Mindwrack Harpy MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeEnchantment Creature — Harpy
Abilities Flying,Mill
Power 3
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Enables graveyard strategies by consistent milling, turning your graveyard into a resourceful library.
  2. Presents risks with forced discards and specific mana requirements limiting its deck compatibility.
  3. Its ability to fly and repeated milling make it a persistent threat in mill-focused decks.

Text of card

Flying At the beginning of combat on your turn, each player puts the top three cards of their library into their graveyard.

Harpies are among the most detested creatures in all of Theros... and they thoroughly deserve it.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mindwrack Harpy provides consistent deck milling each upkeep, which can fill your graveyard with valuable cards for strategies that capitalize on having a stocked graveyard, setting you up to leverage these resources.

Resource Acceleration: While Mindwrack Harpy doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it enables the acceleration of graveyard-based resources. By consistently fueling the graveyard, it increases the potential to utilize other cards that can convert graveyard cards into a form of resource acceleration.

Instant Speed: Though Mindwrack Harpy operates at sorcery speed, it supports instant-speed interactions by ensuring that cards requiring a substantial graveyard presence are primed for use at any time, thus indirectly benefiting the flexibility and reactivity of your overall game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Mindwrack Harpy compels players to discard cards, which can be detrimental when your hand is your most valuable asset.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost for Mindwrack Harpy is locked into two specifics, which could restrict its inclusion only in decks that can consistently produce the necessary colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is relatively steep for its effects, there might be other creatures or spells that deliver more bang for your buck.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mindwrack Harpy offers a unique contribution to any mill-focused strategy, serving multiple roles. As a flyer, it’s a useful attacker and blocker, but its real strength lies in its ability to grind down libraries, which can be beneficial in both offensive and defensive positions.

Combo Potential: This card has inherent synergy with strategies that capitalize on putting cards into the graveyard. Whether it’s enabling delve, fueling escape abilities or setting up for a powerful reanimation spell, Mindwrack Harpy can be a crucial puzzle piece in a well-tuned combo deck.

Meta-Relevance: With graveyard-based strategies frequently appearing in various metas, Mindwrack Harpy can disrupt opponent’s tactics while advancing your own game plan. Its constant milling can target key pieces in the opponent’s deck, making it a menacing presence against a variety of strategies.


How to beat

Mindwrack Harpy can be a persistent threat in any MTG matchup, especially within Mill or self-feeding graveyard strategies. This flying Enchantment Creature impacts the battlefield by steadily milling both players during their upkeep, which can be a double-edged sword. While not overwhelming in power, its strength lies in synergy with graveyard manipulation.

To counteract Mindwrack Harpy, one should consider graveyard hate cards or removal spells that can handle an airborne creature. Cards like Scavenging Ooze can be particularly effective, not only removing targeted cards that Mindwrack Harpy mills but also strengthening your creatures. Direct removal spells like Doom Blade or Rapid Hybridization can dispose of the Harpy before the milling effect becomes a significant issue.

Additionally, cards that grant hexproof to your library such as Witchbane Orb protect from milling, neutralizing Mindwrack Harpy’s influence. Employing enchantment removals like Disenchant is also recommended, as it is an Enchantment Creature. It’s critical to address this card quickly or have a strategy that benefits from your own graveyard, transforming Mindwrack Harpy’s ability from a threat to an advantage.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re venturing into MTG with a fascination for deck milling strategies, Mindwrack Harpy could be a feather in your cap. Its unique ability to consistently fuel the graveyard with each upkeep is an asset for players who thrive on manipulating their own graveyard as a resource. But remember, its power comes with nuances—managing discards, understanding mana demands, and aligning with your broader game plan are elements to master. Are you ready to explore the depths of graveyard-based gameplay and find out how Mindwrack Harpy weaves into your deck’s narrative? Immerse yourself with BurnMana as we dive deeper into optimizing your playstyle and collection. Discover tips, tricks, and strategies that can turn this formidable card into a significant advantage on your battlefield.


Cards like Mindwrack Harpy

Mindwrack Harpy serves as a compelling piece in the mill focused strategies within Magic: The Gathering. Strong parallels can be drawn with other creatures like Duskmantle Guildmage, which allows players to mill cards, but also provides a potential damage combo component. Albeit the Guildmage offers a more interactive experience, the Harpy distinguishes itself through a consistent milling effect at every upkeep.

Merfolk Secretkeeper is another notable comparison, presenting itself as a versatile early-game creature with a similar mill ability. However, Mindwrack Harpy’s flying trait and potential for repetitive mill every turn grants it a unique position in long-term board presence. Glimpse the Unthinkable is a spell that outperforms in sheer milling quantity but lacks the recurring impact and board state influence of the Harpy.

Analyzing these parallels, it becomes evident that the Harpy’s strength is in its ability to both influence the board and diminish an opponent’s library over time. For those constructing a deck with a mill strategy at its core, the Mindwrack Harpy can be a reliable, if not indispensable, component in achieving that decking victory.

Duskmantle Guildmage - MTG Card versions
Glimpse the Unthinkable - MTG Card versions
Duskmantle Guildmage - Gatecrash (GTC)
Glimpse the Unthinkable - Ravnica: City of Guilds (RAV)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mindwrack Harpy MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death and Commander Masters, 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 Mindwrack Harpy and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Mindwrack Harpy Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-01-24 and 2023-08-04. Illustrated by Deruchenko Alexander.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12020-01-24Theros Beyond DeathTHB 2762015normalblackDeruchenko Alexander
22023-08-04Commander MastersCMM 8692015normalblackDeruchenko Alexander

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mindwrack Harpy has restrictions

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

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