Knucklebone Witch MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	1
Rarity	Rare
Type	Creature — Goblin Shaman
Released	2007-10-12
Set symbol
Set name	Lorwyn
Set code	LRW
Power	1
Toughness	1
Number	120
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Jim Pavelec

Key Takeaways

Knucklebone Witch capitalizes on fallen Goblin creatures, enhancing its power and challenging opponents.
Integrates well with Goblin synergy, enabling rapid escalation of board presence for aggressive strategies.
Triggers during either player’s turn, providing flexibility and unexpected power boosts.

Text of card

Whenever a Goblin you control is put into a graveyard from play, you may put a +1/+1 counter on Knucklebone Witch.

Each bone honors its owner's best pranks.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Knucklebone Witch becomes more powerful with each goblin that hits your graveyard, effectively turning every fallen ally into a boon for this one-drop powerhouse. This creates a form of card advantage because it pressures your opponent to deal with this growing threat.

Resource Acceleration: While Knucklebone Witch itself does not directly increase your mana, it synergizes exceedingly well with goblin decks known for their swarming capabilities and speed. By investing in this card early on, players can rapidly escalate their board presence.

Instant Speed: Although Knucklebone Witch is a creature and not cast at instant speed, its ability triggers whenever a goblin is put into the graveyard from play. This can happen at any time, including during your opponent’s turn, unexpectedly changing the dynamics of the game and giving you an advantage.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Knucklebone Witch’s utility relies heavily on you sacrificing Goblin creatures, which can deplete your board presence. This potentially puts you at a disadvantage if your opponent is aiming to control the board.

Specific Mana Cost: Knucklebone Witch requires black mana, which dictates its place in decks that can produce such mana. This limitation can restrict deck-building options and might not fit in multicolored decks without sufficient mana fixing.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Knucklebone Witch’s mana cost is not excessively high, there are instances where one mana can make a significant difference in gameplay tempo. In a fast-paced meta, even a one-mana creature can compete with more mana-efficient alternatives that offer similar or greater impact on the game’s early stages.

Reasons to Include Knucklebone Witch in Your Collection

Versatility: Knucklebone Witch is a card with flexibility built in. Its ability to grow stronger whenever a Goblin you control dies allows it to adapt and thrive in various Goblin-themed decks or in builds that capitalize on creature sacrifice.

Combo Potential: As part of a synergistic combination, this card shines when paired with strategies that make extensive use of the graveyard or that involve sacrificing creatures for greater benefits, generating significant value over the course of a game.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where aggressive strategies prevail, Knucklebone Witch can hold its ground by increasing the threat it poses each time a fellow Goblin meets its end, making it a dynamic player in games where creature-based tactics are at the forefront.

How to beat Knucklebone Witch

Knucklebone Witch presents a unique challenge for MTG players, standing as a key piece in many Goblin deck variants. This clever Goblin Shaman grows stronger with each fellow Goblin that dies, turning the loss of your creatures into her gain. To effectively counter this strategy, you need to understand the importance of timing your removal spells and managing the battlefield.

Employ removal spells that can exile Knucklebone Witch, bypassing her ability to benefit from Goblin sacrifices. Cards like Path to Exile or Declaration in Stone handle this task efficiently. Aim to neutralize her before she can accumulate too many +1/+1 counters and become a serious threat. Board wipes are also highly effective since they can clear multiple Goblins at once, leaving her with no advantage to gain.

Another tactic is to control the pace at which Goblins enter and leave the battlefield. With the likes of Tocatli Honor Guard or Hushbringer, you can suppress the abilities of Knucklebone Witch, as well as other Goblins with enter-the-battlefield or death triggers. By understanding these strategies, you can dismantle the synergies around Knucklebone Witch, mitigating her impact on the game.

Cards like Knucklebone Witch

Knucklebone Witch plays a pivotal role for MTG players who delve into the realm of Goblin tribal themes. It shares the stage with other powerful Goblin-centric cards such as Skirk Prospector, offering a robust strategy to the red mana aficionado. Skirk Prospector allows for the sacrifice of Goblins to generate red mana, providing fuel for spells and abilities. In contrast, Knucklebone Witch does not aid mana generation, but it does grow stronger for every Goblin that meets its demise, making it a potent threat over time.

Another related card is Boggart Shenanigans, which also exploits the death of Goblins to deal damage to opponents, weaving a tapestry of aggression and attrition. While not bolstering your creatures as the Witch does, it provides a different kind of payoff for your creatures’ sacrifices. Then there’s Mogg War Marshal, which employs a different aspect of Goblin synergy by creating additional Goblin tokens upon entry and exit from the battlefield. Although it doesn’t amplify other Goblins’ power directly, it multiplies the tribe’s presence, thereby indirectly maximizing the Witch’s potential growth.

From mana acceleration to creature strength augmentation and indirect tribal benefits, each card holds a unique position within the MTG Goblin-themed arsenal, with Knucklebone Witch standing as a testament to the increasing danger of an unchecked goblin horde.

Cards similar to Knucklebone Witch by color, type and mana cost

Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions

Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions

Champion of the Perished - MTG Card versions

Nezumi Shadow-Watcher - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Knucklebone Witch MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn, 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 Knucklebone Witch and other MTG cards: