Dreadhorde Arcanist MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Zombie Wizard
Abilities Trample
Power 1
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Card advantage is amplified as Dreadhorde Arcanist recasts powerful instants and sorceries from the graveyard.
  2. Mana efficiency peaks when leveraging spells at instant speed during combat, enhancing tactical plays.
  3. Though restrictive in deck inclusion, its ability to flexibly fit into game strategies makes it invaluable.

Text of card

Trample Whenever Dreadhorde Arcanist attacks, you may cast target instant or sorcery card with mana value less than or equal to Dreadhorde Arcanist's power from your graveyard without paying its mana cost. If that spell would be put into your graveyard, exile it instead.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dreadhorde Arcanist’s ability to cast spells from the graveyard without paying their mana costs can lead to significant card advantage. This effect essentially allows players to reuse their most influential instants and sorceries, increasing the effective number of cards they can play.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, Dreadhorde Arcanist accelerates resource utilization by bypassing mana costs for certain spells. This, in turn, allows the player to deploy other cards in hand with their available mana, efficiently advancing their board state and strategy.

Instant Speed: Dreadhorde Arcanist enables casting spells at instant speed during the combat phase. This is especially powerful when combined with spells that have instant speed inherently, offering the flexibility to cast during combat or at the end of an opponent’s turn for maximum tactical advantage.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For Dreadhorde Arcanist’s ability to truly shine, it often necessitates having an arsenal of spells in the graveyard, which can strand players in a position where they must strategically discard valuable cards to set up plays.

Specific Mana Cost: Dreadhorde Arcanist demands a strict red and colorless mana combination, which potentially restricts its integration into multicolored decks, especially where the red mana source is not reliably accessible.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While an initial two mana investment might seem modest, the real cost comes in its reliance on other cards to get value. Dreadhorde Arcanist necessitates a deck built around low-cost spells to exploit its full potential, which can lead to a higher overall mana commitment than some alternative options for spell recursion.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Dreadhorde Arcanist offers a flexible role in numerous deck builds, excelling in strategies that capitalize on casting spells from the graveyard. Its ability to recast instants and sorceries adds significant value across various match-ups.

Combo Potential: Paired with pump spells or other card synergies, this card can quickly become a lynchpin for powerful combos, escalating the threat level each turn.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that rewards skillful play with low-cost spells, Dreadhorde Arcanist shines by continuously leveraging your graveyard for advantage. Its presence on the battlefield can dominate games, especially in formats where tempo and card efficiency reign supreme.


How to beat

Dreadhorde Arcanist has claimed its place as a formidable card in MTG due to its ability to recast instant and sorcery cards from the graveyard. The key to overcoming this threat lies in preemptive action and control. Utilizing instant-speed removal options as soon as the Arcanist hits the field can neutralize the threat before it gets rolling. Cards such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile are efficient answers to this problem.

Moreover, graveyard disruption plays a crucial role in diminishing Dreadhorde Arcanist’s power. Incorporating cards like Grafdigger’s Cage or Leyline of the Void can prevent Arcanist from accessing its arsenal in the graveyard, thus rendering it a mere 1/3 creature. Keeping Dreadhorde Arcanist from unleashing its full potential means strategic timing of removal and continuous graveyard management, ensuring its key ability never gains traction.

As a player, staying vigilant against Dreadhorde Arcanist’s synergistic plays with other cards can prove vital. Counterspells can also serve as a line of defense during your opponent’s turn, making it challenging for them to successfully recur a spell. In essence, staying a step ahead of the Arcanist’s rhythm is imperative to claim victory over its devastating recurrence ability.


BurnMana Recommendations

Dreadhorde Arcanist is a card that rewards strategic deck building and foresight in gameplay. Understanding its strengths and limitations allows you to leverage it for card advantage, accelerate your resources, and flexibly cast spells for superior board control. If you’re aiming to optimize your deck’s performance and outmaneuver opponents in MTG, mastering cards like Dreadhorde Arcanist is key. Dive deeper into effective strategies, find the best deck synergies, and enhance your gameplay. For those curious to push their MTG skills further, exploring Dreadhorde Arcanist’s full potential is just the beginning of crafting your path to victory. Learn more about maximizing your matches with this dynamic card.


