Halo Hunter MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	5
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Demon
Abilities	Intimidate
Released	2009-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Zendikar
Set code	ZEN
Power	6
Toughness	3
Number	96
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Chris Rahn

Key Takeaways

Removes key threats efficiently, granting a significant advantage in card economy and board control.
Conserves resources through targeted removal, indirectly allowing for better allocation in-game.
Intimidate helps pressurize opponents, compelling them to take potentially disadvantageous actions.

Text of card

Intimidate (This creature can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.) When Halo Hunter enters the battlefield, destroy target Angel.

Hanging on the walls of his lair, the fallen halos cast his depravity in everlasting light.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Halo Hunter’s capability of removing an opponent’s creature can potentially dismantle their board presence, granting you an upper hand. This creature’s impact on the board state directly translates to a valuable advantage in card economy, especially if it targets a key threat or a high-value angel.

Resource Acceleration: Although Halo Hunter itself doesn’t create mana or tokens, it effectively conserves your resources. By removing high-cost creatures with its enter the battlefield (ETB) effect, it saves the mana and cards you would have had to invest in multiple removal spells. This indirect acceleration allows you to allocate resources elsewhere, which is crucial in the mid to late game.

Instant Speed: While Halo Hunter does not operate at instant speed, its Intimidate ability enables you to attack unblocked more often than not, providing a swift clock against your opponent. This ability to quickly whittle down an opponent’s life total can pressure them to act hastily or inefficiently, indirectly granting you the tactical advantage of playing on your terms.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One significant drawback of Halo Hunter is the prerequisite of having a creature card to discard. This can be a considerable setback in gameplay, especially when you’re already behind and need every card in hand to recover.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that demands both black mana and generic mana, Halo Hunter can be somewhat restrictive in multicolored decks that may not always have the necessary resources readily available to summon it.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At five total mana, three of which must be black, Halo Hunter’s mana cost is on the higher side, which can be challenging to manage, particularly in the early game or in faster-paced matches where efficiency is key.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Halo Hunter can be a dynamic addition to any deck focusing on removal abilities. Its innate capacity to disrupt your opponent’s board setup by targeting creatures with lethal precision makes it particularly effective in control and black-centric strategies.

Combo Potential: Due to its “Intimidate” ability, this creature offers synergies with decks that capitalize on evasion mechanics. Moreover, its targeted creature removal can set the stage for various combo plays, clearing the way for your attacks or other card interactions that may require an open battlefield.

Meta-Relevance: If Angels or other powerful non-Angel creatures dominate the current meta, Halo Hunter presents itself as an adept countermeasure. The ability to directly remove key threats upon entering the battlefield can significantly shift the tide of the game in your favor, making it a prudent choice when such creatures are prevalent in competitive play.

How to beat Halo Hunter

Halo Hunter, a formidable creature card, presents a unique challenge in Magic: The Gathering due to its Intimidate ability and the destruction of target Angel. Facing this card, players must adapt their strategies to mitigate its impact. Include creatures that are either colorless or share a color with Halo Hunter to block its attacks effectively, leveraging the limitations of the Intimidate ability.

Another efficient countermeasure is to use instant-speed removal spells. These spells can be cast in response to the card being played, thereby neutralizing the Halo Hunter before it can capitalize on its abilities. Cards with the capability to exile creatures from the battlefield can be particularly valuable in this scenario, as they ensure Halo Hunter is dealt with permanently, preventing it from being resurrected or reused later in the game.

In summary, to counteract Halo Hunter’s potential game-swinging abilities, players should focus on maintaining a versatile and responsive defense. Utilizing creatures that can block its attacks and retaining instant-speed removal or exile spells in hand can significantly diminish the threat posed by this powerful creature card.

Cards like Halo Hunter

Halo Hunter enters the realm of Magic: The Gathering as a unique, specialized creature card. Its closest relatives in terms of function might be cards like Nekrataal or Shriekmaw, which similarly offer removal abilities upon entering the battlefield. However, what gives Halo Hunter its niche is its Intimidate ability, making it less vulnerable to opponents’ creatures, and its explicit targeting of Angels. Nekrataal, while not restrained by the type of creature it can destroy, lacks the evasion provided by Intimidate and is restricted to nonartifact, nonblack creatures.

Shadowborn Demon offers another point of comparison. It too can serve as creature removal, destroying a non-Demon upon entering the battlefield. While it does share a common creature type with Halo Hunter, Shadowborn Demon requires a sacrifice if there aren’t enough creature cards in the graveyard, whereas Halo Hunter’s drawback is specific to its Angel-targeting nature.

Consideration of these similar cards illuminates Halo Hunter as a card that might not shine in every MTG deck but can become a remarkable inclusion when facing decks where Angels are prominent. Its unique blend of aggressive stats, Intimidate, and targeted removal make it a card that, in the right circumstances, can turn the tide of battle against celestial-themed strategies.

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

Predatory Nightstalker - MTG Card versions

Wei Elite Companions - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Halo Hunter MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar, 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 Halo Hunter and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Halo Hunter has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2009-10-01	Halo Hunter’s triggered ability isn’t optional. When it enters the battlefield, if you’re the only player that controls an Angel, you’ll have to target an Angel you control.
2009-10-01	If an attacking creature has intimidate, what colors it is matters only as the defending player declares blockers. Once it’s blocked, changing its colors won’t change that.
2009-10-01	Intimidate looks at the current colors of a creature that has it. Normally, Halo Hunter can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures. If it’s turned white, then it can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or white creatures.