Wirecat MTG Card
Mana cost | |
Converted mana cost | 4 |
Rarity | Uncommon |
Type | Artifact Creature — Cat |
Released | 1998-10-12 |
Set symbol | |
Set name | Urza's Saga |
Set code | USG |
Power | 4 |
Toughness | 3 |
Number | 317 |
Frame | 1997 |
Layout | Normal |
Border | Black |
Illustred by | Michael Sutfin |
Text of card
Wirecat cannot attack or block if an enchantment is in play.
Its purr is the sound of iron filings sliding down satin.
Cards like Wirecat
Within the arsenal of artifact creatures in Magic: The Gathering, Wirecat holds a particular niche. When comparing it to other four mana cost artifact creatures like Snare Thopter, Wirecat stands out due to its untapping mechanic. While Snare Thopter offers haste and flying, providing immediate impact on the game, Wirecat has the potential for repeated combat or blocker utility if you can consistently untap it.
Another card worth mentioning is the Filigree Familiar, an artifact creature that costs one less mana than Wirecat. While it doesn’t boast Wirecat’s untapping ability, it provides a form of life gain and card draw, thereby offering a different type of utility. Juggernaut is also in this category; a staple four mana artifact creature that must attack each turn if able. Unlike the conditional untapping of Wirecat, Juggernaut has forced aggression, making it predictable and sometimes a liability.
In essence, Wirecat’s unique untapping ability situates it as an intriguing option amongst four mana artifact creatures. It offers strategic flexibility that may fit into decks looking for recurrent use of a creature without the need for attacking or other triggers to untap. The comparison with these similar cards underscores the versatility and tactical depth Wirecat brings to Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Wirecat by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Wirecat’s ability to return to the hand from the graveyard after a spell is played grants a repeating opportunity for card advantage. This cyclical property ensures that drawing a card will reliably have increased impact as the game progresses.
Resource Acceleration: As part of its abilities, Wirecat can contribute to resource acceleration by synergizing with cards that benefit from creatures entering the battlefield or being cast. Through its recurring nature, it can trigger these effects multiple times, effectively accelerating your access to useful resources.
Instant Speed: The capability of Wirecat to be played at instant speed means versatility in gameplay, allowing you to adapt quickly to evolving board states. This advantage enables strategic depth in both offense and defense, maximizing its potential impact each turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Wirecat demands that players discard a card to utilize its abilities. This could be taxing during gameplay when hand size is crucial for maintaining strategic flexibility and advantage.
Specific Mana Cost: Its casting cost requires both colorless and red mana, potentially hindering its integration into multi-colored or colorless decks that might not have a reliable source of red mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Wirecat brings certain benefits to the battlefield, its higher mana cost in relation to its offered advantages can be seen as prohibitive, especially when compared against other creatures in its mana range that might provide more immediate impact or utility.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Wirecat can seamlessly adapt to a variety of deck archetypes that need flexible artifact creatures, enhancing strategies where the type and amount matter.
Combo Potential: Its artifact nature opens up synergy with cards that care about artifacts either entering the battlefield or being present, like those with Affinity or Improvise abilities.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where artifacts play a key role, Wirecat’s presence ensures you have a reliable creature that can contribute to artifact-centric combos and strategies.
Understanding and Overcoming Wirecat
Wirecat stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a unique artifact creature with a compelling blend of abilities. Its inherent resistance to sorcery spells can create a defensive barrier, potentially controlling the game’s tempo. Players often find it tricky to remove Wirecat from the field because of its natural evasion of commonly used removal spells.
How to beat
To effectively combat the Wirecat card, players should consider instant-speed removal spells, which bypass its sorcery spell protection. Evolving game strategies to include versatile instant-speed interaction allows players to adapt to opponents using Wirecat’s capabilities. Including cards in your deck that offer exile effects or sacrificing mechanisms can also be a robust solution. This will provide you with opportunities to handle Wirecat during times it’s vulnerable, such as during the combat phase or in response to its activation. Additionally, exploiting its status as an artifact creature by utilizing artifact removal spells can offer a direct path to eliminating the Wirecat threat from the board.
By adjusting your strategy and including a diverse set of responses in your deck, you equip yourself against the resilience of the Wirecat card. This foresight ensures you remain poised to maintain control of the game whenever Wirecat enters the battlefield.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Wirecat MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Wirecat 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Wirecat has restrictions
Format | Legality |
---|---|
Commander | Legal |
Legacy | Legal |
Paupercommander | Restricted |
Oathbreaker | Legal |
Premodern | Legal |
Vintage | Legal |
Duel | Legal |
Predh | Legal |