Skittering Heartstopper MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Insect |
| Released | 2017-09-29 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Ixalan |
| Set code | XLN |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 122 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Aaron Miller |
Key Takeaways
- Its activated instant-speed deathtouch makes Skittering Heartstopper a surprising and versatile board control tool.
- The low cost and flexibility of Skittering Heartstopper fit well into diverse deck types, enhancing strategy.
- Understanding meta-game trends helps players leverage Skittering Heartstopper against prevalent creature-heavy decks.
Text of card
: Skittering Heartstopper gains deathtouch until end of turn.
It flows like water over the forest floor, as deadly as the swiftest current.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Skittering Heartstopper may not directly provide card advantage, but its lethal ability ensures that it can act as a removal for any threatening creature, leveling the playing field and indirectly influencing card advantage.
Resource Acceleration: While Skittering Heartstopper isn’t a direct source of resource acceleration, its low mana cost means it can fit into the curve easily, allowing for a seamless development of your board state while saving resources for other strategic plays.
Instant Speed: The Heartstopper’s activated ability can be used at instant speed, giving you the element of surprise against opponents’ creatures. This flexibility allows you to make crucial decisions on the fly, maintaining a dynamic control over the battlefield.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Given that Skittering Heartstopper requires a black mana to activate its deathtouch ability, it can put a strain on your mana resources, especially if you’re running a multicolor deck and need to manage your mana base carefully.
Specific Mana Cost: The card’s single black mana cost for its casting does tie you into a specific color from the get-go, which means in a non-monoblack deck, there could be scenarios where you’re unable to play it as early as you’d like due to mana constraints.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although costing only one black mana, the ongoing cost to activate its deathtouch can be taxing over the course of a game. As MTG offers a wide array of one-drop creatures, the efficiency of Skittering Heartstopper’s deathtouch ability is often under scrutiny when considering the potential for more impactful plays with the same mana investment.
Reasons to Include Skittering Heartstopper in Your Collection
Versatility: Skittering Heartstopper offers flexibility in deck building, able to hold its own in both aggressive and control-oriented decks. As a one-mana creature with deathtouch, it can be a valuable early defensive option or a threatening attacker.
Combo Potential: This sneaky insect has great synergy with cards that capitalize on death triggers or creature sacrifices. Its ability to gain deathtouch for a single black mana can turn it into an immediate board threat, combining well with effects that require dealing damage to creatures.
Meta-Relevance: In a game filled with formidable creatures, Skittering Heartstopper’s deathtouch ability makes it relevant, especially when the meta favors creature-heavy decks. It can serve as an affordable tool for dealing with larger threats, making it a tactical addition to your collection.
How to beat
When facing Skittering Heartstopper in an MTG match, it’s crucial to understand its strengths and weaknesses. This small creature might seem inconsequential at first glance but can become a thorn in your side if left unchecked due to its ability to gain deathtouch for a single black mana. As such, a key strategy is to remove it before it can become a threat.
An effective way to handle Skittering Heartstopper is through spells that can exile or deal damage without targeting it specifically. Board clearance spells or abilities that affect multiple creatures, such as Sweltering Suns or Shatter the Sky, can bypass the deathtouch ability by not engaging it directly in combat. Alternatively, keeping instant speed removal in hand allows you to respond to the activation of its deathtouch ability, minimizing its impact on the game.
Prevention also plays a significant role. Deploying creatures with hexproof or indestructible can mitigate the risk posed by Skittering Heartstopper, rendering its deathtouch less effective. Understanding the set of tools at your disposal and when to use them is the key to outmaneuvering this potentially pesky creature and maintaining the upper hand in your MTG duels.
Cards like Skittering Heartstopper
In the shadowy corners of Magic: The Gathering, Skittering Heartstopper lurks with unique attributes among one-drop creatures. Like it, Typhoid Rats also offers us a one-mana creature with deathtouch, proving lethal to any blocker, regardless of size. However, Skittering Heartstopper comes with the flexibility to gain deathtouch only when necessary, potentially saving precious mana for other spells.
Comparisons can also be drawn to Vampire of the Dire Moon, another creature with deathtouch. Vampire of the Dire Moon brings additional value with lifelink, but at double the mana cost of Skittering Heartstopper, emphasizing budget friendliness and versatility in the latter. Foulmire Knight deserves mention too, having deathtouch and an adventure component, but it sits at a higher mana point for playing the creature itself.
Each card has a role to play in different MTG deck strategies, and while Skittering Heartstopper may appear simple, its strategic value lies in conserving mana and slipping deathtouch into play at a moment’s notice. Thus, it fits snugly into decks that prioritize speed and the element of surprise.
Cards similar to Skittering Heartstopper by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Skittering Heartstopper MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan, 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 Skittering Heartstopper 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Skittering Heartstopper 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 |
