Pale Recluse MTG Card
2009-04-30 - Number 74
2010-06-18 - Number 91
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 6 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Spider |
| Abilities | Cycling,Forestcycling,Plainscycling,Reach |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 5 |
Key Takeaways
- Cycling Pale Recluse fetches lands and offers card draw for consistent resource management.
- Instant speed cycling lets you adapt to gameplay, keeping strategies flexible.
- Deck thinning via Pale Recluse increases chances of drawing impactful non-land cards.
Text of card
Reach (This can block creatures with flying.) Forestcycling , plainscycling (, Discard this card: Search your library for a Forest or Plains card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Pale Recluse’s ability to be cycled from your hand offers a subtle but effective form of card advantage. By cycling it, you not only draw a new card but also can fetch a land directly onto the battlefield, setting you up for future plays.
Resource Acceleration: The landcycling ability of Pale Recluse accelerates your mana resources as it allows you to search for a Plains or Forest card. This effectively thins your deck, increasing the chances of drawing non-land cards in subsequent turns and ensures you don’t miss crucial land drops.
Instant Speed: Cycling Pale Recluse can be done at instant speed, giving you the flexibility to react to the game’s current state. You can hold back and cycle it during your opponent’s turn if no immediate threats require your attention, keeping your options open while adapting to the flow of the game.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Playing Pale Recluse outside of its cycling ability necessitates two specific types of mana (one green and one white), which may not be easily accessible for all deck types, potentially restricting its inclusion only to decks that can reliably produce both colors.
Specific Mana Cost: With a demanding mana cost that includes double generic mana, Pale Recluse can be challenging to cast in the early game, especially in a multicolored deck competing for diverse mana requirements.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At six mana – two of which are color-specific – to field the Pale Recluse, some players might find it less appealing compared to other creatures or cards with lower casting costs that offer immediate board impact or come with advantageous abilities.
Reasons to Include Pale Recluse in Your Collection
Versatility: Pale Recluse can be a flexible addition to your deck with its ability to act as both a creature and a land. Thanks to its forestcycling and plainscycling abilities, it can help fix your mana early on or serve as a formidable threat in the later stages of the game.
Combo Potential: Decks that capitalize on cycling or card types in the graveyard can utilize Pale Recluse’s cycling ability to trigger various effects or fill the graveyard for delve or threshold bonuses.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where land destruction or nonbasic land hate is prevalent, having an adaptable card that ensures land drops while also counting as a creature can be critical for maintaining board presence and momentum.
How to beat Pale Recluse
Pale Recluse is a versatile creature in Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to ramp up your mana with its forestcycling ability and for doubling as a formidable attacker or blocker with reach. Overcoming this arachnid requires a proactive approach. Similar to many creatures with keywords, removing it before it becomes an active threat is ideal. Spells that can bypass its reach, like Skywhaler’s Shot, or those that don’t target, such as Supreme Verdict, can efficiently deal with it.
Additionally, exploiting its forestcycling can be a double-edged sword for your opponent. Cards like Ashiok, Dream Render or Leyline of the Void can turn its key strength into a liability by interfering with the graveyard or searching mechanics. Remember, by anticipating when your opponent might lean on Pale Recluse for a mana fix or a defensive play, you can adjust your strategies accordingly. For instance, using graveyard hate cards can leave them at a mana disadvantage and prevent the spider from even hitting the field.
Ultimately, understanding the dual nature of Pale Recluse’s abilities will empower you to craft your gameplay strategy to effectively nullify its advantages and maintain control of the game.
Cards like Pale Recluse
When examining Pale Recluse within the panorama of MTG creatures, it offers an intriguing blend of reach, forestcycling, and plainscycling, providing both a defensive presence and land-searching versatility. Comparable to other cycling creatures like Twisted Abomination or Eternal Dragon, Pale Recluse allows players to fetch specific lands while also serving as a potent blocker against flying threats. Unlike Twisted Abomination, which provides a swampcycling option, Pale Recluse can search for either a Forest or Plains card, granting a greater range of mana fixing especially beneficial in multicolored decks.
Moreover, Shard Convergence is also akin to Pale Recluse in its capacity to mana fix, although it lacks the ability to be cast as a creature. On the creature side, Krosan Tusker shares some similarities with its cycling ability that also draws a card, making it a valuable cycle-and-draw creature option. Yet, Pale Recluse stands out with its lower cycling cost and the specific land type search which can be pivotal during the game. These comparisons showcase the Recluse’s flexibility and multi-faceted role within a deck’s strategy.
Evaluating these creatures and spells in the scope of gameplay options, Pale Recluse’s utility in fetching key lands while also being a formidable defender makes it a worthy contender in decks seeking to optimize mana stability and board control.
Cards similar to Pale Recluse by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Pale Recluse MTG card by a specific set like Alara Reborn and Archenemy, 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 Pale Recluse and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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 Pale Recluse Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2009-04-30 and 2010-06-18. Illustrated by Cyril Van Der Haegen.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009-04-30 | Alara Reborn | ARB | 74 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen | |
| 2 | 2010-06-18 | Archenemy | ARC | 91 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Pale Recluse has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Pale Recluse card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-05-01 | A landcycling ability lets you search for any card in your library with the stated land type. It doesn’t have to be a basic land. |
| 2009-05-01 | Landcycling is a form of cycling. Any ability that triggers on a card being cycled also triggers on a card being landcycled. Any ability that stops a cycling ability from being activated also stops a landcycling ability from being activated. |
| 2009-05-01 | Unlike the normal cycling ability, landcycling doesn’t allow you to draw a card. Instead, it lets you search your library for a land card of the specified land type, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library. |
| 2009-05-01 | You can choose to find any card with the appropriate land type, including nonbasic lands. You can also choose not to find a card, even if there is a land card with the appropriate type in your library. |
| 2009-05-01 | You may only activate one landcycling ability at a time. You must specify which landcycling ability you are activating as you cycle this card, not as the ability resolves. |
