The Hunter MTG Card


The Hunter - Theros Hero's Path
RarityCommon
TypeHero
Released2013-09-27
Set symbol
Set nameTheros Hero's Path
Set codeTHP1
Number1e
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byChuck Lukacs

Key Takeaways

  1. The Hunter’s ability to fetch and hunt specific cards can tip the scales in your favor.
  2. Instant speed play adds a layer of unpredictability and strategic depth to your game.
  3. Demanding mana and discard requirements may limit The Hunter’s integration into diverse decks.

Text of card

: Target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Hunter offers a unique ability to hunt down specific card types from your deck, which can pave the way for building a significant card advantage. Efficient selection can ensure you have the right responses or threats at the right time.

Resource Acceleration: With The Hunter, you have the potential to accelerate your resource development by fetching land cards directly onto the battlefield, ensuring a steady growth in your mana base to play high-impact cards sooner.

Instant Speed: The versatility of instant speed means The Hunter can be deployed at the most opportune moment, often during an opponent’s end step, keeping your strategy flexible and reactive to the unfolding game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Hunter demands a card be discarded from your hand. This can be a steep price if your hand is already dwindling and the board state doesn’t provide enough value to justify the cost.

Specific Mana Cost: Requiring a rigid mana configuration to be cast, The Hunter may not fit smoothly into multicolor decks or those requiring a flexible mana base. This limits the card’s versatility and potential play environments.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For a card with its abilities, The Hunter comes at a relatively high mana cost, which could slow your early-game momentum. This downside is particularly noticeable when compared to other creatures or spells that provide similar or better benefits for less mana.


Reasons to Include The Hunter in Your Collection

Versatility: The Hunter can be a key card in a variety of deck builds, aligning well with strategies that hinge on creature control and removal. Its ability to influence the battlefield makes it adaptable for multiple game scenarios.

Combo Potential: Leveraging its unique skill set, The Hunter has the potential to synergize with other cards to unleash powerful combinations, particularly in decks focusing on creature-based tactics and hunter-themed synergies.

Meta-Relevance: In a game environment that’s heavy on creature-based decks, The Hunter’s inclusion could prove critical. It serves as a counter to many popular creatures and strategies that dominate the current meta, providing a valuable tool for maintaining control of the game state.


How to beat

The Hunter is an intriguing creature card that offers strategic depth to any Magic: The Gathering deck that includes it. With its unique abilities, taking it down can be quite the challenge for unprepared opponents. To overcome this formidable adversary, players need to think proactively about removal options. Efficient creature removal spells, such as “Path to Exile” or “Doom Blade,” can manage The Hunter effectively. It’s critical to keep mana available for these spells, ensuring you can respond to this threat immediately.

Another strategy involves utilizing counterspells to prevent The Hunter from even setting foot on the battlefield. Cards like “Counterspell” or “Mana Leak” are essential tools to have at your disposal. Additionally, attacking The Hunter’s resources directly, using land destruction cards or hand disruption strategies, can cripple an opponent’s ability to cast this card, thus indirectly neutralizing its threat. By carefully considering your deck’s answers to strong creatures like The Hunter, you increase your chances of maintaining control of the game.

Always remember to adapt your playstyle and sideboard to the specific environment of your MTG games. Understanding the meta and preparing for frequently-encountered cards such as The Hunter will give you a competitive edge in matches.


Cards like The Hunter

Exploring the realm of creature cards within MTG, The Hunter offers unique gameplay with its abilities. It finds parallels with cards like Savvy Hunter, which also revolves around the Hunt mechanic. While The Hunter may excel in direct confrontation, Savvy Hunter can generate food tokens, offering a different type of resource advantage.

We also see Thornweald Archer as a similar card, as it provides reach and deathtouch, granting it a strategic defense against flying threats while being able to eliminate virtually any blocker or attacker. However, The Hunter is potentially more aggressive, prioritizing a more confrontational approach to gameplay.

Comparatively, Ambush Viper shares the instant-speed surprise element with The Hunter, ready to strike as a flash creature. This can disrupt an opponent’s strategy on their turn. It doesn’t carry the long-term board presence that The Hunter might provide, making The Hunter a more formidable choice for maintaining control.

Assessing these similar cards, The Hunter fits well within its niche, striking a balance between aggression and utility, marking its territory in MTG’s vast ecosystem of creature cards.

Savvy Hunter - MTG Card versions
Thornweald Archer - MTG Card versions
Ambush Viper - MTG Card versions
Savvy Hunter - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Thornweald Archer - Future Sight (FUT)
Ambush Viper - Innistrad (ISD)

Cards similar to The Hunter by color, type and mana cost

The Philosopher - MTG Card versions
The Protector - MTG Card versions
The Slayer - MTG Card versions
The Harvester - MTG Card versions
The Avenger - MTG Card versions
The Warrior - MTG Card versions
The Provider - MTG Card versions
The Savant - MTG Card versions
The Vanquisher - MTG Card versions
The Explorer - MTG Card versions
The Tyrant - MTG Card versions
The Warmonger - MTG Card versions
The General - MTG Card versions
Bow of the Hunter - MTG Card versions
The Champion - MTG Card versions
Axe of the Warmonger - MTG Card versions
Lash of the Tyrant - MTG Card versions
Spear of the General - MTG Card versions
Cloak of the Philosopher - MTG Card versions
The Destined - MTG Card versions
The Philosopher - Theros Hero's Path (THP1)
The Protector - Theros Hero's Path (THP1)
The Slayer - Theros Hero's Path (THP1)
The Harvester - Theros Hero's Path (THP1)
The Avenger - Theros Hero's Path (THP1)
The Warrior - Theros Hero's Path (THP1)
The Provider - Born of the Gods Hero's Path (THP2)
The Savant - Born of the Gods Hero's Path (THP2)
The Vanquisher - Born of the Gods Hero's Path (THP2)
The Explorer - Born of the Gods Hero's Path (THP2)
The Tyrant - Born of the Gods Hero's Path (THP2)
The Warmonger - Born of the Gods Hero's Path (THP2)
The General - Born of the Gods Hero's Path (THP2)
Bow of the Hunter - Journey into Nyx Hero's Path (THP3)
The Champion - Journey into Nyx Hero's Path (THP3)
Axe of the Warmonger - Journey into Nyx Hero's Path (THP3)
Lash of the Tyrant - Journey into Nyx Hero's Path (THP3)
Spear of the General - Journey into Nyx Hero's Path (THP3)
Cloak of the Philosopher - Journey into Nyx Hero's Path (THP3)
The Destined - Journey into Nyx Hero's Path (THP3)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase The Hunter MTG card by a specific set like Theros Hero's Path, 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 The Hunter and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See Magic products

Recent MTG decks

Continue exploring other format decks
More decks