Hissing Iguanar MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Lizard
Power 3
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Hissing Iguanar thrives in decks that frequently sacrifice creatures, turning losses into opponent damage.
  2. Its damage-dealing ability applies at any speed, adding a layer of unpredictability during gameplay.
  3. Though effective, its mana cost and reliance on creature deaths can limit its inclusion in diverse decks.

Text of card

Whenever another creature is put into a graveyard from play, you may have Hissing Iguanar deal 1 damage to target player.

Viashino thrashes keep iguanars as hunting companions, giving them wounded captives as playthings.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With its death-trigger ability, Hissing Iguanar can transform your creature losses into direct damage against opponents, essentially converting your battlefield casualties into potential game-changers. Each creature’s demise chips away at opponents’ life totals, keeping the pressure on without expending additional cards.

Resource Acceleration: Although not a direct source of mana acceleration, Hissing Iguanar can be a component in engine decks that exploit creature death for a benefit. Its persistent effect can accelerate your game plan by allowing you to use creatures as resources for both board presence and incremental damage, optimizing your plays.

Instant Speed: The Hissing Iguanar might not operate at instant speed itself, but its ability functions at any speed, including instant. This can create sudden shifts in the tide of battle as opponents might forget to account for the damage it deals when they trigger creature deaths on their own turns or during combat.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Hissing Iguanar’s ability doesn’t require a card to be discarded, its potential is heavily influenced by the need for creatures you control to die. If your deck can’t reliably feed this condition, it significantly reduces the card’s impact.

Specific Mana Cost: Hissing Iguanar demands a specific combination of mana to cast—one red and two generic. This requirement confines the card’s inclusion primarily to red or red-inclusive decks, limiting its versatility in multicolored formats.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana to summon, Hissing Iguanar’s effectiveness is debated when compared against other spells at similar mana points. Cards that offer immediate board presence or direct damage might provide a more significant advantage for the same cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Hissing Iguanar is a flexible card that can be inserted into various deck types. Its ability to deal damage whenever another creature dies makes it a solid inclusion in decks that have a sacrificing theme or naturally see a high turnover of creatures.

Combo Potential: This card excels in combinations with board-wide sacrifice effects or in decks that capitalize on creatures’ death. This allows for incremental damage that can significantly impact the game, turning each creature’s demise into direct damage to opponents.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where creature-heavy strategies are prevalent, Hissing Iguanar has the potential to be a continual source of damage. Its presence on the board can deter opponents from wiping the board due to the guaranteed damage they would incur, essentially acting as a deterrent and influencing opponents’ plays.


How to beat

Hissing Iguanar is a creature that delivers a ping to opponents whenever another creature you control dies. This can be daunting in decks that are heavy on creature sacrifice, amping up not only board presence but also inflicting consistent damage. The key to overcoming this reptilian nuisance is through removal spells that can bypass triggering its ability or to minimize effective targets for sacrificing.

Employ spot removal like Path to Exile or Fatal Push to handle the Iguanar before it becomes a larger problem. Enchantment-based removals such as Banishing Light can also effectively sideline this creature without triggering its ability. Another strategy is to limit the creature fodder. Board clears like Damnation can reset the board, cleanly dispatching the Iguanar along with other potential sacrifices, without the drip of damage dealt by its passive ability.

With these strategies in hand, maintaining control against a Hissing Iguanar can be achieved. It’s crucial to assess the board and determine the best moment to act, keeping your opponent’s potential sacrifices to a minimum and swiftly addressing the Iguanar to quiet its hiss. By doing so, you’ll keep your life total healthy and your opponent’s strategies at bay.


BurnMana Recommendations

The Hissing Iguanar’s potential to turn the tides in your favor cannot be overstated. As you strategize your next MTG session, consider how this card’s ability to chip away at your opponent’s life total with each creature’s demise could enhance your game plan. Whether it’s part of a sacrifice-focused deck or as a strategic piece alongside other damage-dealing cards, Hissing Iguanar could be the unexpected MVP. Are you ready to discover how the cunning reptile can bolster your arsenal? Dive deeper with us, and let’s unlock new strategies and synergies that will place you firmly above the competition. Your journey to dominance is just one click away.


Cards like Hissing Iguanar

Hissing Iguanar is an intriguing creature card in Magic: The Gathering, sharing a thematic lineage with cards like Blood Artist or Zulaport Cutthroat. These cards thrive on the strategy of leveraging creatures’ death to churn out incremental advantages. Hissing Iguanar, in particular, deals direct damage to each opponent whenever another creature dies, fitting perfectly into decks focused on sacrifice and attrition.

In contrast, Blood Artist offers a smaller frame but compensates by gaining you life in addition to dealing damage whenever a creature dies, not just your own. Meanwhile, Zulaport Cutthroat narrows the focus even further, triggering its effect only when your creatures die but providing the benefit of life gain to only you, not just any player.

While not as finely tuned in the life-gain department, Hissing Iguanar stands out by exploiting a wider range of creature deaths and impacts all opponents. It’s a solid addition in multiplayer scenarios where creatures are bound to perish in droves. By weighing the synergies and context of a game, Hissing Iguanar can be an integral piece in the complex puzzle of MTG creature-based strategies.

Blood Artist - MTG Card versions
Zulaport Cutthroat - MTG Card versions
Blood Artist - Avacyn Restored (AVR)
Zulaport Cutthroat - Battle for Zendikar (BFZ)

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hissing Iguanar MTG card by a specific set like Shards of Alara and Magic Online Theme Decks, 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 Hissing Iguanar and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Hissing Iguanar Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2008-10-03 and 2022-07-08. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12008-10-03Shards of AlaraALA 1042003normalblackBrandon Kitkouski
22010-11-08Magic Online Theme DecksTD0 A582003normalblackBrandon Kitkouski
32012-06-01Planechase 2012PC2 462003normalblackBrandon Kitkouski
42016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 462015normalblackBrandon Kitkouski
52018-12-07Ultimate MastersUMA 1342015normalblackZoltan Boros
62022-07-08Double Masters 20222X2 1132015normalblackBrandon Kitkouski

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hissing Iguanar has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Hissing Iguanar card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2018-12-07 If Hissing Iguanar dies at the same time as another creature, Hissing Iguanar’s ability triggers.

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