Stone Spirit MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Elemental Spirit
Power 4
Toughness 3

Key Takeaways

  1. Stone Spirit can be a key defensive asset, offering protection and deterring attacks, despite not adding card advantage.
  2. Combines well with combat enhancement cards, enhancing its defensive and offensive potential in MTG gameplay.
  3. Requires specific mana and sacrifices for abilities which may limit its utility in diverse deck strategies.

Text of card

Cannot be blocked by creatures with flying.

"The spirit of the stone is the spirit of strength." —Lovisa Coldeyes, Balduvian Chieftain


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Stone Spirit doesn’t contribute directly to card advantage, but its deterrent effect can implicitly maintain your hand by discouraging opponent attacks.

Resource Acceleration: While Stone Spirit isn’t a source of resource acceleration itself, it requires a low mana investment, preserving resources for other spells or abilities.

Instant Speed: Although not an instant, the Stone Spirit card can offer strategic depth by being a reliable blocker due to its ability to have, or gain, first strike, ensuring your resources are protected while you plan your next move.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Stone Spirit necessitates sacrificing other cards to activate its abilities. This can inadvertently deplete your hand and leave you at a strategic disadvantage, especially in the late game when every card in hand counts.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise mana combination to cast, including red mana. This makes it less flexible, primarily benefiting monored or specific two-color decks that can reliably produce red mana. It may not fit into multicolor or colorless strategies as comfortably.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost on the steeper side, the Stone Spirit may not be the most economical choice when it comes to creatures of its kind. Players might find themselves prioritizing other creatures or spells that bring more value to the battlefield or have lower casting requirements.


Reasons to Include Stone Spirit in Your Collection

Versatility: Stone Spirit is a classic card that can adapt to a variety of game situations. Its inherent ability to afford protection from creatures makes it a reliable defensive option, particularly in decks that are looking for durable blockers.

Combo Potential: An intriguing aspect of Stone Spirit is how it can be paired with cards that grant reach or other combat enhancements. Such synergies can turn it into a formidable force during combat phases, catching opponents off guard.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Stone Spirit’s immunity to creature-based attacks ensures it remains a relevant choice for decks seeking to counter these strategies effectively.


How to beat

Stone Spirit might seem daunting with its immunity to being blocked by creatures without flying. To outsmart an opponent using Stone Spirit, it’s crucial to keep flying creatures in your arsenal or have spells that can either deal direct damage or force the opposition to sacrifice creatures without targeting. Cards like Shock or Lightning Bolt can eliminate this threat before it becomes a significant problem in the game. Additionally, consider enchantments that can restrict the abilities of creatures your opponents control, effectively grounding the Stone Spirit and turning the tide in your favor.

Don’t overlook the effectiveness of color-specific answers such as Blue’s countermagic or White’s exile abilities. Counterspell or Path to Exile are excellent examples of how to manage such creatures efficiently. Thereby, understanding your deck’s strengths and incorporating versatile answers will ensure you retain the upper hand against cards like Stone Spirit, keeping your opponents on their toes and paving the way to victory.


Cards like Stone Spirit

Stone Spirit stands out in the realm of creature cards for its blend of rock-solid defense and offensive potential. If we look at its contemporaries, we find that the Enormous Baloth shows a resemblance, offering substantial power and toughness. However, Stone Spirit brings a unique touch with its ability to be unblockable as long as it’s defending against creatures without flying. This trait isn’t mirrored by the Baloth, making Stone Spirit a strategic choice for defense.

Another kin in attributes would be the Craw Wurm, a classic creature with equally impressive toughness. Yet, it lacks the strategic defensive edge Stone Spirit provides. On the offensive end, though, Craw Wurm can be a more formidable threat due to its greater power. We also have Wall of Stone, an almost impenetrable defense card with zero offensive capabilities, but it shares the Stone-esque robustness of Stone Spirit.

In a game where maintaining board presence is crucial, Stone Spirit’s uniqueness in offering both a reliable defense against ground-based creatures and evasion against many common blockers makes it a card worth considering, especially in the right deck setup.

Enormous Baloth - MTG Card versions
Craw Wurm - MTG Card versions
Wall of Stone - MTG Card versions
Enormous Baloth - Legions (LGN)
Craw Wurm - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Wall of Stone - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)

Cards similar to Stone Spirit by color, type and mana cost

Fire Elemental - MTG Card versions
Earth Elemental - MTG Card versions
Eron the Relentless - MTG Card versions
Balduvian War-Makers - MTG Card versions
Hivis of the Scale - MTG Card versions
Hulking Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Flame Spirit - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Salamander - MTG Card versions
Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions
Ravaging Horde - MTG Card versions
Covetous Dragon - MTG Card versions
Thundering Giant - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Strike Force - MTG Card versions
Savage Firecat - MTG Card versions
Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions
Tephraderm - MTG Card versions
Avarax - MTG Card versions
Bonethorn Valesk - MTG Card versions
Frost Ogre - MTG Card versions
Heartless Hidetsugu - MTG Card versions
Fire Elemental - Core Set 2020 (M20)
Earth Elemental - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Eron the Relentless - Pro Tour Collector Set (PTC)
Balduvian War-Makers - Alliances (ALL)
Hivis of the Scale - Mirage (MIR)
Hulking Cyclops - Visions (VIS)
Flame Spirit - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Flowstone Salamander - Tempest (TMP)
Ma Chao, Western Warrior - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Ravaging Horde - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Covetous Dragon - World Championship Decks 1999 (WC99)
Thundering Giant - Tenth Edition (10E)
Dwarven Strike Force - Odyssey (ODY)
Savage Firecat - Odyssey (ODY)
Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Tephraderm - Onslaught (ONS)
Avarax - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Bonethorn Valesk - Scourge (SCG)
Frost Ogre - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Heartless Hidetsugu - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Stone Spirit MTG card by a specific set like Ice Age and Fifth Edition, 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 Stone Spirit and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Stone Spirit Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 1995-06-03 and 2008-09-22. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11995-06-03Ice AgeICE 2181993normalblackJeff A. Menges
21997-03-24Fifth Edition5ED 2711997normalwhiteJames Allen
32008-09-22Masters Edition IIME2 1501997normalblackJames Allen

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Stone Spirit has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2007-05-01 Creatures with the Reach ability (such as Giant Spider) can block this because they don’t actually have Flying.

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