Vulpikeet MTG Card
2020-04-24 - Number 37
2020-04-24 - Number 282
2002-06-24 - Number 80973
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Fox Bird |
| Abilities | Flying,Mutate |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 3 |
Key Takeaways
- Mutate onto others for card advantage and strategic graveyard resource management.
- Instant speed mutations allow for unexpected combat tricks and adaptive strategies.
- It’s a flying creature adding an aerial dimension to your battlefield presence.
Text of card
Mutate (If you cast this spell for its mutate cost, put it over or under target non-Human creature you own. They mutate into the creature on top plus all abilities from under it.) Flying Whenever this creature mutates, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: When you mutate Vulpikeet onto another creature, you get the benefit of possibly moving a card from your graveyard back to your hand. This capacity to regain resources from the graveyard not only adds to your card advantage but also recycles key pieces of your strategy, keeping the pressure on your opponents.
Resource Acceleration: Vulpikeet offers a unique kind of acceleration; it doesn’t produce mana or tokens, but by enhancing a creature’s power and toughness, it accelerates the damage you can deliver to your opponent. Since it also has flying, the creature you mutate onto becomes an immediate aerial threat, potentially speeding up your victory.
Instant Speed: While Vulpikeet itself isn’t an instant, it benefits from the mutate ability which can be activated at instant speed, assuming you have another creature with flash or if you’re mutating in response to another spell or ability. This flexibility enables surprising combat tricks and adaptive plays that can catch an opponent off guard and turn the tide of a match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Vulpikeet might not ask for a card to be discarded, it is a factor to consider in its mutate ability if you lack creatures on the field to mutate onto, essentially removing a creature from your hand without the additional benefits of mutation.
Specific Mana Cost: Vulpikeet’s mana cost includes white mana, which means it’s specifically tailored for decks that can produce white mana. This can restrict its inclusion only to certain deck types, often limiting its versatility across the broader MTG landscape.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost for Vulpikeet stands at a total of four mana, including three generic and one white mana. For this amount, players might expect a creature with higher impact or an additional ability beyond just flying. Other cards with lower mana costs might provide a better cost-to-effect ratio, offering similar or better benefits without the heavy mana investment.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Vulpikeet can seamlessly adapt to various deck themes, particularly those in need of flying creatures or looking to exploit mutate mechanics. Its ability to boost other creatures makes it a flexible addition to any collection.
Combo Potential: The mutate ability of Vulpikeet opens the door for numerous combinations, allowing players to stack abilities on top of one another, potentially creating powerful creatures that can take over a game.
Meta-Relevance: As gameplay evolves, a card like Vulpikeet maintains its significance by fitting into decks that capitalize on the mutate mechanic, thus constant in its relevance to the current strategies dominating the play environment.
How to beat
Vulpikeet enters the battlefield with an ambience of sheer potential, showcasing its prowess as a mutate creature in the vivid MTG landscape. It aligns with creatures like Exuberant Wolfbear, which also embraces the mutate mechanic, allowing players to stack abilities and power on their creatures for a dynamic combat advantage. However, Vulpikeet distinguishes itself with its ability to deliver a spike of power and toughness to another creature while flying above ground threats.
To successfully navigate around Vulpikeet’s buffing presence, a keen focus on removal spells becomes a pivotal strategy. Deftly set a snare with a card like Heartless Act or pacify it with Pacifism, ensuring the creature doesn’t mutate into a larger problem. Similarly, keeping an Essence Scatter on hand for when your opponent attempts to mutate can nullify the threat before it transforms. It’s about timing and anticipation, sidestepping the incremental gains that Vulpikeet promises its wielder.
In essence, understanding Vulpikeet’s role within the MTG realm allows players to craft strategies centered around preemptive and responsive plays. By vitalizing your deck with thoughtful creature control and removal, you can mitigate the impact of Vulpikeet, decommissioning its synergy-driven menace and keeping the battlefield under your command.
Cards like Vulpikeet
Vulpikeet is an intriguing creature card in Magic: The Gathering, finding its niche within the mutate mechanic introduced in the Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths set. It’s often compared to cards like Dreamtail Heron or Migratory Greathorn for their mutate abilities. Dreamtail Heron offers the advantage of a flying creature with card draw upon mutation, while Vulpikeet focuses on bolstering a creature’s power and toughness through its mutate trigger.
Migratory Greathorn, on a similar note, allows for a land ramp, accelerating the player’s mana availability, which differs from Vulpikeet’s strategy of enhancing a creature’s physical attributes for a more aggressive board presence. Another mutate companion to consider is Pouncing Shoreshark. While this shark enters with a lower power level, it compensates with a control element—bouncing an opponent’s creature upon mutation, contrasting Vulpikeet’s straightforward power-increase approach.
Ultimately, Vulpikeet stands out within the mutating creatures of Magic: The Gathering for its potential to create a significant power swing, especially when timed correctly to outpace an opponent’s defenses or to achieve a game-winning blow.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Vulpikeet MTG card by a specific set like Magic Online Promos and Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, 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 Vulpikeet 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 Vulpikeet Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2020-04-24 and 2020-04-24. Illustrated by 2 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magic Online Promos | PRM | 80973 | 2015 | Mutate | Black | Justine Mara Andersen | ||
| 2 | 2020-04-24 | Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths | IKO | 37 | 2015 | Mutate | Black | Leesha Hannigan | |
| 3 | 2020-04-24 | Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths | IKO | 282 | 2015 | Mutate | Black | Justine Mara Andersen |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Vulpikeet has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
