Howltooth Hollow MTG Card

Lorwyn (LRW)
2007-10-12 - Number 269

Howltooth Hollow - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)

Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
2019-12-02 - Number 438

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Rarity	Rare
Type	Land
Abilities	Hideaway

Key Takeaways

Grants card advantage by allowing a spell cast for no mana during late gameplay stages.
Facilitates instant surprises, as its activation is at instant speed, ideal for reactive strategies.
The card’s weakness lies in the requirement to empty your hand to unleash its benefit.

Text of card

Hideaway (This land comes into play tapped. When it does, look at the top four cards of your library, remove one from the game face down, then put the rest on the bottom of your library.) : Add to your mana pool. , : You may play the removed card without paying its mana cost if each player has no cards in hand.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Howltooth Hollow can set up a free spell casting down the line, effectively letting you bypass the one-card-per-turn limit. This capability can bolster your hand with additional options, giving you a strategic edge during the late game.

Resource Acceleration: The Hollow contributes to board development without spending mana the turn it’s put into play. The land enters the battlefield untapped if you have no cards in hand, meaning it can be used for mana right away, thus accelerating your resources immediately under the right conditions.

Instant Speed: Howltooth Hollow’s activated ability works at instant speed, allowing you to wait for the most opportune moment during your opponent’s turn to spring a surprise on them. This flexibility can be pivotal in turning the tide of a match when timed correctly.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Howltooth Hollow demands that you have no cards in hand to activate its ability. This can be a significant setback, especially if the game state requires you to maintain options and resources in order to respond to opponents’ threats or advance your own strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Although the land itself does not require a specific mana to activate, the cards you would likely include to make the card’s ability more effective can denote a specific mana cost, potentially limiting deck-building options and requiring a more dedicated deck structure to ensure consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Securing Howltooth Hollow’s condition of an empty hand can indirectly contribute to a high mana cost scenario. To effectively use this card, you may need to cast your other spells more quickly or use additional cards to discard your hand, which can inhibit your tempo and reduce the efficiency of your mana usage throughout the game.

Reasons to Include Howltooth Hollow in Your Collection

Versatility: Howltooth Hollow provides a unique ability to set aside a card for later use, making it versatile in controlling decks or others looking for delayed gratification.

Combo Potential: This land works well with strategies focusing on emptying each player’s hand, enabling effective use with cards meant to disrupt opponents’ hands while setting up for a free spell.

Meta-Relevance: With a rise in control or combo decks, Howltooth Hollow can become a secret weapon, potentially providing an advantage without taking up valuable spell slots in your deck.

How to Beat Howltooth Hollow

Unraveling the mystery of Howltooth Hollow in your MTG battle requires strategic thinking and a well-timed approach. This unique land card offers an opportunity to play a spell without paying its mana cost, but only under the right conditions. Having a plan to disrupt this advantage can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

To efficiently counter Howltooth Hollow, one must prevent the opponent from emptying their hand, as the card’s ability hinges on both players having no cards in hand. Utilize instant-speed spells or abilities to refill your hand, thus negating the Hollow’s triggered ability. Keeping card advantage ensures Howltooth Hollow remains dormant. Alternatively, you could employ land destruction or strategies that directly remove non-basic lands, stripping your opponent of the Hollow’s potential power. Cards like Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin can target and deal with Howltooth Hollow before it becomes a game-changing threat.

Remember, maintaining control over card flow and board state will go a long way in mitigating the strategic depths that Howltooth Hollow brings to the game, keeping your opponent’s advantages in check and setting you on a path to triumph.

Cards like Howltooth Hollow

Howltooth Hollow stands out in MTG as an intriguing land card with a unique ability. Its closest relatives are lands that also provide utility beyond simply mana generation. For example, Mosswort Bridge offers a similar hideaway mechanic, where players may exile a card with a certain requirement and then play that card for a reduced cost later on. While Howltooth Hollow requires your hand to be empty to activate and bring a creature onto the battlefield, Mosswort Bridge has a condition tied to the total power of creatures you control.

Another card to consider is Windbrisk Heights, which also employs the hideaway mechanic but caters to players utilizing a creature swarm strategy. It allows the casting of the exiled card after attacking with three or more creatures, contrasting with Howltooth Hollow’s hand-size condition. Shelldock Isle is another family member, aiming at the blue mana strategists, and looks at library size as its hideaway trigger condition, offering a spell cast for one mana when an opponent has 20 or fewer cards in their library.

Analyzing these comparisons, it’s clear that Howltooth Hollow fits into a niche set of strategies where ensuring an empty hand can turn the tide of battle, setting it apart from its hideaway kin that require different board states for activation.

Cards similar to Howltooth Hollow by color, type and mana cost

Volrath's Stronghold - MTG Card versions

Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt - MTG Card versions

Takenuma, Abandoned Mire - MTG Card versions

Desert of the Glorified - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Howltooth Hollow MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn and Secret Lair Drop, 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 Howltooth Hollow and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Howltooth Hollow Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2007-10-12 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 2 different artists.