Poison Arrow MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Sorcery
Released	1999-05-01
Set symbol
Set name	Portal Three Kingdoms
Set code	PTK
Number	80
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	White
Illustred by	Li Tie

Key Takeaways

Card advantage and tempo disrupt opponent strategies, offering dual utility through creature removal and potential card draw.
Immediate mana cost and discard necessities may limit versatility, aligning Poison Arrow with specific deck builds.
Strengthens decks centered around creature control, particularly shining against meta environments heavy in creature play.

Text of card

Destroy any one creature that isn't black. You gain 3 life.

In ancient China, not wearing armor could be a fatal mistake. Guan Yu, Zhou Yu, Sun Ce, and other heros were struck by poison arrows.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Poison Arrow provides a dual benefit by not only potentially removing an opponent’s creature from the battlefield but also by sometimes allowing you to draw a card if the targeted creature is dealt lethal damage. This can pivot the game in your favor through strategic depletion of your opponent’s resources while bolstering your own.

Resource Acceleration: Although Poison Arrow doesn’t directly generate mana or Treasure tokens, the ability to thin the battlefield can expedite your victory. By eliminating key threats, you expedite your path to winning, potentially reducing the need for further resource expenditure to handle those threats in future turns.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of casting Poison Arrow at instant speed is a significant advantage. This tempo play allows you to disrupt your opponent’s strategy during their turn, keeping mana open to react swiftly to any threats or plays that come your way, which can be a turning point during a match.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Poison Arrow necessitates discarding a card upon casting, which can put players at a resource disadvantage, especially if their hand is already limited or if the card they need to retain is critical for maintaining their strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost requires specific mana types that may not seamlessly fit into all deck archetypes. This can restrict its playability, posing a challenge for decks that cannot easily accommodate its color requirements.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that’s steep compared to other removal or damage-dealing options available in the game, Poison Arrow might not be the most mana-efficient card for the role it fills. This can lead players to opt for other cards over it in competitive play.

Reasons to Include Poison Arrow in Your Collection

Versatility: Poison Arrow is a dynamic addition to decks that are built around deathtouch or pinging mechanics, proving specifically advantageous in games that hinge on creature control. Given its ability to deal damage to multiple creatures, it’s a solid option across various playstyles.

Combo Potential: Poison Arrow shines when paired with cards that increment damage or apply additional effects upon hitting a creature, such as those that provide lifelink or proliferate poison counters, enhancing its lethality in a tactically constructed synergy.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state dominated by creature-heavy boards, Poison Arrow becomes a tool of mass removal. Its potential to shift the balance in your favor against creature-based strategies solidifies its pertinence in numerous meta environments.

How to beat

Poison Arrow is an interesting card that introduces strategic layers to any Magic: The Gathering game. With its ability to place -1/-1 counters on creatures your opponents control when it deals combat damage, it can quickly become a pain point for your adversary. However, like any card, there are strategies to undermine its effectiveness.

One of the key strategies to overcome this card is through the use of instant-speed removal spells that can take out the Poison Arrow before it has a chance to deal damage. Removal spells such as Swords to Plowshares, which exiles the creature, or Lightning Bolt, with direct damage, can effectively neutralize the threat. Another approach is to use creatures with hexproof or shroud abilities to avoid being targeted by the Poison Arrow. On top of that, increasing the toughness of your creatures to mitigate the effectiveness of the counters or utilizing cards that remove counters can also be crucial tactics.

Ultimately, like facing any challenging card, adapting your playstyle and deck to account for threats like Poison Arrow can be the key to maintaining an edge. Whether by preemptively removing it or by employing creatures that are resilient to its abilities, staying one step ahead will ensure the Poison Arrow doesn’t tip the balance against you.

Cards like Poison Arrow

Poison Arrow takes its place amongst the array of removal options in Magic: The Gathering. When looking at its counterparts, it mirrors cards like Dead Weight, a straightforward enchantment that also diminishes a creature’s power albeit to a lesser degree. However, Poison Arrow brings to the table an additional perk with its ability to deal damage to planeswalkers, a utility that Dead Weight lacks.

Comparatively, there’s the ever-popular Murder, a staple in black’s arsenal which outright destroys any targeted creature. While Poison Arrow doesn’t guarantee the immediate demise of its targets, it compensates with versatility against both creatures and planeswalkers. Another card it echoes is Reave Soul. Both serve as tools for neutralizing smaller threats, yet Poison Arrow’s capacity to scale with mana expenditure allows it to potentially tackle larger targets.

When assessing removal cards tailored for diverse scenarios, Poison Arrow poses as a multifaceted solution that extends beyond creature control and into the realm of damaging planeswalkers, a trait that elevates its standing in the selection of removal spells available in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards similar to Poison Arrow by color, type and mana cost

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Poison Arrow MTG card by a specific set like Portal Three Kingdoms, 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 Poison Arrow and other MTG cards: