Phantom Tiger MTG Card
2002-05-27 - Number 129
2017-11-17 - Number 181
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Cat Spirit |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 0 |
Text of card
Phantom Tiger comes into play with two +1/+1 counters on it. If damage would be dealt to Phantom Tiger, prevent that damage. Remove a +1/+1 counter from Phantom Tiger.
Cards like Phantom Tiger
In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Phantom Tiger claims its own niche with its unique survivability. Its kinship can be observed with cards like Thrun, the Last Troll, which also boasts an inherent resistance to spells. Though unlike Thrun, Phantom Tiger doesn’t have hexproof or regeneration, it does have a robustness through its counter-based resilience.
Exploring further, we find another parallel in Young Wolf. Both cards enjoy a form of persistence; Phantom Tiger with its counters and Young Wolf through undying. They each come back a little stronger after encountering a mortal threat, yet Phantom Tiger stands out with its ability to take multiple hits thanks to its pool of counters. Then there’s Blight Sickle as well – while not a creature, this equipment confers a similar benefit of whittling away at durability counters on any creature it’s equipped to, contrasting with Phantom Tiger’s self-contained durability.
Surveying the field of creatures that refuse to fade easily, Phantom Tiger shines with its potential to thwart several removal attempts, making it a card to consider when plotting tactics geared towards long-term field presence in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Phantom Tiger by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Despite not directly allowing you to draw cards, Phantom Tiger presents a persistent threat on the board. Its resilience makes it a card advantage in itself, as opponents will often have to use more than one resource to deal with it effectively.
Resource Acceleration: While Phantom Tiger doesn’t inherently accelerate your resources in terms of mana, its durability ensures that you maintain a board presence, allowing you to invest in other areas of your game plan without needing to constantly redeploy threats.
Instant Speed: Although Phantom Tiger operates at sorcery speed, it pairs well with instant speed interactions. The ability to protect this creature or respond to threats at instant speed while Phantom Tiger holds the fort can be a significant strategic advantage.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While the Phantom Tiger doesn’t have a discard requirement, the absence of such a dynamic in a card’s mechanics can sometimes limit strategic depth and flexibility in gameplay, particularly in formats where maximizing resource use is crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: The Phantom Tiger comes with a mana cost that is green-specific. This requirement can pigeonhole it into mono-green or green-dominant decks, potentially limiting its playability across the diverse spectrum of MTG deck archetypes.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana for a 2/2 creature, the Phantom Tiger can be considered costly compared to other creatures with similar stats. This might deter players from including it in decks where mana efficiency and curve are highly prioritized.
Reasons to Include Phantom Tiger in Your Collection
Versatility: Phantom Tiger excels in decks that value resilience and staying power on the battlefield. With its unique toughness mechanic, it becomes a reliable blocker that can survive multiple combat scenarios.
Combo Potential: This creature works well with cards that manipulate counters or take advantage of damage prevention. Use it to your advantage in a deck that thrives on outlasting the opponent and employing counter strategies.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where agile creatures dominate, Phantom Tiger can be a game-changer. Its ability to endure multiple fights makes it a compelling pick, especially in environments where heavy removal is not pervasive.
How to beat
Phantom Tiger is a unique creature card that brings an intriguing dynamic to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. Known for its resilience, this green creature benefits from phantom counters, which get removed when damage is dealt to it, preventing the damage and prolonging its survival. This protective mechanism makes it a challenging card to confront directly in combat.
To counter the tenacious Phantom Tiger, players should consider employing removal spells that don’t deal damage but rather destroy the creature outright or exile it from play. Spells like Path to Exile or Murder can efficiently dispose of the Tiger without having to deal with the phantom counter mechanic. This approach circumvents the standard damage route, which would be ineffective against its defensive trait. Additionally, employing counter spells that prohibit the Tiger from entering the battlefield in the first place, such as Counterspell or Mana Leak, can prevent an opponent from gaining this formidable presence. Utilizing such strategies can effectively nullify the staying power of Phantom Tiger and maintain an advantage.
So, understanding Phantom Tiger’s strengths and weaknesses is vital for developing a successful strategy to overcome opponents who utilize this card in their lineup. By harnessing the right spells, a player can ensure that this creature’s resilience does not become an insurmountable obstacle.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Phantom Tiger MTG card by a specific set like Judgment and Iconic Masters, 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 Phantom Tiger 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 Phantom Tiger Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2002-05-27 and 2017-11-17. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2002-05-27 | Judgment | JUD | 129 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Brian Snõddy | |
| 2 | 2017-11-17 | Iconic Masters | IMA | 181 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Seb McKinnon |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Phantom Tiger has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Phantom Tiger card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | If this card takes damage from multiple sources at once (for example if it is blocked by multiple creatures in combat), it only loses one counter. |
| 2004-10-04 | If unpreventable damage is applied to this card, you still remove a counter even though the prevention fails. |
| 2004-10-04 | Remove one counter each time it would be damaged. If it was going to take more than one point of damage, you prevent all the damage and still only remove one counter. |
| 2004-10-04 | The damage prevention ability works even if it has no counters, as long as some effect keeps its toughness above zero. |