Mage Hunters' Onslaught MTG Card


Mage Hunters' Onslaught - Strixhaven: School of Mages
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeSorcery
Released2021-04-23
Set symbol
Set nameStrixhaven: School of Mages
Set codeSTX
Number77
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byLie Setiawan

Key Takeaways

  1. Creates card advantage and disrupts opponents by removing multiple creatures at a sorcery speed.
  2. Requires card discard and specific mana, which can challenge deck diversity and hand size management.
  3. Despite higher mana costs, its board-clearing potential makes it a valuable addition to various decks.

Text of card

Destroy target creature or planeswalker. Whenever a creature blocks this turn, its controller loses 1 life.

Extus stood before his alma mater for a moment, remembering first his studies, then his vengeance. At his command, the mage hunters unfolded.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mage Hunters’ Onslaught introduces an efficient way to remove multiple creatures while potentially drawing you additional cards if they are mages. This translates into gaining an upper hand by depleting your opponent’s resources while bolstering your own.

Resource Acceleration: Eliminating key pieces on your opponents’ board can disrupt their mana curve and resource progression, indirectly acting as a form of resource acceleration for you as they struggle to reestablish a presence on the field.

Instant Speed: Despite being a sorcery, the reactive nature of Mage Hunters’ Onslaught embodies the strategic advantage of instant speed actions. By waiting for the optimal moment to cast it, ideally when your opponent has committed a significant amount of resources to the battlefield, it creates opportunities akin to that of instant speed interactions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Mage Hunters’ Onslaught demands a card to be discarded upon casting. This can be particularly taxing when your hand is running low, forcing tough decisions about resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: It leans heavily into a certain color pie, requiring a dedicated mana base which can potentially complicate its inclusion in more diverse or multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sporting a mana value that’s on the higher end for its effect can make Mage Hunters’ Onslaught less desirable compared to more cost-effective alternatives, especially in fast-paced games where efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include Mage Hunters’ Onslaught in Your Collection

Versatility: Mage Hunters’ Onslaught serves several roles in various decks, acting as a key removal option. It can seamlessly adapt to commander, standard, or limited format decks that require creature control.

Combo Potential: The card’s capability to potentially eliminate multiple threats makes it a great cocktail with strategies that thrive on keeping the board clear, paving the way for your win conditions.

Meta-Relevance: With a landscape that often sees creature-heavy tactics dominate, Mage Hunters’ Onslaught can shift the tide of a game, making it a prudent choice for anticipated shifts in play style.


How to beat

Mage Hunters’ Onslaught is a unique spell in the world of MTG that can turn the tide of battle in your favor by giving creatures you control a significant power boost during combat. To counteract this card, players need to adjust their strategies accordingly. Direct removal spells are an efficient way to diminish its impact, clearing the way before your opponent’s creatures can take advantage of the power increase. Board wipes also serve as an excellent countermeasure, sweeping away boosted creatures irrespective of their newfound strength. Altering your play to a more control-oriented approach can also thwart the effectiveness of Mage Hunters’ Onslaught, by limiting the number of creatures it can affect and therefore its potential damage output.

Another strategy involves denying your opponent the card advantage provided by Mage Hunters’ Onslaught. Cards with discard effects can force your opponent to part with it before they get a chance to cast. Counterspells are another line of defense, negating the Onslaught outright. A well-timed counterspell can save you from the devastating combo of abilities and bonuses it provides. Remember, understanding and anticipating the card’s presence in your opponent’s deck is key to countering it successfully and maintaining control of the game.


Cards like Mage Hunters' Onslaught

Mage Hunters’ Onslaught is a spell that Magic: The Gathering players find intriguing due to its resemblance and differences with other removal cards. It often gets compared to cards like Doom Blade or Go for the Throat, which also serve the purpose of taking out creatures. Despite sharing the creature removal functionality, Mage Hunters’ Onslaught requires more mana, making it less of an early game option but it compensates by allowing you to potentially deal with multiple threats due to its mechanics.

While the single-target removal efficiency of Murder cannot be ignored, Mage Hunters’ Onslaught exceeds in providing a potentially broader answer to an overcrowded battlefield. However, it’s important to consider that higher mana cost which could impact your tempo in a game. Another formidable peer in this category is Declaration in Stone, which excels at clearing multiple creatures of the same name, yet it gifts the opponent Clue tokens which could lead to card advantage for them, unlike Mage Hunters’ Onslaught.

Overall, Mage Hunters’ Onslaught shines as a removal option in scenarios where the board is populated with multiple threats. Its versatility might be worth the additional mana when timing and broader control are crucial to the game’s outcome.

Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Murder - MTG Card versions
Declaration in Stone - MTG Card versions
Doom Blade - MTG Card versions
Go for the Throat - MTG Card versions
Murder - MTG Card versions
Declaration in Stone - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mage Hunters' Onslaught 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 Mage Hunters' Onslaught and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mage Hunters' Onslaught has restrictions

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