Hall Monitor MTG Card

Hall Monitor - Strixhaven: School of Mages

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Lizard Shaman
Abilities	Haste
Released	2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set name	Strixhaven: School of Mages
Set code	STX
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	105
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Forrest Imel

Key Takeaways

Dictates combat flow by limiting opponents’ blocking options, creating opportunities for direct attacks and advantageous trades.
Flexible and low-cost, it accelerates board development and enables strategic plays without high mana expenditure.
The instant speed ability of Hall Monitor adds a layer of unpredictability and tactical advantage during combats.

Text of card

Haste , : Target creature can't block this turn.

"No unauthorized summoning. No writing in the library books. And absolutely no indoor dueling!"

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Hall Monitor provides tactical edge with its ability to restrict opponent’s blockers, effectively dictating the pace of the combat phase and potentially leading to advantageous trades or direct damage. By limiting the opposition’s defensive options, it allows players to press the attack more effectively.

Resource Acceleration: While Hall Monitor itself doesn’t generate additional resources in the form of mana or tokens, its low casting cost makes it an excellent early-game play. It enables players to develop their board presence without expending large amounts of mana, which in turn accelerates the deployment of other strategic plays in the game.

Instant Speed: The activated ability of Hall Monitor can be utilized at instant speed, offering the flexibility to decide the best moment during the combat phase to apply its effect. This flexibility provides a strategic advantage by keeping opponents uncertain about their own combat decisions and can catch them off-guard, disrupting their planned attacks or defenses.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Hall Monitor demands that you toss another card from your hand into the graveyard. This can deplete your hand quickly, especially if you’re already struggling to maintain a sufficient number of cards in play.

Specific Mana Cost: Hall Monitor requires a precise mix of mana to cast – a red and generic mana. This can be restrictive as it necessitates a commitment to red mana sources, potentially limiting the card’s inclusion in multi-color decks that don’t heavily feature red mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The casting cost for Hall Monitor could be considered steep for its abilities. There are other creatures or spells available within the same or lower mana range that may provide more flexibility or impactful board presence, making them potentially more valuable picks for a deck’s strategy.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Hall Monitor offers deck builders flexibility due to its low casting cost and the ability to disrupt opponents’ blockers. Whether in aggressive red decks or as part of a larger control strategy, its useful vigilance trait helps maintain pressure without sacrificing defensive capabilities.

Combo Potential: With its activated ability to prevent a creature from blocking, Hall Monitor synergizes well with strategies that aim to clear the way for high-damage swings. This makes it a great pairing with cards that benefit from successful combat damage to a player.

Meta-Relevance: Given how the current game environment often includes decks packed with formidable blockers, Hall Monitor can be a metagame call to outmaneuver those strategies. Its presence forces opponents to rethink their defense, potentially tipping the scales in favor of swift and unexpected victories.

How to beat

Hall Monitor offers a unique tactical advantage in Magic: The Gathering with its ability to restrict opponent’s creature blocks. This challenge is akin to negotiating the abilities found in cards like Smuggler’s Copter, which grants evasion and card selection. The key to overcoming Hall Monitor lies in disabling its activated ability or removing it from play efficiently.

Consider leveraging instant speed removal spells such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile that can dispatch Hall Monitor before it has a chance to impact your strategy. Alternatively, spells with broader effects, like Board Wipes or Cry of the Carnarium, serve dual purposes—they clean the board while specifically targeting problematic creatures like Hall Monitor. Utilizing these strategies ensures your game plan remains uninterrupted, and your creatures freed from the Hall Monitor’s vigilance.

In essence, Swift strategic measures and a keen understanding of timing are paramount in mitigating Hall Monitor’s influence on the battlefield. This approach allows you to navigate around or through its control, maintaining tempo in your favor and preserving your board’s effectiveness.

Cards like Hall Monitor

Hall Monitor adds a unique dynamic to creature control within the vast array of cards in Magic: The Gathering. It shares some similarities with other low-cost creatures like Goblin Guide or Monastery Swiftspear that have hasty impacts on the game. What sets Hall Monitor apart is its activated ability, allowing you to prevent a creature from blocking this turn, giving it a tactical edge in direct combat scenarios compared to the straightforward aggression of the Goblin Guide.

Another card to examine in this realm is Fervent Champion. This swift warrior hits the battlefield ready to fight, much like Hall Monitor. Although they both share haste, Fervent Champion also brings in additional benefits to equipment synergies, whereas Hall Monitor offers control over the combat phase by hindering blockers. Also of note is Ghitu Lavarunner, sporting haste once certain conditions are met, yet lacks the same level of control that Hall Monitor provides when guiding the flow of battles.

Through this lens, Hall Monitor stands as a tactical choice for players aiming to dictate combat moves while accelerating the pace. Its unique blend of speed and tactical disruption makes it a distinctive and strategic card among MTG’s creature spells.

Monastery Swiftspear - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hall Monitor MTG card by a specific set like Strixhaven: School of Mages, 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 Hall Monitor and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hall Monitor has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Timeless	Legal