Kitsune Bonesetter MTG Card

Kitsune Bonesetter - Saviors of Kamigawa

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Fox Cleric
Released	2005-06-03
Set symbol
Set name	Saviors of Kamigawa
Set code	SOK
Power	0
Toughness	1
Number	15
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Heather Hudson

Key Takeaways

Kitsune Bonesetter offers card advantage by retrieving creatures from the graveyard to the hand.
Its instant speed enables strategic plays and responses, giving players tactical flexibility.
The card’s distinct requirement to discard could pose strategic challenges if resources are low.

Text of card

: Prevent the next 3 damage that would be dealt to target creature this turn. Play this ability only if you have more cards in hand than each opponent.

"He kept generations whole before the Kami War, and now he turns his century of wisdom to healing the latest casualties." —Eight-and-a-Half-Tails

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kitsune Bonesetter provides players the utility to return a creature from their graveyard to their hand, which can be pivotal in outmaneuvering opponents by recycling powerful creatures.

Resource Acceleration: By enabling the return of creature cards directly to the battlefield, the Kitsune Bonesetter can significantly speed up your play, giving you an edge by having more resources at your disposal earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: The ability to operate at instant speed gives players the flexibility to respond to actions taken by their opponents, ensuring that they can maximize the strategic value of their return plays even during off-turns.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Kitsune Bonesetter provides a valuable effect for creature recovery, the requirement to discard a card can be a drawback in gameplay. This means if your hand is already depleted, its ability might force you to lose a potentially critical resource.

Specific Mana Cost: Being a white mana-centric card, Kitsune Bonesetter’s cost may not integrate smoothly into multi-colored decks. This can limit its versatility outside of mono-white or two-colored decks that can reliably provide the right mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost that is significant for its effect, Kitsune Bonesetter may compete for a slot with other lower-costed cards that provide similar or more immediate board impact. Players often evaluate the efficiency of their deck’s mana curve, and this card could be considered too costly in a fast-paced game environment.

Reasons to Include Kitsune Bonesetter in Your Collection

Versatility: Kitsune Bonesetter lends itself perfectly to various deck builds due to its ability to provide life gain in moments of need. Its low casting cost makes it a convenient fit for Most White-based decks, either as an early blocker or late-game source of repeated healing.

Combo Potential: This creature synergizes well with cards that are designed to capitalize on life gain or creature tapping mechanisms. With this in your arsenal, you can unlock intricate combos or simply outpace your opponent in life total, making way for your victory.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta where aggro decks run rampant, having a card like Kitsune Bonesetter can be a game-changer. It offers sustained life gain and resilience, allowing players to stabilize against a barrage of attacks and pivot to a more advantageous board state.

How to beat

Kitsune Bonesetter emerges as a unique creature card that catches the eye of Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts with its lifegain twist. Aligning with creatures like Leonin Elder, which thrives on artifact synergy, Kitsune Bonesetter introduces an interesting angle with its lifegain mechanics upon the presence of Spirits or Arcane spells. This nuance adds a layer of strategy in utilizing it effectively within a deck.

However, dismantling the advantage Kitsune Bonesetter provides can be straightforward with the right approach. Implementing cards that restrict the casting of creature spells or that can specifically counter Spirits or Arcane spells will significantly reduce its effectiveness. Moreover, employing removal spells before the Kitsune Bonesetter’s lifegain ability can be activated ensures that the health benefit is curtailed, and the card’s impact is minimized. Magic: The Gathering is rich with such spells that can disrupt creature-based strategies, and utilizing them is key to overcoming the resilience that Kitsune Bonesetter aims to build.

Hence, while Kitsune Bonesetter offers a compelling dynamic to life gain decks, players must be ready to adapt their strategies. Ensuring that removal or countering measures are at hand will keep you one step ahead, rendering the Kitsune Bonesetter less formidable and maintaining control over the duel.

Cards like Kitsune Bonesetter

Kitsune Bonesetter adds a unique twist to the arsenal of creature cards in MTG. Its abilities are particularly comparable to other lifelink creatures like Soul Warden. While Soul Warden allows for a consistent gain of life as other creatures come into play, Kitsune Bonesetter offers a burst of life gain when it transforms, which can turn the tides in a tight match. The main distinction lies in the Bonesetter’s flip mechanic, allowing it to serve dual roles on the battlefield.

Another card that echoes the functionality of Kitsune Bonesetter is Leonin Elder. Both cards resonate with life gain strategies; however, Leonin Elder is more focused on gaining incremental life with artifacts, while the Bonesetter concerns itself with strategic timing and morphing for a significant health boost. Additionally, Healer’s Hawk is a card that not only has lifelink but also flying, giving it an edge in evasion, though it doesn’t possess the transformative ability that makes Kitsune Bonesetter stand out.

Choosing between these cards will likely depend on the player’s strategy, as each offers its unique perks. Kitsune Bonesetter shines in decks that capitalize on surprise tactics and substantial life gain, making it a potential game-changer in the right circumstances.

Cards similar to Kitsune Bonesetter by color, type and mana cost

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kitsune Bonesetter MTG card by a specific set like Saviors of Kamigawa, 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 Kitsune Bonesetter and other MTG cards: