Stonehands MTG Card

Stonehands grants substantial power, elevating creatures to become major threats, thus amplifying board pressure. The instant speed of Stonehands allows for unexpected combat tricks, offering a strategic advantage. Despite its power, the required card discard for activation presents a potential drawback.

Ice Age (ICE)
1995-06-03 - Number 219

Masters Edition II (ME2)
2008-09-22 - Number 151

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Enchantment — Aura
Abilities	Enchant

Text of card

Target creature gets +0/+2. o R: Creature Stonehands enchants gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

"Trust in the power of stone. Stone is strong; stone shatters swords; stone breaks bones. Trust in stone." —Lovisa Coldeyes, Balduvian Chieftain

Cards like Stonehands

Stonehands is an intriguing enchantment in the realm of Magic: The Gathering and shares some commonalities with other cards that boost creature prowess. Giant Strength is one such card that also bestows an increase to a creature’s power and toughness. While Stonehands offers a dynamic ability to pump a creature repeatedly at the cost of red mana, Giant Strength provides a static boost to power and toughness without the option for repeated enhancement.

Affinity for artifacts enthusiasts might consider Vulshok Gauntlets as a comparable alternative. Although it requires an equip cost and has the drawback of not untapping with the creature it’s attached to, it remains attached and boosts the creature’s strength. Stonehands, however, doesn’t have these restrictions but requires a continuous mana investment to maintain its effect. Lastly, there’s the classic card Firebreathing, which like Stonehands, allows a player to pay mana to increase a creature’s power for each red mana paid, but does not increase the toughness, highlighting Stonehands’ dual utility.

Ultimately, Stonehands holds a unique position offering flexibility in its activation, making it a versatile option for players who wish to adjust their offensive strategy on the fly.

Cards similar to Stonehands by color, type and mana cost

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Stonehands provides a consistent edge by enhancing a creature’s power making it a formidable threat. This incremental advantage can pressure opponents as you bolster your board presence.

Resource Acceleration: By utilizing Stonehands, you can effectively save on resources compared to casting multiple spells. Its mana cost is aligned with its effects, ensuring a cost-efficient way to empower your creatures over time.

Instant Speed: Stonehands can be cast at instant speed, allowing for strategic flexibility. You can surprise an opponent by strengthening a blocker or attacker during combat, potentially turning the tide of a battle in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Stonehands necessitates the discarding of a card to activate its ability. This additional cost can be a steep price to pay, especially when you’re running low on cards and need to maintain hand advantage over your opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Its activation cost requires red mana, which may not always be readily available or could disrupt the mana curve in multicolored decks. This makes Stonehands a less flexible option in decks that don’t primarily focus on red mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cumulative upkeep cost of Stonehands starts relatively low but can quickly escalate, making it a costly investment in comparison to other cards that can provide similar or greater effects without the rapidly increasing upkeep expenditure.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Stonehands can be a game-changer, fitting into a variety of red or multicolored decks that revolve around creatures. Its ability to augment power makes any creature a substantial threat on the board.

Combo Potential: This card shines in tandem with creatures that have tap abilities or when combined with cards that capitalize on increased creature strength, making it a potential cornerstone for explosive plays.

Meta-Relevance: In a gaming landscape that values creatures with significant attack power, Stonehands can propel your creatures to deal lethal damage, aligning perfectly with aggressive strategy decks in the meta.

How to beat

Stonehands is an intriguing enchantment from the Magic: The Gathering universe that confers an impressive strength boost to your creatures. When facing this card, key tactics revolve around timing and the efficient management of removal spells. Skillfully casting spells can neutralize the threat without needing to engage in battle. It’s essential to withhold your instant-speed removal until the opponent invests mana to pump their creature, ensuring you eliminate the threat while they’re low on resources.

Countermeasures like Naturalize or Disenchant become valuable tools, allowing you to directly dismantle the enhancement Stonehands provides. Consider saving these spells specifically to deal with impactful enchantments. Additionally, forcing the opponent to overcommit before wiping the board with a sweeper like Wrath of God can turn the tides in your favor. Mind the stack sequence and the window of opportunity this enchantment provides, and you may turn their strength into their downfall.

Magic: The Gathering is a game of strategy and keen awareness. By anticipating your opponent’s moves and managing your resources wisely, you can outwit the buff Stonehands seeks to impart and maintain control of the battlefield.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Stonehands MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Masters Edition II, 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 Stonehands and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Stonehands Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by Dan Frazier.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	1995-06-03	Ice Age	ICE		219	1993	Normal	Black	Dan Frazier
2	2008-09-22	Masters Edition II	ME2		151	1997	Normal	Black	Dan Frazier

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Stonehands has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal