Kinscaer Harpoonist MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Kithkin Soldier
Abilities	Flying
Released	2008-05-02
Set symbol
Set name	Shadowmoor
Set code	SHM
Power	2
Toughness	2
Number	41
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Thomas M. Baxa

Key Takeaways

Offers card advantage by potentially removing crucial enemy creatures during combat situations.
Demands specific mana colors and a discard, which can restrict its adaptability in varied decks.
Stands out in meta relevance and competitive utility by curtailing opponent flyers’ effectiveness.

Text of card

Flying Whenever Kinscaer Harpoonist attacks, you may have target creature lose flying until end of turn.

The suspicious kithkin of Kinscaer patrol the skies, their eyes attuned to the shapes of outsiders.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kinscaer Harpoonist provides a strategic edge by potentially removing an opponent’s key creature from the battlefield. This can disrupt the opponent’s plays, leading to a more favorable board state for you.

Resource Acceleration: Although the Kinscaer Harpoonist itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, by controlling the board and removing blockers, it indirectly helps maintain tempo, allowing your creatures to connect more often and making it easier to leverage your available resources effectively.

Instant Speed: The ability of Kinscaer Harpoonist to be deployed at instant speed ensures that you can adapt to threats as they arise. You can surprise an unwary opponent by removing a creature during the combat phase or at the end of their turn, keeping them off balance and preserving the element of surprise in your strategic arsenal.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Kinscaer Harpoonist makes you discard a card when you activate its ability. This can be a setback, especially in a tight game where every card in hand counts.

Specific Mana Cost: The Harpoonist needs both blue and black mana to cast. Decks not running these colors will be unable to benefit from its unique abilities, limiting its flexibility in multi-color strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its casting cost, Kinscaer Harpoonist competes with other impactful cards in the same mana range. Consider whether its abilities are worth the slot in your deck compared to lower-cost options that could be played sooner or more impactful counterparts at the same cost.

Reasons to Include Kinscaer Harpoonist in Your Collection

Versatility: Kinscaer Harpoonist enhances a variety of blue based decks with its ability to disrupt flyers. This card offers utility by being a cheap creature to cast with flying defense.

Combo Potential: This card works well in decks that capitalize on flying creatures or cards that benefit from having a rogue in play, utilizing its tap ability to control the board and pave the way for your own aerial attacks.

Meta-Relevance: In a metagame teeming with flying threats, the Kinscaer Harpoonist can be a low-cost, high-impact answer, making it a valuable addition against decks that rely on such strategies.

How to Beat Kinscaer Harpoonist

Kinscaer Harpoonist is a creature card that offers players a tactical advantage by potentially tapping an opposing creature when it comes into play. This can disrupt an opponent’s strategies, especially if they rely on a key creature for offense or defense. To effectively counter this card, it’s important to minimize its impact upon entry. Utilizing instant-speed removal spells that can target the Harpoonist before its ability resolves can maintain your creature’s readiness for combat or other abilities.

Cards with flash are another solid strategy, allowing you to play spells or summon creatures on your opponent’s turn, thus sidestepping the temporary disadvantage the Harpoonist might impose. Alternatively, cards that grant your creatures hexproof or indestructibility can be invaluable, ensuring key pieces on your board remain unaffected by the Harpoonist’s ability. Lastly, don’t underestimate the value of simply playing a more aggressive game, removing the Harpoonist through combat or weakening your opponent’s defenses to the point where one tapped creature will not significantly hinder your strategy.

In essence, while Kinscaer Harpoonist can pose a minor inconvenience, several strategies exist within Magic the Gathering that can lessen or entirely negate its battlefield control ability, keeping you firmly in the game.

Cards like Kinscaer Harpoonist

Kinscaer Harpoonist carves out its niche in the realm of Magic: The Gathering as a creature card with a specialized ability. When compared to other flying creatures like Faerie Seer, the Harpoonist stands out due to its power enhancement when targeting a creature with flying. Faerie Seer, although it comes with a scry ability, doesn’t offer the same level of board influence during combat.

Stormfront Pegasus is another flyer that shares the two mana cost with Harpoonist but lacks any additional combat abilities. Where Kinscaer Harpoonist can potentially grow stronger against creatures with flying, Stormfront Pegasus offers consistent stats devoid of interaction-based power gains. Then we have Gust Walker, a ground creature with flying potential upon exertion. While it can temporarily gain flying, unlike the Harpoonist, it doesn’t have the persistent ability to control the skies by weakening enemy flyers.

Assessing the value of flying creatures within the game, Kinscaer Harpoonist presents a unique tactical advantage for players looking to dominate aerial combat. Its distinct mechanism of scaling power in response to enemy flyers positions it as an advantageous choice against decks that rely heavily on such creatures.

Cards similar to Kinscaer Harpoonist by color, type and mana cost

Sakashima of a Thousand Faces - MTG Card versions

Johnny, Combo Player - MTG Card versions

Cytoplast Manipulator - MTG Card versions

Crookclaw Transmuter - MTG Card versions

Turtleshell Changeling - MTG Card versions

Glen Elendra Archmage - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kinscaer Harpoonist MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor, 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 Kinscaer Harpoonist and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kinscaer Harpoonist has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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