Dire Fleet Poisoner MTG Card


Dire Fleet Poisoner - Rivals of Ixalan
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Pirate
Abilities Deathtouch, Flash
Released2018-01-19
Set symbol
Set nameRivals of Ixalan
Set codeRIX
Power 2
Toughness 2
Number68
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byBen Maier

Key Takeaways

  1. Dire Fleet Poisoner enhances combat by offering tactical advantages with its flash and deathtouch abilities.
  2. It creates opportunities for card advantage and accelerates your game plan through strategic plays.
  3. While versatile, it poses deckbuilding considerations such as mana specificity and discard synergy.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

Flash Deathtouch When Dire Fleet Poisoner enters the battlefield, target attacking Pirate you control gets +1/+1 and gains deathtouch until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Dire Fleet Poisoner offers not just a creature on the board but also the potential for a two-for-one situation. By giving another Pirate you control +1/+1 and deathtouch until end of turn, it can serve as a surprise blocker or attacker that trades with a superior creature, helping you maintain or swing the card equilibrium in your favor.

Resource Acceleration: Although Dire Fleet Poisoner itself doesn’t directly generate mana or treasure tokens, the deathtouch ability can accelerate your game plan. By removing key blockers or attackers, you free your path to attack your opponent’s life total or safeguard your own resources, effectively speeding up your victory clock.

Instant Speed: The flash ability of Dire Fleet Poisoner means you can deploy it at instant speed, maintaining the element of surprise. This allows for strategic flexibility, as you can wait until your opponent’s end step or in response to attacks or spells to optimize its impact on the game state.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The Dire Fleet Poisoner doesn’t have a direct discard mechanic, but it falls into a deck archetype that often incorporates card discarding as a strategy, leading to moments where your hand size may be compromised for her to be fully effective.

Specific Mana Cost: Playing the Dire Fleet Poisoner requires a specific mix of mana—one black and one generic, which could potentially limit deck flexibility and is something to be mindful of when constructing a deck.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While costing two mana might not seem excessively high, in the fast-paced pirate decks where the Poisoner might be included, every mana counts, and there are instances where deploying her might not be as mana-efficient compared to other disruptive creatures in the same mana slot.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Dire Fleet Poisoner is a flexible card that can be slotted into a variety of decks. Its flash ability allows you to surprise opponents by bringing it onto the battlefield at inopportune times for them, and it can be a strong defensive play thanks to its deathtouch.

Combo Potential: The ability to grant another attacking Pirate deathtouch can turn any combat in your favor and synergizes well with other Pirate-themed cards. This opens up possibilities for various combo plays within Pirate decks or any deck looking to maximize the value of individual attacks.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where small to mid-sized creatures dominate, Dire Fleet Poisoner shines by being able to block and destroy much larger threats. It’s particularly useful in environments where creature-based strategies are prevalent.


How to beat Dire Fleet Poisoner

Dire Fleet Poisoner offers players a surprising level of versatility and battlefield control due to its flash ability and deathtouch. This card can be particularly frustrating when it swoops in unexpectedly to foil your attacks. However, neutralizing this threat requires tactful play. Timing is crucial when facing a card that can be cast at virtually any combat stage. It’s advisable to bait out the Poisoner during earlier phases by threatening with a less valuable creature or employing removal spells that can handle creatures regardless of their protective abilities.

To effectively overcome Dire Fleet Poisoner, consider utilizing spells that don’t target it directly, thereby circumventing its deathtouch. Mass removal cards, such as Wrath of God, provide a blanket solution without engaging in individual combat. Alternatively, effects that exile or force the opponent to sacrifice creatures, like Path to Exile or Diabolic Edict, sidestep deathtouch altogether. The key is to limit the opportunities for your opponent to use the Poisoner advantageously and to stay ahead by anticipating their moves.

Remember to manage the battlefield proactively against potential threats like Dire Fleet Poisoner. Through calculated removal and controlling the flow of combat, you can weaken its impact and maintain dominance in your matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the depths of MTG’s strategy is a quest best undertaken with a deck that keeps the opposition guessing. Dire Fleet Poisoner, with her swift flash ability and deadly deathtouch, is a card worthy of consideration for players aiming to take their gameplay to unexpected turns. As you refine your strategies and broaden your collection, consider the advantage of cards like the Poisoner that can tilt the scales in your favor during pivotal moments. Dive deeper with us at BurnMana into the art of complex plays and pirate synergies that make for a truly engaging and competitive MTG experience.


Cards like Dire Fleet Poisoner

Dire Fleet Poisoner brings unique traits to the rogue’s gallery of Magic: The Gathering. This formidable human pirate stands out with her flash ability, allowing players to cast her at the speed of an instant, perfectly timed to disrupt the opponent’s strategy. She also compares to other utility creatures such as Gifted Aetherborn, another two-mana valued card. Although Gifted Aetherborn lacks the surprise element of flash, it compensates with lifelink and deathtouch, which provide ongoing board presence and influence.

Taking a closer look at options within the pirate tribe, Kitesail Freebooter emerges. It shares the two-mana cost and is part of the same tribal synergy but serves a different function by disrupting the opponent’s hand when played. Dire Fleet Poisoner, though, is more about immediate combat impact by conferring deathtouch. For those valuing longevity in their creature abilities, Ruthless Knave could be a contender. It doesn’t offer surprise battlefield entries or deathtouch but creates long-term value through treasure token generation.

In navigating the sea of creature choices in Magic: The Gathering, the Dire Fleet Poisoner’s combination of flash and deathtouch positions it as an intriguing option, perfect for players looking to maintain the upper hand in tactical combat scenarios.

Gifted Aetherborn - MTG Card versions
Kitesail Freebooter - MTG Card versions
Ruthless Knave - MTG Card versions
Gifted Aetherborn - Aether Revolt (AER)
Kitesail Freebooter - Ixalan (XLN)
Ruthless Knave - Ixalan (XLN)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Dire Fleet Poisoner MTG card by a specific set like Rivals of Ixalan, 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 Dire Fleet Poisoner and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Dire Fleet Poisoner has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

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