Stronghold Biologist MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Spellshaper
Released	2000-02-14
Set symbol
Set name	Nemesis
Set code	NEM
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	45
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Terese Nielsen

Key Takeaways

Stronghold Biologist offers card advantage, often turning the tide in extended MTG matches.
Instant speed reaction with Stronghold Biologist disrupts opponents and their strategies effectively.
Balancing resource acceleration, this card allows earlier deployment of high-cost spells and creatures.

Text of card

o Uo U, oc T, Discard a card from your hand: Counter target creature spell.

He twists the laws of nature until they scream.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Stronghold Biologist enhances your hand by giving you the option to draw into more potent spells or creatures, effectively skewing the game’s momentum in your favor. This can be a pivotal move, especially during longer, drawn-out matches, where each card in hand counts.

Resource Acceleration: By potentially untapping your lands, the Stronghold Biologist can thrust you ahead in resources, allowing for a faster deployment of your strategy. This acceleration may give you an edge by paving the way to play high-cost cards earlier than expected.

Instant Speed: The versatility of acting at instant speed cannot be overstated. With the ability to respond to an opponent’s actions on their turn, the Stronghold Biologist can significantly alter the state of play, surprising opponents and disrupting their well-laid plans.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging with Stronghold Biologist’s prowess means parting with a card from your hand, which might strain your resources if they’re already spread thin.

Specific Mana Cost: Tapping into the talents of the Stronghold Biologist demands a precise combination of mana colors, potentially limiting deck compatibility and overall flexibility.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the Biologist offers certain strategic advantages, its higher mana cost can be a notable deterrent, especially when compared with other options that accomplish similar goals with less investment.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Stronghold Biologist offers a broad range of deck-building options, fitting comfortably into any strategies that put a premium on creature control. This card becomes a linchpin for decks designed to manage the board and maintain the upper hand.

Combo Potential: The card has a natural synergy with decks that exploit tapping and untapping mechanics, enabling players to utilize the Biologist’s ability multiple times in a single turn. This opens up avenues for infinite loops and game-changing plays.

Meta-Relevance: Given the prominence of creature-heavy decks in the current meta, Stronghold Biologist can serve as a powerful tool to impede opponents’ momentum and tilt the scales in your favor, making it a strategic addition to contemporary competitive play.

How to beat

Stronghold Biologist presents a unique challenge on the battlefield. This creature card allows a player to counter target creature spells by discarding two cards, offering an effective, though costly, way to keep the board under control. However, like any formidable tool in Magic: The Gathering, there are strategies to outmaneuver its abilities.

Firstly, consider using non-creature spells which remain unaffected by the Biologist’s capabilities. Spells such as enchantments, sorceries, and instants can bypass the Biologist’s counter ability. Secondly, putting pressure on your opponent by playing multiple creature spells in a turn could deplete their hand, making it harder for them to have two cards to discard when they need to.

Additionally, employing abilities or cards that restrict or punish discarding can negate the Stronghold Biologist’s advantage. Cards that offer graveyard retrieval also provide a way to mitigate the effects of discarded creature cards. Through the strategic deployment of these tactics, you can effectively neutralize the influence of Stronghold Biologist in your matches.

Cards like Stronghold Biologist

Stronghold Biologist stands out in the Magic: The Gathering collection of creature control cards. Its closest counterparts are Stronghold Machinist and Vedalken Heretic, both of which offer a fascinating glance into MTG’s nuanced spell-caster arsenal. Like Stronghold Biologist, Stronghold Machinist leverages the tapping and discard mechanic to neutralize threats, yet it targets artifacts rather than creatures. This subtly shifts the card’s utility to be a strategic asset against decks heavy with noncreature artifacts.

Moving forward with our comparison, Vedalken Heretic adds a different spin. While not directly interacting with creatures or artifacts, it rewards players for dealing damage to opponents by drawing cards. This ability underscores a more passive control strategy, compared to the proactive denial that Stronghold Biologist provides by outright neutralizing opposing threats before they can make an impact. Furthermore, the Heretic’s ability to transform offense into card advantage offers a diverse approach to the archetype.

Assessing these options, Stronghold Biologist emerges as a uniquely interactive piece in a player’s control toolkit. It balances pinpoint creature suppression with the cost of card sacrifice, thereby carving its niche as an apt choice for those looking to dictate creature dynamics on the battlefield.

Stronghold Machinist - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Stronghold Biologist MTG card by a specific set like Nemesis, 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 Stronghold Biologist and other MTG cards: