Spikewheel Acrobat MTG Card


Spikewheel Acrobat - Ravnica Allegiance
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Rogue
Abilities Spectacle
Released2019-01-25
Set symbol
Set nameRavnica Allegiance
Set codeRNA
Power 5
Toughness 2
Number118
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byDeruchenko Alexander

Key Takeaways

  1. Spectacle cost allows for strategic resource allocation, complementing aggressive play styles.
  2. Requires balance in hand management due to its discard condition for spectacle.
  3. Potential for combo plays makes it a valuable asset for specific red-based decks.

Text of card

Spectacle (You may cast this spell for its spectacle cost rather than its mana cost if an opponent lost life this turn.)

"Every street's a stage, and every screaming bystander's an audience."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Spikewheel Acrobat may not directly offer traditional card draw mechanics, but by potentially costing less to cast through spectacle, it allows players to maintain their hand size while developing their board, essentially safeguarding card economy while advancing the game state.

Resource Acceleration: While Spikewheel Acrobat itself doesn’t provide mana or Treasure tokens, its reduced spectacle cost effectively works as a form of resource acceleration. By paying a lower mana cost, you’re able to allocate resources elsewhere, which can be critical in fast-paced, aggressive strategies.

Instant Speed: The Acrobat’s spectacle cost can be enabled at instant speed by dealing damage to the opponent during their turn, potentially reducing its casting cost. This strategic element leverages instant speed interactions from other cards, enhancing deck synergy and leading to efficient turns.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Spikewheel Acrobat demands a card discard to harness its spectacle ability. For players with a dwindling hand, this cost can deplete essential resources, potentially hampering strategical depth and future plays.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s activation is bound by a red mana cost. Its specificity may restrict deck-building flexibility, making it a less versatile choice for multi-color or decks not deeply invested in red mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost of four mana, Spikewheel Acrobat’s impact on the game could be considered moderate. Given the scale of options available, there may be alternative creatures or spells that offer more impactful effects or synergy at a lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include Spikewheel Acrobat in Your Collection

Versatility: Spikewheel Acrobat can seamlessly adapt to various red-based decks that leverage high-speed, aggressive strategies. Its potential to be cast for a reduced cost makes it a flexible option for turns where you need to maintain momentum.

Combo Potential: This card shines in decks that play with the spectacle mechanic or those that create numerous spells in a single turn, amplifying the value of each cast. Its synergy with cards that reward you for casting creatures or spells can help develop powerful board states.

Meta-Relevance: Depending on shifts in the competitive landscape, Spikewheel Acrobat could emerge as a useful asset against certain slower, control-oriented decks by applying fast pressure and demanding answers from your opponents quickly.


How to beat

Spikewheel Acrobat is an intriguing creature card with the potential to disrupt the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. Known for its spectacle cost, which can allow for a reduced casting price under certain conditions, this card can be a game-changer when it lands early. However, despite its advantages, overcoming this card can be straightforward with the right strategy.

One effective approach is to utilize removal spells efficiently. Cards like Fatal Push or Path to Exile are excellent for dealing with Spikewheel Acrobat regardless of whether its spectacle cost was paid. Counter spells are also an effective measure, as negating its cast can save you from dealing with its on-the-field effects altogether. Board wipes such as Wrath of God can clear the Acrobat along with any other threats on the board. It’s also beneficial to mitigate damage early; preventing the enabling of spectacle is key. Keeping a steady and controlled board will therefore limit Spikewheel Acrobat’s impact, making it a less formidable foe. As with all challenges in the game, understanding your opponent’s strategy and maintaining control will steer you towards victory.


Cards like Spikewheel Acrobat

Spikewheel Acrobat serves as a capable performer in the Magic: Gathering arena, particularly within decks looking for cost-effective creatures. This card finds parallels with cards like Skyship Stalker, which also boasts a noteworthy power to mana cost ratio. But Spikewheel Acrobat is distinct in its synergy with spectacle, an ability that allows for a reduced casting cost under the right conditions. Skyship Stalker, however, offers flexibility with its multiple abilities but at a higher base casting cost.

Examining another relative, Viashino Pyromancer stands out with its direct damage ability upon entering the battlefield, delivering a quick shock to the opponent or a creature. Though it has a lower base power compared to Spikewheel Acrobat, the immediate impact can be pivotal in fast-paced matches. Furthermore, we have the Ghitu Lavarunner, a card valued in wizard-centric decks for its potential to quickly become a power player with the right support. Although it starts off weaker, it can outmatch the acrobat’s power in the right conditions.

While assessing Spikewheel Acrobat against its kin, players can appreciate its budget-friendly spectacle cost and substantial power, positioning it as a desirable choice for aggressive strategies within the ever-evolving dynamics of Magic: The Gathering.

Skyship Stalker - MTG Card versions
Viashino Pyromancer - MTG Card versions
Ghitu Lavarunner - MTG Card versions
Skyship Stalker - MTG Card versions
Viashino Pyromancer - MTG Card versions
Ghitu Lavarunner - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Spikewheel Acrobat MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica Allegiance, 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 Spikewheel Acrobat and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Spikewheel Acrobat has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2019-01-25 A card’s spectacle cost is the same no matter how much life your opponents lost or how many opponents lost life.
2019-01-25 Damage dealt to a player causes that player to lose that much life.
2019-01-25 In a multiplayer game, if an opponent loses life and later that turn leaves the game, you can cast a spell for its spectacle cost. (If a player leaves the game during their turn, that turn continues without an active player.)
2019-01-25 Spectacle doesn’t change when you can cast the card. For example, you can’t cast a sorcery with spectacle during an opponent’s turn unless another effect allows you to do so, even if that player has lost life this turn.
2019-01-25 To determine the total cost of a spell, start with the mana cost or alternative cost you’re paying (such as a spectacle cost), add any cost increases, then apply any cost reductions. The converted mana cost of the spell remains unchanged, no matter what the total cost to cast it was.

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