Haunting Hymn MTG Card

Time Spiral (TSP)
2006-10-06 - Number 112

Iconic Masters (IMA)
2017-11-17 - Number 93

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Instant

Key Takeaways

Enhances strategy by depleting opponent resources, leading to favorable gameplay conditions.
Instant speed allows for flexible play, giving players significant tactical advantage.
Maintaining card advantage with Haunting Hymn bolsters control over the match’s tempo.

Text of card

Target player discards two cards. If you played this spell during your main phase, that player discards four cards instead.

The hymn's melody has persisted since Tourach's time, but the words changed to invoke the phobias of each listener.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Haunting Hymn enhances your strategic plays by allowing you to discard a significant number of cards from your opponent’s hand if you cast it after drawing your card for the turn, dwindling their resources while maintaining your own.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly impacting your mana pool, Haunting Hymn inadvertently accelerates your game plan by disrupting the opponent’s resources, making it harder for them to efficiently deploy their strategies and spells against you.

Instant Speed: The ability to cast Haunting Hymn at instant speed offers immense flexibility, allowing you to wait until your opponent’s end step to disturb their game plan, and it also gives you the advantage of acting with full information after they’ve committed to their plays for the turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Haunting Hymn necessitates discarding a card when you cast it if it’s not during your main phase. This can be particularly taxing when your hand is already dwindling, as it forces you to lose resources that could be essential for your gameplay strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: With its demand for both black and generic mana, Haunting Hymn’s mana cost is specific and may not seamlessly fit into multi-colored decks. This specificity could hinder your ability to cast it at a crucial moment if your mana base isn’t perfectly aligned.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Haunting Hymn requires six mana to play, which is a considerable investment, especially in faster-paced games. This cost is quite steep when compared to other disruption spells, potentially setting back your tempo and leaving you vulnerable to your opponent’s plays.

Reasons to Include Haunting Hymn in Your Collection

Versatility: Haunting Hymn offers a unique blend of hand disruption and instant-speed interaction, making it a flexible addition to decks that thrive on disrupting opponents. Its ability to be cast during the opponent’s upkeep adds a layer of strategic depth to gameplay.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with strategies that require your opponents to discard cards, potentially enhancing archetypes that capitalize on their misfortune. Its impact is amplified in conjunction with other discard mechanisms, leading to significant swings in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where hand advantage is crucial, Haunting Hymn aligns well with formats that see a lot of hand sculpting or graveyard-based strategies. It can serve as a countermeasure to decks that rely heavily on specific cards or combos.

How to beat

The Haunting Hymn card often emerges as a dark horse in the realm of hand disruption in MTG. This black instant spell brings surprise to the table, its primary function being to deprive opponents of invaluable resources by forcing the discard of four cards. When played during the main phase, it leaves a deeper impact, purging the entire hand if cast after drawing for the turn.

To effectively counter Haunting Hymn, a firm grasp on timing becomes a player’s best friend. Utilizing instant spells or abilities to draw or recycle cards in response to its casting can help recuperate from the potential loss. Moreover, deck archetypes rich in instant-speed reaction are less vulnerable, as they can keep their hand fluid and less susceptible to a blowout. Cards with Flashback or Jump-Start offer resilience, as they can be leveraged from the graveyard, dampening the sting of Haunting Hymn’s effect.

In essence, flexibility and strategic play are key in countering the disruptive force of Haunting Hymn. With proper anticipation and resource management, this seemingly formidable card can be rendered far less intimidating and even turned into an opportunity to capitalize on the forced discard it aims to inflict.

Cards like Haunting Hymn

Haunting Hymn makes a unique impact on Magic: The Gathering matches with its dual function of disrupting the opponent while replenishing your own hand. In terms of functionality, Mind Shatter is a feasible comparison. Though Mind Shatter lacks the replenishing aspect, it can devastate an opponent’s hand if timed correctly, similar to Haunting Hymn’s discard ability.

Another akin card is Mind Rot, a classic that forces the opponent to discard two cards. It’s a straightforward spell without the conditional upside of Haunting Hymn’s extra effect after the discard when played at instant speed. A more synergistic comparison might be Wrench Mind, which shares the discard theme but usually at a lower cost, albeit with some restrictions depending on your opponent’s deck composition.

While evaluating these similar cards, it’s evident that Haunting Hymn holds its ground as a noteworthy spell within its category. It offers the versatility of replenishing your hand while potentially leaving your opponent at a significant disadvantage—a powerful duality that sets it apart in strategic deck building.

Cards similar to Haunting Hymn by color, type and mana cost

Eyes of the Beholder - MTG Card versions

Topaz Dragon // Entropic Cloud - MTG Card versions

Merciless Repurposing - MTG Card versions

Tsabo's Decree - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)

Pull Under - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)

Dark Withering - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)

Public Execution - Conspiracy: Take the Crown (CN2)

Grip of Desolation - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)

Curtains' Call - Commander Masters (CMM)

Eyes of the Beholder - Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate (HBG)

Topaz Dragon // Entropic Cloud - Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate (CLB)

Merciless Repurposing - March of the Machine (MOM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Haunting Hymn MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and Iconic Masters, 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 Haunting Hymn and other MTG cards: