Tesak, Judith's Hellhound MTG Card

Tesak boosts Rakdos decks with beneficial trades, enhancing card advantage and board presence. Requires careful hand management due to its discard condition, presenting a strategic challenge. Enhances combo potential and metagame relevance, making it a powerful addition to diverse strategies.
Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeLegendary Creature — Elemental Dog
Abilities Unleash
Power 3
Toughness 3

Text of card

Unleash Other Dogs you control have unleash. Creatures you control with counters on them have haste. Whenever Tesak, Judith's Hellhound attacks, add for each attacking creature.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Tesak, Judith’s Hellhound shines in providing card advantage, primarily by ensuring impactful board presence. When played, it forces opponents to make tough decisions, often resulting in advantageous trades that can lead to an accumulation of beneficial card interactions for the player.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly a source of resource acceleration, the card synergizes well with decks that capitalize on sacrificing creatures, which can indirectly lead to an increase in available resources. It pairs exceptionally well with cards designed to utilize such sacrificial mechanics as a form of gaining extra mana or drawing cards.

Instant Speed: While Tesak itself might not operate at instant speed, its ability to interact favorably with instant speed spells and effects is notable. It allows players to remain versatile, making it harder for opponents to predict and counter the threats being established with each play. Additionally, Tesak can alter the battlefield at crucial moments, particularly if the player is utilizing instant speed removal or end-of-turn effects to enhance its attack potential.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Tesak, Judith’s Hellhound necessitates a card discard to unlock its full potential. If your hand is already sparse, triggering its ability may be detrimental, leading to a less optimal board state or hindering your late-game strategies.

Specific Mana Cost: Its casting cost requires both red and black mana, which can pose a deck-building challenge. This restricts the card’s flexibility, making it harder to fit into multicolored decks that do not run these specific mana types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including one red and one black, Tesak is a commitment. In the early game, this can set back your mana curve, and during later stages, it could limit playing multiple spells in a turn or leave insufficient mana for responses.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Tesak, Judith’s Hellhound brings adaptability to the table, capable of fitting into different deck archetypes. Its role in aggressive strategies can be as significant as it can be in decks focusing on creature synergies or damage amplification.

Combo Potential: Tesak has the innate ability to work well in combos, especially with cards that enable additional attack phases or those that capitalize on creatures dying. Its power to scale with damage makes it a prime candidate for synergy-driven decks.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the ubiquity of creature-based decks in the current metagame, Tesak can serve as both a threat and a deterrent. In environments where board presence is crucial, this card can prove to be a valuable asset in maintaining pressure on the opponent.

How to beat

Tesak, Judith’s Hellhound, has quickly emerged as a prominent threat in MTG, eliciting a strategic response from players seeking to maintain control of the board. This menacing creature card is known for its ability to deal significant damage, amplified when an instant or sorcery spell is cast. To counter this four-legged menace, players should consider leveraging removal spells that can bypass its power-boosting ability by targeting it directly before a spell amplifies its threat.

Enchantment-based removals like Banishing Light can be particularly effective since they do not involve casting an instant or sorcery spell that could inadvertently enhance Tesak’s power before it is contained. Moreover, utilizing creatures with deathtouch or ones that can exile upon entering the battlefield provides a viable solution to neutralize Tesak without triggering its formidable attack boost.

In essence, players aiming to trump Tesak, Judith’s Hellhound, must prioritize strategic removals and consider the card’s unique mechanics. By doing so, they can avert the rapid escalation of threat posed by this fiery hound and maintain stability during the match, reflecting the nuanced tactics integral to MTG gameplay.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Tesak, Judith's Hellhound MTG card by a specific set like Murders at Karlov Manor Commander and Murders at Karlov Manor Commander, 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 Tesak, Judith's Hellhound and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Tesak, Judith's Hellhound Magic the Gathering card was released in 1 different sets between 2024-02-09 and 2024-02-09. Illustrated by Anna Podedworna.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 3462015NormalBlackAnna Podedworna
22024-02-09Murders at Karlov Manor CommanderMKC 362015NormalBlackAnna Podedworna

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Tesak, Judith's Hellhound has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal