Needle Storm MTG Card
1997-05-01 - Number 179
1997-10-14 - Number 241
2005-07-29 - Number 259
2005-07-29 - Number 259★
2015-05-06 - Number 183
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Sorcery |
Text of card
Needle Storm deals 4 damage to each creature with flying. (This includes your creatures with flying.)
Cards like Needle Storm
Needle Storm enters the fascinating landscape of green damage spells in Magic: The Gathering, reminiscent of the red spell category. While it acts out of color identity, dealing damage directly to creatures in the air, it’s akin to cards like Hurricane, which also deals widespread damage to flying creatures and players. Hurricane’s reach isn’t limited to fliers, giving it a broader impact, but it’s at the risk of harming its caster as well.
A closer look reveals parallels with Windstorm, distinguished by its scalably-priced, one-shot damage potential to creatures with flying. Unlike Needle Storm’s flat rate of three damage, Windstorm’s flexibility in mana allocation allows for a more controlled and potentially higher damage output. Conversely, it lacks the predictability of Needle Storm’s consistent output.
In evaluating green spells for anti-air tactics, Needle Storm stands out with its guarantee to clip the wings of powerful flying creatures, preserving the player’s health. Each option has distinctive strategic uses, and Needle Storm secures a solid position for players seeking reliability over variability within their green decks.
Cards similar to Needle Storm by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Needle Storm shines in scenarios where you are up against decks that leverage a multitude of small creatures. By enabling the control of the board and diminishing your opponent’s forces, it often translates into maintaining a superior stance in terms of card economy. Clearing multiple threats with a single card is a straight path to gaining card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While Needle Storm does not provide direct resource acceleration like artifact or land ramp spells, it can act as a form of indirect resource disbalance. By eliminating multiple creatures, it forces the opposition to spend more resources on rebuilding their army, giving you a temporal window to develop your board presence unimpeded.
Instant Speed: The strength of Needle Storm is magnified by its ability to be cast at instant speed. This flexibility allows you to adapt to the flow of the game, reserving the spell until the most opportune moment. Whether you’re interrupting an opponent’s end-of-turn plans or negating a crucial combat phase, the instant speed of Needle Storm can be a game-changer.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Needle Storm, as an enchantment, requires you to satisfy its discard condition before unleashing its effect. This can potentially leave you at a resource disadvantage, especially if your hand is already running low on cards. It’s important to consider whether the payoff of discarding is worth the immediate impact to your hand.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting requirement that includes green mana, this card necessitates a deck with a green mana base. This specific mana cost may not seamlessly integrate into multicolored decks or those that operate on a different color schema, potentially limiting its overall adaptability.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring a substantial amount of mana to play, Needle Storm might not be the most mana-efficient choice when it comes to board control options. Bearing in mind that MTG offers a plethora of spells capable of dealing damage or controlling the board, the mana investment into Needle Storm must be weighed against other available cards that could fit into the same mana curve with potentially more immediate or powerful effects.
Reasons to Include Needle Storm in Your Collection
Versatility: Needle Storm offers a proactive solution to dealing with flying creatures across a multitude of matchups. Its ability to clear the skies can make it a valuable asset in decks that struggle against aerial offense.
Combo Potential: For decks focused on damage amplification or spellslinger synergies, Needle Storm can serve as a key piece. Its instant-speed interaction pairs well with effects that increase spell damage, turning it into a potent board wipe against fliers.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where flying creatures are prevalent, including top-tier decks featuring evasive threats, Needle Storm can be an essential tool. It helps level the playing field, keeping powerful flying strategies in check and maintaining a balanced game state.
How to beat
Needle Storm serves as an elemental force in Magic: The Gathering, challenging players with its ability to inflict damage across multiple creatures. It resembles other damage-dealing spells, yet its capacity to potentially alter the board’s state is what makes it stand out. Players might consider the strategic deployment of creatures with toughness greater than the damage dealt by Needle Storm to withstand its onslaught. Resistance can also be built through countermagic or spells that protect your creatures from being targeted, like Sheltering Word, aiding in the preservation of your board presence.
Adapting your strategy to include versatile removal spells that can take out problematic enchantments opens an avenue to circumvent Needle Storm’s impact. You can also rely on instant-speed healing and regeneration effects, ensuring that your key creatures survive the storm unscathed. By contemplating the pace at which you develop your board and reserving resources to combat anticipated threats like Needle Storm, you can maintain the upper hand. Planning ahead and regarding each card’s potential to counteract this hazardous spell is crucial to navigating your way to victory.
Ultimately, while Needle Storm packs a punch, its predictability allows for careful preparation. A savvy player who plans for resilience against such disruptive forces will find themselves well-positioned to overcome the challenges it presents, securing their path to triumph in the complex world of Magic: The Gathering.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Needle Storm MTG card by a specific set like Portal and Tempest, 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 Needle Storm 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
Printings
The Needle Storm Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1997-05-01 and 2015-05-06. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1997-05-01 | Portal | POR | 179 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Charles Gillespie | |
| 2 | 1997-10-14 | Tempest | TMP | 241 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Val Mayerik | |
| 3 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 259 | 2003 | Normal | White | Val Mayerik | |
| 4 | 2005-07-29 | Ninth Edition | 9ED | 259★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Val Mayerik | |
| 5 | 2015-05-06 | Tempest Remastered | TPR | 183 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Val Mayerik |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Needle Storm has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |