Hand of the Praetors MTG Card


Hand of the Praetors - Scars of Mirrodin
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Phyrexian Zombie
Abilities Infect
Released2010-10-01
Set symbol
Set nameScars of Mirrodin
Set codeSOM
Power 3
Toughness 2
Number66
Frame2003
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byIzzy

Key Takeaways

  1. Enhances infect strategies by doling out poison counters as you play creatures.
  2. Indirectly accelerates game end through synergistic creature boosts.
  3. Increases the potency of instant-speed removal in your deck.

Text of card

Infect (This creature deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters and to players in the form of poison counters.) Other creatures you control with infect get +1/+1. Whenever you cast a creature spell with infect, target player gets a poison counter.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Hand of the Praetors is highly capable of yielding card advantage. Each time you summon another creature with the infect ability, its ability allows you to give an opponent a poison counter, effectively whittling down their life total without needing to attack. Additionally, the inevitability of poison counters means your opponents must deal with each infect creature you play, potentially draining their resources.

Resource Acceleration: While Hand of the Praetors doesn’t directly accelerate your resources in the traditional sense, its synergetic boost to other infect creatures can act as a form of indirect resource acceleration. Strengthening your board presence quickly puts pressure on your opponents and can accelerate the game’s conclusion in your favor.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant itself, Hand of the Praetors increases the threat level of instant-speed removal and tricks in your pool. With each creature posing a significant risk due to increased infect damage, your opponents may need to respond at instant speed more frequently, making your instant threats more potent.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Hand of the Praetors often requires careful hand management to ensure the card’s infect ability can be utilized effectively. If your hand is already depleted, you might not be able to leverage the card’s full potential.

Specific Mana Cost: This card requires two black mana to cast, which may confine it to mono-black or dual-colored decks that can reliably produce the necessary mana without compromising the deck’s overall mana base consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of four mana, including two color-specific mana, Hand of the Praetors might be considered a significant investment, especially when other creatures or spells at this cost can have an immediate board presence or impact.


Reasons to Include Hand of the Praetors in Your Collection

Versatility: Hand of the Praetors can be incorporated into numerous deck strategies, particularly those that revolve around the proliferate mechanic or Infect theme. Its ability to grant your creatures infect makes it a dynamic addition to any aggressive or combo-driven deck.

Combo Potential: This card is notorious for its synergy with other infect creatures, potentially leading to quick wins. When you play other creatures with infect, Hand of the Praetors gives your opponents poison counters, a strategy that can bypass traditional life totals.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where decks are teeming with creatures, Hand of the Praetors becomes increasingly imperative. Its relevance grows as it turns any creature into a vital threat that aligns with current strategies that focus on overwhelming opponents with unblockable or hard-to-respond-to threats.


How to beat

Hand of the Praetors is a notorious creature within the MTG realm that can be quite a challenge to tackle. This infect-based card, when combined with a swarm of other infect creatures, can lead to a rapid victory for the player utilizing it. The key to prevailing over Hand of the Praetors lies in prevention and removal. Disrupting the synergies that this card thrives on is crucial. Tactically countering creature spells or removing creatures before they can be enhanced by Hand of the Praetors’s passive ability can hinder an opponent’s strategy.

Utility spells that can exile, bounce, or permanently deal with creatures should be prioritized in decks facing this threat. Cards that can grant protection from black or prevent counters from being placed offer another layer of defense against the onslaught. Moreover, quick pressure on the opponent can detract from their ability to set up the board state they need to make Hand of the Praetors effective. Keeping the board clear and the pressure high are your best bets to defeat this potentially game-ending card.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the depths of MTG gameplay and strategy can be as intricate as it is thrilling, particularly with formidable cards like Hand of the Praetors. Balancing pros and cons, this card can turn the tide in an infect-centric deck and has the capacity to shape the flow of the game. If you’re intrigued by its synergistic nature and the potential to enhance your infect strategies, then adding Hand of the Praetors to your collection could be a game-changer. For those looking to fine-tune their decks or explore the infect mechanic further, we invite you to join us. Discover new combos, refine your deck, and seize control of your next match with strategic insights from seasoned players at BurnMana.


Cards like Hand of the Praetors

Hand of the Praetors is a potent option for players looking to enhance their Poison or Infect decks in Magic the Gathering. It shares the infectious qualities with cards like Plague Stinger, providing a way to deliver poison counters to opponents. Unlike Plague Stinger which has flying, Hand of the Praetors offers a different advantage by giving other Infect creatures you control a boost in power, and whenever you cast another creature spell with Infect, you can give an opponent a poison counter. This interaction is not present in the more straightforward Plague Stinger.

Another comparable card is Phyrexian Crusader. This card brings resilience to the table with protection from red and from white, and First Strike, differing from Hand of the Praetors’ ability to strengthen the Infect army overall. Crusader is focused more on individual card strength and defensive capabilities.

Assessing the synergy and impact in a dedicated Infect strategy, Hand of the Praetors emerges as a uniquely influential card. It doesn’t just carry the Infect ability but allows for a more aggressive play style by passively spreading poison counters with your creature spells, setting it apart from similar cards in the Infect archetype.

Plague Stinger - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Crusader - MTG Card versions
Plague Stinger - Wizards Play Network 2010 (PWP10)
Phyrexian Crusader - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Cards similar to Hand of the Praetors by color, type and mana cost

Hell's Caretaker - MTG Card versions
Rag Man - MTG Card versions
Phyrexian Debaser - MTG Card versions
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions
Slinking Skirge - MTG Card versions
Gravedigger - MTG Card versions
Scandalmonger - MTG Card versions
Urborg Shambler - MTG Card versions
Whispering Shade - MTG Card versions
Filth - MTG Card versions
Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions
Bold Plagiarist - MTG Card versions
Dirge Bat - MTG Card versions
Toxin Sliver - MTG Card versions
Vampiric Spirit - MTG Card versions
Nim Shambler - MTG Card versions
Bad Ass - MTG Card versions
Scourge of Numai - MTG Card versions
Deathgazer - MTG Card versions
Dirty Wererat - MTG Card versions
Hell's Caretaker - Chronicles (CHR)
Rag Man - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Phyrexian Debaser - Urza's Legacy (ULG)
Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Slinking Skirge - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Gravedigger - The List (PLST)
Scandalmonger - Mercadian Masques (MMQ)
Urborg Shambler - Invasion (INV)
Whispering Shade - Odyssey (ODY)
Filth - Judgment (JUD)
Demon of Catastrophes - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Bold Plagiarist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Dirge Bat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Toxin Sliver - Legions (LGN)
Vampiric Spirit - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Nim Shambler - Mirrodin (MRD)
Bad Ass - Unhinged (UNH)
Scourge of Numai - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Deathgazer - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Dirty Wererat - Hachette UK (PHUK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hand of the Praetors MTG card by a specific set like Scars of Mirrodin, 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 Hand of the Praetors and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hand of the Praetors has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2011-01-01 A player who has ten or more poison counters loses the game. This is a state-based action.
2011-01-01 Damage from a source with infect affects planeswalkers normally.
2011-01-01 Damage from a source with infect is damage in all respects. If the source with infect also has lifelink, damage dealt by that source also causes its controller to gain that much life. Damage from a source with infect can be prevented or redirected. Abilities that trigger on damage being dealt will trigger if a source with infect deals damage, if appropriate.
2011-01-01 If damage from a source with infect that would be dealt to a player is prevented, that player doesn’t get poison counters. If damage from a source with infect that would be dealt to a creature is prevented, that creature doesn’t get -1/-1 counters.
2011-01-01 Infect’s effect applies to any damage, not just combat damage.
2011-01-01 The -1/-1 counters remain on the creature indefinitely. They’re not removed if the creature regenerates or the turn ends.
2011-01-01 The last ability triggers only if Hand of the Praetors is already on the battlefield at the time you cast a creature spell with infect. Casting Hand of the Praetors itself will not cause its own last ability to trigger.
2011-01-01 Whenever you cast a creature spell with infect, Hand of the Praetors’s last ability triggers and goes on the stack on top of it. It will resolve before the creature spell does.

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