Vampire Bats MTG Card
1994-06-01 - Number 125
1995-04-01 - Number 167
1995-04-01 - Number 167
1995-08-01 - Number 67
1996-07-01 - Number 25
1996-12-31 - Number 26
1997-03-24 - Number 202
2007-07-13 - Number 186★
2007-07-13 - Number 186
2014-12-05 - Number 35
| Card sets | Released in 10 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Bat |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 0 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Flying, oo B +1/+0 until end of turn. No more than o Bo B may be spent in this way per turn.
"For something is amiss or out of place/ When mice with wings can wear a human face." —Theodore Roethke, "The Bat"
Cards like Vampire Bats
Vampire Bats holds a unique place in the flying creature niche of Magic: The Gathering. Sharing similarities with other one-mana flying creatures like Spire Owl, these bats offer consistent early-game aerial offense. What sets Vampire Bats apart is their flexible ability to boost their power on demand, enabling dynamic combat strategies. In contrast, Spire Owl may offer a degree of deck manipulation but lacks the on-the-fly combat adaptability of the Bats.
Looking across other comparable cards, we find the likes of Thalakos Scout, which provides evasion through shadow. Though this skill ensures it is unblockable by creatures without shadow, it doesn’t offer the same power modification that Vampire Bats boasts. Further on the spectrum, there’s Carrier Pigeons. While arriving with a higher mana cost, it allows a one-time peek at the top card of your library, contrasting with the repeatable combat benefit of Vampire Bats.
In the realm of low-cost fliers, Vampire Bats stand out for their versatility and potential for increased damage output. They exemplify the kind of strategic card that can quietly control the early battlefield, making them a valued creature card among MTG players looking for an edge in aerial combat.
Cards similar to Vampire Bats by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Vampire Bats offer a strategic advantage by enabling flexible mana expenditure, allowing you to invest unused mana at the end of your opponent’s turn, therefore optimizing your card usage.
Resource Acceleration: This card thrives in environments that benefit from creatures with a low casting cost. It can hit the battlefield early, influencing the game’s tempo and putting pressure on your opponent right from the onset.
Instant Speed: Its ability to adjust its power at instant speed lets you adapt to changing game states, making it a surprising blocker or an unexpected aggressor, all within the scope of combat or in response to your opponent’s actions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Vampire Bats offer a flexible flying blocker, they come with a downside. Any advantage gained from its flying ability can quickly be negated if you find yourself having to discard other potentially key cards to keep it in play, leading to a loss in card advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Vampire Bats require a specific swamp mana for activation, which may not always align with the broader strategies of decks that are not mono-black or black-heavy. Decks that don’t run a lot of black mana may find the bats less useful.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The initial low cost of the card is deceiving as investing additional mana into its activated abilities can add up. Considering the power and toughness boost is temporary, decks may find other creatures or spells that provide a better return on investment over time.
Reasons to Include Vampire Bats in Your Collection
Versatility: Vampire Bats offers a low-cost flying creature that can fit into a variety of decks, particularly those seeking to augment their early game presence or needing an inexpensive flyer. Its ability to gain a power boost at instant speed makes it a flexible defender or an unexpected aggressor.
Combo Potential: This card synergizes well with decks that capitalize on life loss or gain. Its adjustable power makes it a suitable companion for cards or abilities that trigger off dealing combat damage or having a certain number of creatures with flying.
Meta-Relevance: In environments where small, evasive creatures can tip the balance, Vampire Bats can be surprisingly effective. Its ability to dodge many common removal spells and chip in for damage regularly is particularly useful in a meta with fewer airborne defenders.
How to beat
Vampire Bats stand out in MTG as a pesky flying creature, capable of frustrating opponents by evading blockers and incrementally chipping away at life totals. To overcome these agile creatures, one should focus on spells that neutralize flying threats or use targeted removal to whisk them away before they take too much of a toll. Ground-based creatures may find themselves at a disadvantage, but reaching for your deck’s arsenal of “destroy target creature” or “deal damage to any target” spells can provide an immediate solution to the Vampire Bats menace.
Spells like Shock or Lightning Bolt are efficient ways to deal with these nocturnal nuisances, as they offer low-cost removal options that can disrupt your opponent’s early game strategy. Enchantments that restrict the abilities of flying creatures can also serve as a bane to Vampire Bats, preventing them from soaring over your defenses. By utilizing these strategies, you can clip the wings of your opponent’s strategy, ensuring these creatures become less of a hindrance and more of a fleeting nuisance on your path to victory.
It’s crucial to consider the timing and resource management when dealing with cards like Vampire Bats. Properly timing your spells and predicting your opponent’s moves can turn the tide of the game, allowing you to maintain control and eventually outmaneuver the bloodthirsty swarm.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Vampire Bats MTG card by a specific set like Legends and Fourth Edition, 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 Vampire Bats and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Vampire Bats Magic the Gathering card was released in 9 different sets between 1994-06-01 and 2014-12-05. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1994-06-01 | Legends | LEG | 125 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 2 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition | 4ED | 167 | 1993 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 3 | 1995-04-01 | Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border | 4BB | 167 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 4 | 1995-08-01 | Renaissance | REN | 67 | 1993 | Normal | Black | Anson Maddocks | |
| 5 | 1996-07-01 | Rivals Quick Start Set | RQS | 25 | 1993 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 6 | 1996-12-31 | Introductory Two-Player Set | ITP | 26 | 1993 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 7 | 1997-03-24 | Fifth Edition | 5ED | 202 | 1997 | Normal | White | Anson Maddocks | |
| 8 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 186★ | 2003 | Normal | Black | Chippy | |
| 9 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 186 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Chippy | |
| 10 | 2014-12-05 | Duel Decks Anthology: Garruk vs. Liliana | GVL | 35 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Chippy |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Vampire Bats has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Oldschool | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |