Hunter's Ambush MTG Card

Magic 2015 (M15)
2014-07-18 - Number 180

Mystery Booster (MB1)
2019-11-07 - Number 1239

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number M15-180

Card sets	Released in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Instant

Key Takeaways

Offers board protection by nullifying damage from non-green creatures, crucial in creature-dominant match-ups.
Preserves mana and resources by maintaining creature presence, indirectly contributing to tempo.
Instant speed allows flexibility, turning opponent’s attacks into opportunities for counterplay.

Text of card

Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt by nongreen creatures this turn.

First you lose your enemy's trail. Then you lose all sense of direction. Then you hear the growls . . .

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Hunter’s Ambush offers a momentary edge by preventing all damage that would be dealt to creatures you control by non-Green creatures this turn. This can maintain your board presence against aggressive decks, effectively countering a turn of your opponent’s progress.

Resource Acceleration: While Hunter’s Ambush itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it efficiently preserves your creatures, saving mana and other resources you would otherwise need to spend on recasting them. This indirect saving can be pivotal in maintaining tempo and building towards a powerful board state.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Hunter’s Ambush at instant speed offers significant strategic advantages. You can use it during your opponent’s attack phase to neutralize threats or outmaneuver combat tricks, turning a potentially devastating assault into a fizzled effort, all while leaving your creatures unscathed and ready to retaliate.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Despite not being directly applicable to Hunter’s Ambush, cards with discard requirements pose a risk by potentially depleting your hand. This can place players at a disadvantage, especially when facing a deck designed to draw and play numerous cards per turn.

Specific Mana Cost: With Hunter’s Ambush demanding a precise mix of colors in its mana cost, it’s not as flexible for all deck types. Decks without green mana sources will find it impossible to cast, while multi-colored decks could struggle with the mana consistency required to play it on curve.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The three mana investment for Hunter’s Ambush is substantial and can be a drawback. Players could potentially forgo developing their board or miss out on casting other impactful spells during a crucial turn. Competing cards at this cost may offer more versatile or immediate effects that could influence the game state more profoundly.

Reasons to Include Hunter’s Ambush in Your Collection

Versatility: Hunter’s Ambush can be a tactical addition to numerous decks, particularly those looking to control the board against creature-heavy opponents. Its ability to prevent all combat damage from non-Green creatures allows for favorable block outcomes or an uninterrupted swing in for damage during your turn.

Combo Potential: As an instant, the card blends well with strategies focused on combat trickery or damage prevention. It can combo with cards that benefit from surviving combat or to safely activate tap abilities of creatures that would otherwise be in danger during battle.

Meta-Relevance: In metas dominated by aggressive, creature-based decks, Hunter’s Ambush can provide a crucial turning point. This allows for life conservation and board stability against onslaughts from non-Green creature archetypes, making it a situational yet impactful card during key meta phases.

How to Beat Hunter’s Ambush

Hunter’s Ambush can be a real game changer in Magic: The Gathering. This green instant provides a window where non-green creatures can’t deal damage. It’s a versatile defensive tool that can undermine an opponent’s attack or buy some crucial time. When facing this card, timing is everything. The key to outmaneuvering Hunter’s Ambush lies in baiting it out or playing around it.

Instants and abilities that grant your creatures hexproof or indestructibility are invaluable here. Cards like Heroic Intervention can protect your creatures even under the Ambush’s effect. Alternatively, countering it outright with a well-timed Negate or similar counterspell ensures that your creatures can deal damage as expected. If your deck revolves around red or black aggressive strategies, consider adding some green creatures or artifacts that are unaffected by Hunter’s Ambush.

Beyond individual cards, adjusting your playstyle can also help. Being unpredictable and maintaining a mix of creature colors might dissuade an opponent from seeing a perfect moment to cast it. Adaptability, strategic spell play, and diverse threat deployment are crucial in maintaining the upper hand against Hunter’s Ambush, preserving your momentum and securing victory.

Cards like Hunter's Ambush

Hunter’s Ambush is an intriguing green instant in MTG that offers temporary protection against non-green creatures. When pitted against a card like Fog, one can’t help but notice the similarity in their ability to prevent combat damage. Fog, however, is broader in its application, affecting all creatures regardless of color. Hunter’s Ambush, though more restrictive, can be particularly beneficial in a strategic sense against decks heavily dependent on non-green creatures.

Looking to Aetherspouts, another card that disrupts combat, there’s a significant difference in approach. Aetherspouts gives you control over the combat by sending attacking creatures to the top or bottom of the opponent’s library, while Hunter’s Ambush simply nullifies the damage for a turn. There’s a tactical divergence here – Aetherspouts can change the board state, whereas Hunter’s Ambush is more of a stall tactic.

Lastly, comparing it to Arachnogenesis, there’s a notable distinction in utility. Arachnogenesis also prevents damage but then creates spider tokens equal to the number of creatures attacking you. This can set up defenses for future turns, while Hunter’s Ambush offers no such creature generation. In conclusion, Hunter’s Ambush finds its niche in MTG’s world of combat tricks, with unique applications based on the composition of your opponent’s deck.

Cards similar to Hunter's Ambush by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hunter's Ambush MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2015 and Mystery Booster, 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 Hunter's Ambush and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Hunter's Ambush Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2014-07-18 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by David Palumbo.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2014-07-18	Magic 2015	M15	180	2015	Normal	Black	David Palumbo
2	2019-11-07	Mystery Booster	MB1	1239	2015	Normal	Black	David Palumbo
3	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST	M15-180	2015	Normal	Black	David Palumbo

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hunter's Ambush has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Hunter's Ambush card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2014-07-18	The prevention effect will apply to any combat damage that would be dealt this turn by a nongreen creature, even if that creature was green or wasn’t on the battlefield when Hunter’s Ambush resolved.