Fen Stalker MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Nightstalker
Released	2000-06-05
Set symbol
Set name	Prophecy
Set code	PCY
Power	3
Toughness	2
Number	64
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Edward P. Beard, Jr.

Key Takeaways

Fen Stalker offers hand disruption advantage, influencing opponents’ strategies by discarding their key cards.
Instant speed play grants strategic flexibility, making Fen Stalker a tactical surprise against opponents.
Its specific mana cost may limit deck integration, requiring tailored strategies for optimal use.

Text of card

Fen Stalker can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or black creatures as long as you control no untapped lands.

As silent as a shadow, and just as hard to flee.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Fen Stalker’s ability to force an opponent to discard potentially grants you an edge in the game by disrupting their hand and diminishing their resources. Playing this card can tilt the balance in your favor, especially if it removes key pieces from your opponent’s strategy.

Resource Acceleration: Though Fen Stalker does not directly provide resource acceleration, its low mana cost enables you to deploy other spells or creatures more efficiently. This can lead to a more robust board presence or the capability to capitalize on other resource acceleration mechanisms you have in play.

Instant Speed: Fen Stalker can be played at instant speed, providing a strategic advantage. This allows you to wait until your opponent’s end step to play Fen Stalker, keeping mana available for counter-spells or removal and potentially catching your opponent off-guard.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Engaging with Fen Stalker often means you have to part with another card in your hand. This discard requirement can set you back, especially when your in-game arsenal is already dwindling.

Specific Mana Cost: Fen Stalker commands a particular blend of mana, including both generic and black mana. This specific requirement can clash with your deck’s strategy if it’s not centered around black mana or if your mana base isn’t tailored to accommodate it efficiently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Tapping mana for Fen Stalker could sap resources that might otherwise be allocated to deploying multiple creatures or spells that synergize better with your strategy. While Fen Stalker has its merits, the cost demands careful consideration, given the diversity of options available at a similar mana investment.

Reasons to Include Fen Stalker in Your Collection

Versatility: Fen Stalker offers the flexibility to be included in a variety of deck types due to its evasion ability. Being difficult to block makes it a reliable source of consistent damage, especially in decks focused on leveraging the shadows.

Combo Potential: This card interacts well with strategies that reward you for dealing combat damage to a player or whenever a creature dies. It can synergize with numerous sets of cards, potentially unlocking powerful combinations within the deck.

Meta-Relevance: With the shifting dynamics of the game environment, having a card like Fen Stalker may prove invaluable if the meta favors creature-based strategies. Its ability to slip past defenses can apply pressure in formats where unblockable creatures can turn the tide of the game.

How to beat

Fen Stalker may initially seem daunting with its stealthy mechanics, catering to a specific strategy within the MTG arena. Unlike other creatures, Fen Stalker becomes harder to block as long as its controller has eight or more cards in their graveyard, reflecting its ‘stalker’ nature lurking in the shadows. To effectively counteract this elusive creature, strategies must involve reducing graveyard size or implementing control elements that can bypass its evasive abilities.

One effective measure is to employ cards that can exile cards from the opponent’s graveyard, reducing their graveyard count and diminishing Fen Stalker’s evasive capabilities. Additionally, employing creatures with “reach” or spells that can “destroy target creature” prove to be a straightforward solution, irrespective of the opponent’s graveyard contents. Sweepers or board wipes can also be used to remove multiple threats at once, Fen Stalker included.

Ultimately, mastering how to disrupt the delicate graveyard balance or utilizing direct removal spells are key strategies in overtaking a Fen Stalker’s advantage on the battlefield. Adapting to these playstyles can significantly lessen the impact of Fen Stalker, allowing players to maintain control over the game flow.

Cards like Fen Stalker

In the diverse universe of Magic: The Gathering creatures, Fen Stalker is a stealthy contender within the black mana creature pool. This creature finds parallels with other modestly-priced black creatures like Vampire Nighthawk. Both offer unique abilities that can catch an opponent off guard, but while Vampire Nighthawk provides flying and lifelink, Fen Stalker’s strength lies in its potential to be unblockable at times when it can be buffed by the number of swamps you control.

Another card worthy of comparison is the iconic Skittering Skirge. Although Fen Stalker has a higher mana cost, it isn’t subject to the same sacrificial drawback that Skittering Skirge has when another creature enters the battlefield under your control. Instead, Fen Stalker’s evasive ability can provide a more reliable board presence. Lastly, Bog Wraith is an older card that shares Fen Stalker’s connection with swamps. While Bog Wraith has the intrinsic ability to be unblockable if opponents control swamps, Fen Stalker offers a less conditional way to avoid blockers.

Ultimately, Fen Stalker has its niche in black mana decks, rewarding strategic land management and threatening unobstructed attacks that, when used wisely, can tip the scales in a tight match-up.

Cards similar to Fen Stalker by color, type and mana cost

Xiahou Dun, the One-Eyed - MTG Card versions

Demon of Catastrophes - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Fen Stalker MTG card by a specific set like Prophecy, 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 Fen Stalker and other MTG cards: