Hungry Lynx MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Cat
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. The Hungry Lynx excels at increasing your creature count and enhancing battlefield presence via Cat token generation.
  2. Its ability to bolster cats and disrupt with instant speed protection provides a significant strategic edge.
  3. Despite mana casting limitations, the Lynx offers combo potential and dynamic play in specific MTG decks.

Text of card

Cats you control have protection from Rats. (They can't be blocked, targeted, or dealt damage by Rats.) At the beginning of your end step, target opponent creates a 1/1 black Rat creature token with deathtouch. Whenever a Rat dies, put a +1/+1 counter on each Cat you control.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While the Hungry Lynx doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, it does create a strategic advantage by generating Cat tokens each time a Rat is destroyed. This can potentially outnumber your opponent with creatures and increase your presence on the battlefield.

Resource Acceleration: The Hungry Lynx provides a unique form of acceleration. As your Cat army grows, you gain an indirect boost in resources by having more creatures to leverage for various effects and synergies in a game, which can translate into a formidable board state quickly.

Instant Speed: Hungry Lynx operates at the speed of the game’s natural progression, but its passive ability to protect and buff your Cats can disrupt your opponent’s plans as effectively as if it were an instant. Every Cat that becomes a target of a spell or ability gets stronger, thus turning your opponent’s actions to your advantage on the fly.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Having the Hungry Lynx in your deck doesn’t come with a specific discard requirement, but the need to manage your hand carefully to benefit from its abilities is implicit. This could force you to make tough decisions about resource allocation, especially in games where card advantage is crucial.

Specific Mana Cost: Hungry Lynx requires one green mana to cast, which may restrict it to green-centered or multicolor decks that can reliably provide this type of mana. This can be a hindrance in formats where mana flexibility is key to a deck’s success.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While its cost is not exorbitant, two mana for a 2/2 creature may not be the most efficient rate, especially when competing against other two-drops that might offer immediate board impact or stronger synergies within your deck.


Reasons to Include Hungry Lynx in Your Collection

Versatility: Hungry Lynx is a card that offers dynamic gameplay, easily finding a place in cat tribal decks or those looking for unique creature interactions. Its ability to protect cats and disrupt opponents with rats fits multiple play styles and themes.

Combo Potential: This cat not only confers benefits to feline friends on the battlefield but can also set the stage for potent combos. Utilize the growing rat population it creates to fuel various sacrifice or death-triggered mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors aggressive creature strategies, Hungry Lynx can serve as a valuable asset. It keeps your cats safe while supplying a steady stream of creatures that can be leveraged for tactical advantages, staying relevant in constantly evolving game environments.


How to beat

The Hungry Lynx is a crafty card to face in MTG, offering players not just a creature but an array of favorable board conditions. Known for shielding your cats from harm by making them untargetable by rats, and increasing their strength with each rat demise, it’s a challenge to combat directly. However, there are strategies to counter this feline advantage.

One efficient approach is to limit the proliferation of rat tokens, thereby curbing the Lynx’s ability to empower other cats. Board wipes that remove all creatures from the battlefield, such as “Wrath of God” or “Damnation”, can reset the board and reduce the Lynx’s impact. Spot removals like “Fatal Push” or “Path to Exile” can directly target the Lynx before the situation gets out of hand. Moreover, utilizing cards that prevent counter placing, like “Solemnity”, can effectively neutralize the Lynx’s growth mechanic.

Tactically, outmaneuvering the Hungry Lynx requires anticipation of your opponent’s moves and disrupting their strategy before it unfolds. By undermining the Lynx’s potency through board control and timely removal, you can neutralize this seemingly insurmountable threat and maintain an edge in your MTG matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

The Hungry Lynx is a unique addition to any MTG player’s arsenal, adept at bending the battlefield to its will. Its ability to generate cat tokens and turn your opponent’s rats into a source of power for your feline forces adds a clever twist to gameplay. For those considering new strategies or enhancing a cat-themed deck, this card offers a wealth of possibilities. Pairing it with cards that capitalize on token generation or looking for ways to exploit its protective nature can set you ahead of the curve. Dive deeper into tactical play and discover more about integrating the Hungry Lynx into your deck on our side. Let’s boost your strategic gameplay together.


Cards like Hungry Lynx

Hungry Lynx, a creature card from the popular trading card game, finds its identity among a unique range of similar cat-themed MTG cards. It is often compared to Pride Sovereign, which also expands the presence of cat tokens on the battlefield. Hungry Lynx takes it a step further by not only creating cat tokens but also by giving them protection from rats and increasing their power. This capability to boost and defend your tokens simultaneously gives Hungry Lynx an edge in matches where token creatures are pivotal.

Another notable comparison is with Qasali Pridemage. While Pridemage doesn’t produce tokens, its ability to serve as removal by destroying artifacts or enchantments offers flexibility. Similarly, the Pridemage provides a passive power boost to other creatures. Adorned Pouncer, with its eternalize ability, can also be mentioned in the context of cat cards. Although not directly enhancing other creatures, it resurrects as a sizeable double-striking threat later in the game. Unlike Hungry Lynx, which helps shape the battlefield in your favor from early on.

In essence, within the vast compilation of cat cards in MTG, Hungry Lynx presents a valuable addition, particularly in decks built around creature synergies and token strategies. Its combination of offensive and defensive traits makes it more than just a conventional creature card.

Pride Sovereign - MTG Card versions
Qasali Pridemage - MTG Card versions
Adorned Pouncer - MTG Card versions
Pride Sovereign - MTG Card versions
Qasali Pridemage - MTG Card versions
Adorned Pouncer - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hungry Lynx MTG card by a specific set like Treasure Chest and Commander 2017, 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 Hungry Lynx and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Hungry Lynx Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2016-11-16 and 2017-08-25. Illustrated by Shreya Shetty.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12016-11-16Treasure ChestPZ2 657112015NormalBlackShreya Shetty
22017-08-25Commander 2017C17 312015NormalBlackShreya Shetty
32020-09-26The ListPLST C17-312015NormalBlackShreya Shetty

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hungry Lynx has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2017-08-25 Hungry Lynx’s last ability puts a +1/+1 counter on each Cat you control, including itself.
2017-08-25 If Hungry Lynx dies at the same time as a Rat, its ability triggers, but Hungry Lynx won't be on the battlefield as that ability resolves. It can’t be saved by the +1/+1 counter that would have been put on it. The same is true of any other Cats you control that die at the same time. Your remaining Cats will each get a +1/+1 counter.
2017-08-25 If a permanent has protection from Rats, it means four things: 1) Damage from a source that’s a Rat that would be dealt to that permanent is prevented. 2) Auras and Equipment that are somehow Rats can’t be attached to that permanent. 3) Rats can’t block that permanent. 4) That permanent can’t be the target of abilities of Rats or spells that are somehow Rats.
2017-08-25 Nothing other than the specified events is prevented or illegal. Hungry Lynx can’t block a Rat with the ability “This creature can’t be blocked,” for example.
2017-08-25 The opponent who creates the Rat token is the owner of that token.
2017-08-25 Tokens that are sacrificed or destroyed are put into their owner’s graveyard before ceasing to exist. If the token was a Rat, Hungry Lynx’s last ability will trigger.

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