Sickle Dancer MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Warrior |
| Released | 2018-06-08 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Battlebond |
| Set code | BBD |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 50 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | normal |
| Border | black |
| Illustred by | Steve Argyle |
Key Takeaways
- Grants card advantage by weakening opponents’ creatures while enhancing your battlefield.
- Instant speed play allows for unexpected plays and strategic advantage during combat.
- Flexibility in decks, great for aggressive strategies, and has strong combo potential.
Text of card
Whenever Sickle Dancer attacks, if your team controls another Warrior, Sickle Dancer gets +1/+1 until end of turn.
"I lead, destruction follows."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Sickle Dancer offers a unique approach to card advantage, allowing you to potentially weaken an opponent’s creature while adding a solid body to your battlefield presence.
Resource Acceleration: When included in a deck with resource acceleration strategies, Sickle Dancer can hit the board earlier than expected, outpacing the normal mana curve and applying pressure faster.
Instant Speed: The ability to deploy Sickle Dancer at instant speed gives players the flexibility to react to an opponent’s actions, making it a strategic surprise during combat or at the end of an opponent’s turn.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: One of the drawbacks tied to Sickle Dancer lies in its discard condition. Activating key abilities means you’ll have to part with a card in hand, a scenario that could set you back if your hand size is dwindling.
Specific Mana Cost: Sickle Dancer’s mana cost necessitates exact colors to cast, which could pose a challenge in multi-colored decks. This might limit its inclusion only to decks that can reliably produce black and green mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Sickle Dancer offers intriguing abilities, its mana cost is on the steep side when compared to other creatures in its class. Players might find that there are alternative creatures or spells that provide similar benefits for a lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Sickle Dancer operates as a flexible addition to a variety of decks, particularly those that thrive on aggressive strategies. Its Warrior tribe affiliation allows it to seamlessly integrate into Warrior tribal decks, augmenting the synergies already present.
Combo Potential: This card’s prowess in combat, especially when paired with cards that buff Warriors or grant relevant keywords, can be a game-changer. Its ability to potentially grow stronger every combat phase makes it a formidable option for decks focused on snowballing battlefield presence.
Meta-Relevance: Given its low mana cost and scaling attack power, Sickle Dancer can adapt well in a meta dominated by tempo plays. In environments where maintaining board presence and quickly dispatching threats is key, Sickle Dancer shines as a cost-effective creature option.
How to beat
Sickle Dancer is an intriguing card that can pose a challenge in MTG matchups. This warrior creature shines in scenarios where it can leverage its power-boosting ability. To effectively counter it, consider utilizing removal spells that can target it before the power boost becomes a significant threat. Instant-speed interaction is key, allowing you to respond to the activation of its ability or to prevent a potentially fatal attack.
Board control spells are also an efficient way to manage the presence of Sickle Dancer on the battlefield. Wraths or mass removal can reset the playing field, negating the accumulated advantages that Sickle Dancer may have provided to your opponent. It’s essential to strategize your plays to prevent Sickle Dancer from becoming a major threat. Direct damage spells, targeted exile effects, or spells that reduce its strength are all solid tactics to consider.
Ultimately, understanding the timing and knowing when to act against Sickle Dancer can mean the difference between victory and defeat. By maintaining control and keeping up the pressure with strategic plays, you can ensure that Sickle Dancer is just another stepping stone on your path to winning in MTG.
Cards like Sickle Dancer
Sickle Dancer is an intriguing creature card in Magic: The Gathering, taking its place among the many warriors of the game. When considering its core abilities, Sickle Dancer can draw comparisons with cards like Ainok Bond-Kin. Both cards share the warrior creature type and have an impact on combat, with Ainok Bond-Kin granting other creatures with +1/+1 counters first strike. Sickle Dancer, however, offers a different kind of advantage by potentially growing stronger each time you cast a noncreature spell.
Another card worth comparing is the Fiery Mantle. This enchantment similarly rewards you for playing noncreature spells by providing an increase in power, albeit the effect is temporary. Unlike Fiery Mantle, Sickle Dancer boasts the potential for permanent growth, making it a formidable presence over time. Additionally, we find Satyr Hoplite, a card that grows with each spell targeting it, thus embracing the heroic mechanic. While similar in this respect, Sickle Dancer does not require targeting, thus enabling a broader synergy with your deck’s spellcasting.
In summary, Sickle Dancer’s ability to steadily accumulate power offers MTG players a unique tactical edge, situating it as a distinct choice for those looking to leverage spells to build a strong offensive warrior on the battlefield.
Cards similar to Sickle Dancer by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Sickle Dancer MTG card by a specific set like Battlebond, 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 Sickle Dancer 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 Magic products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Sickle Dancer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Sickle Dancer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2018-06-08 | Whether your team controls another Warrior is checked as Sickle Dancer’s triggered ability triggers and again as it resolves. Once it gets +1/+1 this way, it won’t lose it, even if your team loses its other Warriors. |