Cards like Dreadhorde Arcanist

Dreadhorde Arcanist stands out in the realm of recurring spellcasters in the world of Magic: The Gathering. Its closest relatives in function might include Snapcaster Mage, offering an analog for instant and sorcery retrieval from the graveyard. While Snapcaster Mage grants an ephemeral flashback to any instant or sorcery, Dreadhorde Arcanist’s recurring attack trigger is a distinctive factor, giving it potential for multiple uses albeit limited by the creature’s power.

Light Up the Stage presents a different approach to spell retrieval, allowing you to play the exiled cards until the end of your next turn, emphasizing a more aggressive and immediate form of card advantage. Whereas Dreadhorde Arcanist requires combat engagement to activate, Light Up the Stage’s spectacle cost can be a standalone advantage within an aggressive strategy.

In evaluating Dreadhorde Arcanist, it’s clear it provides a sustained form of utility in decks that can consistently increase power to leverage higher mana value spells. While other cards might offer single instances of advantage, or rely on different battlefield conditions, Dreadhorde Arcanist’s blend of aggression and recurring value carves a unique niche within Magic: The Gathering’s array of creatures.

Snapcaster Mage - MTG Card versions
Light Up the Stage - MTG Card versions
Snapcaster Mage - Innistrad (ISD)
Light Up the Stage - Ravnica Allegiance (RNA)

Cards similar to Dreadhorde Arcanist by color, type and mana cost

Rock Hydra - MTG Card versions
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Rock Hydra - Intl. Collectors' Edition (CEI)
Dwarven Weaponsmith - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Goblin Rock Sled - The Dark (DRK)
Dwarven Lieutenant - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Goblin Recruiter - Visions (VIS)
Heart Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
Mogg Flunkies - Stronghold (STH)
Goblin Elite Infantry - Classic Sixth Edition (6ED)
Fireslinger - Duel Decks Anthology: Jace vs. Chandra (JVC)
Skittish Kavu - Invasion (INV)
Rage Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Minotaur Explorer - Odyssey (ODY)
Sparksmith - Onslaught (ONS)
Goblin Lookout - Legions (LGN)
Skirk Marauder - Legions (LGN)
Hellspark Elemental - DCI Promos (PDCI)
Storm Entity - Future Sight (FUT)
Dwarven Soldier - Masters Edition (ME1)
Mogg War Marshal - Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins (DD1)
Mudbrawler Cohort - Shadowmoor (SHM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dreadhorde Arcanist MTG card by a specific set like War of the Spark and War of the Spark Promos, 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 Dreadhorde Arcanist and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Dreadhorde Arcanist Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2019-05-03 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by G-host Lee.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12019-05-03War of the SparkWAR 1252015normalblackG-host Lee
22019-05-04War of the Spark PromosPWAR 125s2015normalblackG-host Lee
32019-05-04War of the Spark PromosPWAR 125p2015normalblackG-host Lee
42021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 3411997normalblackG-host Lee

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dreadhorde Arcanist has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
CommanderLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyBanned
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Dreadhorde Arcanist card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2021-03-19 If Dreadhorde Arcanist leaves the battlefield before its triggered ability resolves, use its power as it last existed on the battlefield to check whether the card is still a legal target.
2021-03-19 If the card has in its mana cost, you must choose 0 as the value of X when casting it without paying its mana cost.
2021-03-19 If you cast a card “without paying its mana cost,” you can’t choose to cast it for any alternative costs. You can, however, pay additional costs. If the card has any mandatory additional costs, you must pay those to cast the card.
2021-03-19 If you cast the card, you do so as part of the resolution of Dreadhorde Arcanist’s triggered ability. You can’t wait to cast it later in the turn. Timing permissions based on a card’s type are ignored, and the spell will resolve before blockers are declared.
2021-03-19 The instant or sorcery card you target must have mana value less than or equal to Dreadhorde Arcanist’s power immediately after Dreadhorde Arcanist has attacked. Any other abilities that trigger when creatures you control attack won’t have resolved yet.

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