate.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: When analyzing the mana investment against the abilities it provides, Moonsnare Specialist’s cost can be considered steep. Players might find that other creatures or spells could provide a greater impact or versatility for the same, or even a lower, mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Moonsnare Specialist offers flexible utility for a variety of deck styles, particularly those embracing control or evasion tactics. Its ability to tap an opponent’s creature adds an effective defensive measure which can be integrated into multiple strategies.
Combo Potential: Pairing well with flicker or bounce mechanics, it enables players to reuse the Specialist’s ability multiple times, both for defensive purposes and to pave the way for unblocked attacks, making it a valuable chess piece in more intricate game plans.
Meta-Relevance: In a game environment where creature-based strategies are prevalent, being able to consistently hinder your opponent’s offense can turn the tide in your favor. Having Moonsnare Specialist at your disposal gives you a tool to handle various threats on the battlefield.
How to beat
Moonsnare Specialist has arrived to shake up gameplay dynamics in Magic the Gathering. This creature carries the distinct ability to assist in controlling the board by returning nonland permanents to their owner’s hand. To overcome this nuisance, one must strategize with precision. Counterplay involves maintaining a low profile as Moonsnare Specialist requires a tapped creature for its ability to activate. Keeping your creatures untapped, when possible, denies your opponent the chance to play Moonsnare Specialist’s returning effect.
Additionally, instant speed removal spells are a reliable countermeasure against Moonsnare Specialist. Swiftly removing it before it has the opportunity to leverage its ability can thwart your opponent’s plans. Likewise, employing cards that negate activated abilities can clamp down on Moonsnare Specialist’s influence over the board state. It’s crucial to monitor your battlefield presence and manage resources effectively to prevent this Specialist from gaining a foothold. By incorporating these tactics, you diminish the effectiveness of Moonsnare Specialist and pave the way towards victory.
Ultimately, understanding and anticipating the strategic implementations of Moonsnare Specialist is key to maintaining dominance in your MTG matches. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll neutralize it as a threat efficiently.
BurnMana Recommendations
The Moonsnare Specialist has woven its way into the fabric of Magic the Gathering strategies, offering unique effects that can shift the tides of play. Its ability to control the board while adopting a strategic defense puts it on the radar for any player looking to add layers of cunning to their blue-centered deck. Strategic use of creature tap abilities and maximizing instant speed interactions underline the need to understand and appreciate the subtleties of gameplay that this card brings to the table. If you’re curious about how to incorporate Moonsnare Specialist into your deck or how to effectively counter its abilities, delve deeper with us. Our insights can help refine your strategies and enhance your overall MTG experience. Embark on your journey to grasp the full potential of Moonsnare Specialist and fortify your deck at BurnMana.
Cards like Moonsnare Specialist
The Moonsnare Specialist has carved out its niche within the rogue gallery of Magic: The Gathering’s intricate tapestry of creatures. It shares a kinship with cards like Mistblade Shinobi, which is also a specialist in returning creatures to their owner’s hand. The Moonsnare Specialist, however, offers a unique twist with its channel ability, allowing for tactical flexibility in gameplay. While Mistblade requires a combat trick to be effective, the Specialist can be utilized at the cost of discarding it from your hand, ensuring that you always have that option available, even when not in combat.
Another card worth comparing is Ninja of the Deep Hours. This card similarly disrupts the opponent by bouncing creatures, and it subsequently rewards the player with a card draw. However, the standout characteristic of the Moonsnare Specialist is its avoidance of the battlefield to activate its effect, whereas the Ninja must deal combat damage for its ability to trigger. The Specialist’s channel ability grants immediate, although one-time, control over the board without the need for direct combat.
In the broader context of the game, Moonsnare Specialist adds strategic depth to blue’s already formidable control toolkit. Its channel ability provides players with an alternative route to impact the board, akin to a utility spell encapsulated within a creature card. MTG aficionados will recognize the value in flexibility and timing that this card introduces.
Cards similar to Moonsnare Specialist by color, type and mana cost
Printings
The Moonsnare Specialist Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2022-02-18 and 2022-02-18. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022-02-18 | Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty | NEO | 70 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Lie Setiawan | |
| 2 | 2022-02-18 | Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty | NEO | 335 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Hisashi Momose |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Moonsnare Specialist has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Moonsnare Specialist card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2022-02-18 | Although the Ninja is attacking, it was never declared as an attacking creature (for purposes of abilities that trigger whenever a creature attacks, for example). |
| 2022-02-18 | As you activate a ninjutsu ability, you reveal the Ninja card in your hand and return the attacking creature. The Ninja card stays revealed and isn't put onto the battlefield until the ability resolves. If it leaves your hand before then, it won't enter the battlefield at all. |
| 2022-02-18 | If a creature in combat has first strike or double strike, you can activate the ninjutsu ability during the first-strike combat damage step. The Ninja will deal combat damage during the regular combat damage step, even if it has first strike. |
| 2022-02-18 | Puff of smoke not included. |
| 2022-02-18 | The creature with ninjutsu enters the battlefield attacking the same player or planeswalker that the returned creature was attacking. This is a rule specific to ninjutsu; in other cases, when a creature is put onto the battlefield attacking, that creature's controller chooses which player or planeswalker it's attacking. |
| 2022-02-18 | The ninjutsu ability can be activated during the declare blockers step, combat damage step, or end of combat step. In most cases (see below), if you wait until the combatdamage step or end of combat step, it will be after combat damage has been dealt, so the Ninja won't deal combat damage. |
| 2022-02-18 | The ninjutsu ability can be activated only after blockers have been declared. Before then, attacking creatures are neither blocked nor unblocked. |