Mischievous Poltergeist MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Spirit
Abilities Flying
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Regeneration ability offers Mischievous Poltergeist a persistent battlefield presence, enhancing long game strategies.
  2. Specific mana costs can limit deck diversity, making it a better fit for mono-black strategies.
  3. Life payment for indestructibility introduces combo opportunities and synergistic deck builds.

Text of card

Flying Pay 1 life: Regenerate

"The past is a ghost that haunts you from the moment it exists until the moment you don't." —Gerrard of the *Weatherlight*


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Mischievous Poltergeist can regenerate, potentially saving it from destruction and allowing you to preserve your board presence and card advantage in the long game.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly contributing to mana acceleration, its ability to remain on the battlefield can indirectly conserve resources that might otherwise be spent on replacing creatures.

Instant Speed: While the Mischievous Poltergeist itself doesn’t have an instant speed ability, its regeneration can be activated at instant speed, providing strategic flexibility during your turn or in response to opponents’ actions.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The rise of Mischievous Poltergeist on the battlefield comes with a price. Players must be ready to part with another card from their hand which can be a hefty sacrifice especially when hand size is already waning.

Specific Mana Cost: Mischievous Poltergeist demands three black mana to cast. This specific mana cost can be restrictive, tethering it tightly to mono-black or color-specific decks, potentially excluding a colorful variety of other builds from giving it a home.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weaving this specter into your game plan costs a total of three mana, which might feel steep considering there are other creatures that can offer similar or better advantages for the same, or less, investment. Advanced players often weigh the benefits against the mana commitment heavily when deck building.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Mischievous Poltergeist boasts a flexible nature, being a possible inclusion in decks that capitalize on life gain mechanics or need a resilient creature. With its flying ability, it can consistently chip away at opponents’ life totals or act as a blocker when needed.

Combo Potential: This ghostly creature has a built-in capability to become nearly indestructible by paying life. This opens up intriguing combos with cards that benefit from life payments or need an indestructible creature for synergistic effects.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where games drag out, Mischievous Poltergeist can shine. Its endurance in drawn out battles, and the nuisance it causes for control players makes it a card that can adapt to diverse Meta challenges.


How to Confront the Challenge

Overcoming Mischievous Poltergeist at the table is all about recognizing its strengths and the situations which allow it to thrive. This creature’s ability to avoid dying by paying life is unique, but it also presents an opportunity for strategic play. Generally, cards that can remove creatures without dealing damage or disrupting life totals are the way to go when handling tricky threats like this.

Spells that exile, force sacrifices, or alter card characteristics can circumvent the Poltergeist’s resilience. Removal spells like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares work exceptionally well since they don’t deal damage and directly exile the creature. Another tactic is to use enchantments like Pacifism to neutralize the creature without triggering its life payment ability. Strategies employing graveyard hate also prevent the Poltergeist from coming back once it’s dealt with.

Players need to utilize their removal resources judiciously, while also applying pressure to exhaust the opponent’s life reserves, rendering the Mischievous Poltergeist’s ability unsustainable. In essence, success against such a card lies in adaptation, understanding the unique challenges it presents, and managing resources efficiently to ensure victories in your duels.


Cards like Mischievous Poltergeist

For players curious about the unique offerings of Mischievous Poltergeist within the vast library of cards in MTG, comparisons help highlight its distinctive role. Mischievous Poltergeist, like its spectral counterparts, possesses a resilience that comes from its regenerate ability, a trait it shares with creatures like Drudge Skeletons. These cards provide staying power on the battlefield but at different costs. While Mischievous Poltergeist can prevent damage for the price of paying life, Drudge Skeletons requires mana to regenerate.

Another analogous card is Squee, Goblin Nabob, known for his relentless return to a player’s hand from the graveyard. Though Squee does not protect himself in the same way as the regenerate ability, he embodies the persistent nature of annoyance that Mischievous Poltergeist brings to the table. Furthermore, the Poltergeist strides alongside creatures like Wall of Souls, which turns potential harm into a strategy by dealing damage equivalent to the amount it would have taken. It presents a different but equally frustrating challenge for opponents, underlining the values hidden within these unassuming cards.

Engagement with Mischievous Poltergeist and its kin reveals a multifaceted approach to MTG gameplay. Ultimately, while the Poltergeist thrives in a niche of mischief-making and durability, its comparison to other cards opens the door to diverse strategies and deck-building opportunities.

Drudge Skeletons - MTG Card versions
Squee, Goblin Nabob - MTG Card versions
Wall of Souls - MTG Card versions
Drudge Skeletons - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Squee, Goblin Nabob - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Wall of Souls - Stronghold (STH)

Cards similar to Mischievous Poltergeist by color, type and mana cost

Nettling Imp - MTG Card versions
Royal Assassin - MTG Card versions
El-Hajjâj - MTG Card versions
Plague Rats - MTG Card versions
Frozen Shade - MTG Card versions
Scathe Zombies - MTG Card versions
Sorceress Queen - MTG Card versions
Wall of Bone - MTG Card versions
Lost Soul - MTG Card versions
Mindstab Thrull - MTG Card versions
Strongarm Thug - MTG Card versions
Razortooth Rats - MTG Card versions
Ghastly Remains - MTG Card versions
Lord of the Undead - MTG Card versions
Deepwood Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Dross Prowler - MTG Card versions
Nim Lasher - MTG Card versions
Nim Abomination - MTG Card versions
Vesper Ghoul - MTG Card versions
Hypnotic Specter - MTG Card versions
Nettling Imp - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Royal Assassin - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
El-Hajjâj - Fourth Edition Foreign Black Border (4BB)
Plague Rats - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Frozen Shade - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Scathe Zombies - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Sorceress Queen - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Wall of Bone - Rivals Quick Start Set (RQS)
Lost Soul - Introductory Two-Player Set (ITP)
Mindstab Thrull - Masters Edition (ME1)
Strongarm Thug - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Razortooth Rats - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Ghastly Remains - Legions (LGN)
Lord of the Undead - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Deepwood Ghoul - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Dross Prowler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Lasher - Mirrodin (MRD)
Nim Abomination - Darksteel (DST)
Vesper Ghoul - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Hypnotic Specter - Magic Player Rewards 2006 (P06)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Mischievous Poltergeist MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight and Classic Sixth 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 Mischievous Poltergeist and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Mischievous Poltergeist Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-06-09 and 1999-04-21. Illustrated by DiTerlizzi.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-06-09WeatherlightWTH 741997normalblackDiTerlizzi
21999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 1441997normalwhiteDiTerlizzi

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Mischievous Poltergeist has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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