Roc Hunter MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Soldier |
| Abilities | Reach |
| Released | 2022-11-18 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | The Brothers' War |
| Set code | BRO |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 150 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Ina Wong |
Text of card
Reach
"Never track the roc itself with your eyes, for it will swoop with the sun at its back and blind you. Instead, track its shadow and, when it's almost upon you, heave your javelin upward with all your might."
Cards like Roc Hunter
Roc Hunter is an intriguing creature card that finds its niche within Magic: The Gathering’s vast library of flyers. It is frequently compared to cards like Stormwing Entity, which also boasts flying and an affinity for spells. However, Roc Hunter stands out with its unique ability to prevent creatures with reach from blocking it. Unlike Stormwing Entity, that feature gives Roc Hunter a tactical advantage against decks that rely on reach as their aerial defense.
Moreover, Roc Hunter shares some similarities with Sky Theater Strix, another flier that gains an advantage when casting noncreature spells. While Sky Theater Strix excels in decks that focus on spells, Roc Hunter offers consistent evasion, enabling it to be a more reliable attacker in gameplay scenarios populated with reach creatures. Lastly, discussing Thieving Magpie brings about comparisons of direct flying benefits; this card draws upon dealing combat damage to a player. Roc Hunter does not offer card advantage but compensates with its specialized role against reach-intensive decks.
Therefore, while there are many fliers in Magic: The Gathering, Roc Hunter holds its distinct place by offering a strategic edge in specific deck matchups, solidifying its role in aerial-focused strategies.
Cards similar to Roc Hunter by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Roc Hunter. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Izzet Aggro | Standard | Izzet Aggro | Japan Standard Cup: Murders at Karlov Manor |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Roc Hunter shines by allowing you to potentially disrupt your opponent’s strategy while enhancing your own hand. Its ability to replace itself in your hand when it dies by drawing you a card ensures that you maintain card parity.
Resource Acceleration: This card isn’t typically associated with direct resource acceleration, but it can indirectly contribute to your mana development by keeping pressure on your opponent and forcing them to deal with it, potentially at the cost of their own resources.
Instant Speed: Roc Hunter may not have instant speed itself, but it has synergetic capabilities with instant spells in your deck. Its presence on the battlefield can deter an opponent from casting spells at a suboptimal time, allowing you to efficiently utilize your instants and hold up mana for optimal plays.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Roc Hunter demands a discard action from your hand, which can deplete your strategic reserves. This downside can be particularly impactful in games where maintaining a full grip of options is crucial to your victory.
Specific Mana Cost: This creature card comes with a non-negligible green mana cost. It can pigeonhole your mana base, making it less adaptable in multicolored decks where mana flexibility is a key to success.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing a considerable amount of mana to bring into play, Roc Hunter presents an investment that may not always correlate with an immediate impact on the battlefield, especially when faster, more cost-effective creatures are available.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Roc Hunter offers a flexible option for deck builders, easily finding a home in strategies that prize efficient creature removal or seek to leverage flying creatures.
Combo Potential: This card can serve as a key piece in synergistic interactions, particularly in decks that capitalize on hunting and trapping mechanics or utilize abilities linked to bird and beast types.
Meta-Relevance: Given its aptitude for disrupting opponent flyers, Roc Hunter maintains its relevance in environments where airborne threats dominate the battlefield, providing essential tactical control.
How to beat Roc Hunter
Roc Hunter is a card that can present challenges on the battlefield with its flying ability, making it a pesky creature to block for those without reach or flyer creatures. It’s important for players to have a strategy in place against airborne threats, especially if their deck isn’t heavy on creatures with flying.
The key to getting the upper hand against Roc Hunter is to employ removal spells or abilities that don’t require blocking. Spells like Murder, which can destroy any target creature regardless of its flying capability, can be exceptionally effective. Similarly, board wipes such as Wrath of God can clear the field of Roc Hunter without the need for direct combat. It’s also beneficial to include creatures or spells in your deck that can grant reach or allow you to summon flying blockers, thereby neutralizing the threat that Roc Hunter poses from the skies.
Being prepared with versatile removal options and maintaining awareness of the battlefield will ensure that a single Roc Hunter doesn’t sway the tide of the game in your opponent’s favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Roc Hunter MTG card by a specific set like The Brothers' War, 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 Roc Hunter 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Roc Hunter has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Standard | Legal |
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Alchemy | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Future | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Brawl | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |