Furtive Homunculus MTG Card

Furtive Homunculus - Shadows over Innistrad

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Homunculus
Abilities	Skulk
Released	2016-04-08
Set symbol
Set name	Shadows over Innistrad
Set code	SOI
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	64
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Wayne Reynolds

Key Takeaways

Enhances evasion-centric strategies with the ability to slip past larger creatures unnoticed.
Can pressure opponents while keeping mana open for instant speed spells.
Despite its limitations, offers tactical value in specific MTG deck structures.

Text of card

Skulk (This creature can't be blocked by creatures with greater power.)

"In terms of intelligence, homunculi are somewhere between humans and skaabs—clever enough to follow more complex orders, but dim enough to not question them." —Stitcher Geralf

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Though Furtive Homunculus doesn’t draw cards directly, it benefits deck strategies that reward you for playing creatures with the skulk ability. Its inherent evasiveness means opponents may be reluctant to block it, letting you chip away at their life total every turn. It works well in decks that capitalize on evasive creatures to keep opponents on the back foot and your own hand full.

Resource Acceleration: This deceptively simple card indirectly contributes to resource acceleration by applying pressure on the opponent, forcing them to deal with this subtle threat. This often means your more impactful cards are safer to draw into and play later on, giving you the pacing you need to build a more formidable presence on the board.

Instant Speed: While Furtive Homunculus itself isn’t an instant, being a low-cost creature means it can easily fit into turns where you’re also holding mana up for instant speed reactions. You could play this card and still have resources available for counterspells or removals, ensuring you’re advancing your board state while being ready to disrupt crucial plays from your opponent.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Furtive Homunculus can be a tricky affair if you’re required to discard another card. In intense games where every card in hand counts towards your strategy, having to let go of potentially crucial resources to summon this creature might not always be worth it.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost demanding both blue mana and generic mana, Furtive Homunculus isn’t the most flexible when it comes to deck inclusion. Those who aren’t running a deck with a sufficient amount of blue sources might find it challenging to cast this spell on curve. This can be particularly limiting for those preferring a multi-colored or colorless mana base.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Two mana for a 2/1 creature may not be the best investment when it comes to mana efficiency. There are other creatures within the same cost range that could provide higher stats or additional abilities. This cost analysis becomes even more critical when you’re aiming to maintain tempo and establish board presence in the early stages of the game. The Homunculus’s skulk ability might not always justify its place over other two-drop creatures in a tightly constructed deck.

Reasons to Include Furtive Homunculus in Your Collection

Versatility: The Furtive Homunculus is a nimble addition to decks that lean on evasive creatures. Its Skulk ability ensures it can often slip past larger creatures, making it a subtle threat opponents can’t ignore.

Combo Potential: With a power of two, this sneaky creature works well with cards that capitalize on dealing direct damage or those that benefit from having multiple creatures with different power on the board.

Meta-Relevance: In formats where low-cost creatures dominate and faster gameplay is key, Furtive Homunculus can become a crucial component, easily fitting into the rhythm of quick and aggressive decks.

How to beat

The Furtive Homunculus presents an intriguing challenge for players navigating the battlefield of Magic: The Gathering. This elusive creature, with its skulk ability, can be a thorn in the side of an unprepared opponent. It darts beneath the defenses of creatures with greater power, making it a persistent low-cost threat on the board.

To assert dominance over this stealthy adversary, a strategic approach is needed. Utilize removal spells that don’t require targeting a creature with higher power, such as “Dead Weight” or “Fatal Push,” which can dispatch the Homunculus regardless of its skulk ability. Another method is to control the board state, ensuring your creatures have equal or less power so they can block and eliminate this sneaky creature.

Lastly, employing creatures with reach or those that can deal damage without blocking, like those with pinging abilities, ensures that the Furtive Homunculus cannot slip by unnoticed. Being prepared to adapt your strategy when facing such elusive creatures is key to conquering the game in Magic: The Gathering.

Cards like Furtive Homunculus

Furtive Homunculus slips into the Magic: The Gathering rogue’s gallery with a subtle yet notable presence. Much like its relative the Welkin Tern, this creature shares the evasion ability, making it harder for opponents to block. However, Welkin Tern’s flying lets it avoid more defenders compared to the Homunculus’s skulk ability, although the latter ensures it can’t be blocked by creatures with greater power.

Shadow Alley Denizen is another card that skates around enemy lines, granting a form of unblockable to another creature under certain conditions. Though the Denizen doesn’t attack unseen itself, it contributes to other creatures slipping through unscathed. In contrast, Furtive Homunculus can consistently evade on its own, strengthening its position in stealth-focused playstyles.

Perusing the list of similar stowaways, we uncover Mist-Cloaked Herald. Untouchable by blockers due to its inherent unblockable trait, it outstrips the Homunculus in terms of guaranteed evasion, though it falls short in power. Weighing evasion against power within these subtle stratagems, Furtive Homunculus offers a satisfactory compromise for a sneaky assault in a variety of MTG decks.

Shadow Alley Denizen - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Furtive Homunculus by color, type and mana cost

Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Furtive Homunculus MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad, 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 Furtive Homunculus and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Furtive Homunculus has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2016-04-08	If you cause a creature to have 0 power or less, use the actual value (which may be negative) to determine whether it can block or be blocked. A creature with skulk and 0 or less power most likely won’t be blocked, but it won’t deal combat damage and won’t trigger any abilities that trigger when combat damage is dealt.
2016-04-08	Skulk matters only as blockers are chosen. Modifying either creature’s power after blockers are chosen won’t cause the attacking creature to become unblocked.