Hangman MTG Card


Hangman - Unstable
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Villain
Released2017-12-08
Set symbol
Set nameUnstable
Set codeUST
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number56
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Bordersilver
Illustred byAlex Konstad
Un-set :-)This card is part of an Un-set

Key Takeaways

  1. Hangman excels in card advantage, potentially removing creatures without depleting your hand resources.
  2. It can provide a mana advantage, handling costlier threats at lower investment.
  3. The card’s sorcery speed demands tactical gameplay, adding depth to MTG strategy.

Text of card

As Hangman enters the battlefield, secretly note a word with six to eight letters. : Target player who doesn't control Hangman guesses the noted word or an unguessed letter in that word. If he or she guesses wrong, put a +1/+1 counter on Hangman. Any player may activate this ability. When a player guesses the noted word or all of its letters, sacrifice Hangman.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Hangman can potentially remove a key creature from the board while allowing you to maintain parity or pull ahead in resources. It forces your opponent to guess a card in your hand, potentially revealing information and leading to them guessing incorrectly, thus losing a creature without trading cards from hand.

Resource Acceleration: While Hangman itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it can effectively be a one-mana play that deals with creatures much more costly than itself. This discrepancy can give you a significant mana advantage over your opponent, letting you deploy more threats or keep mana up for other interactions.

Instant Speed: Hangman operates at sorcery speed, which means it requires strategic planning to fully utilize its potential. However, it fits into the instant speed-driven mind games of MTG, bluffing and forcing your opponent to make difficult decisions on their own turn, maintaining the pace to your advantage.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing Hangman calls for discarding a card, which could hinder your hand advantage, particularly if your hand is already dwindling or if the discarded card is essential to your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: Hangman necessitates a precise combination of mana types to cast. This condition could restrict its integration into multi-colored decks that might struggle with mana consistency.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Considering Hangman’s mana cost of four, players might find its abilities underwhelming. This is especially true when measured against other creatures or spells with more impactful effects for the same, or even a lower, mana investment.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: The Hangman card is a multifaceted tool that can adapt to various deck archetypes. Its ability to impact the board from turn one makes it an excellent choice for decks that aim to disrupt opponents early or require flexible mana sinks.

Combo Potential: This card carries significant combo potential, as it can be a key piece in strategies focused on manipulating the number of counters or activating abilities. It synergizes with mechanics that benefit from creature sacrifice or death-triggered effects, paving the way for powerful plays.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where games can be a tug of war between aggressive and controlling decks, Hangman’s low casting cost and utility give it a leg up. This makes it a relevant choice that can adjust to shifts in the meta, ensuring your deck stays competitive.


How to beat

Hangman is a unique card in the world of Magic: The Gathering, challenging players to rely on strategy over brute force. Defeating a Hangman requires a multifaceted approach, often engaging both your mind and your deck’s capabilities. The key to overcoming this tricky adversary is to disrupt your opponent’s guesswork game. Cards that restrict your opponent’s ability to choose or guess, such as Pithing Needle or Sorcerous Spyglass, can be particularly effective here.

Employing instant-speed removal spells is also a solid strategy. Waiting for your opponent to invest mana and effort into transforming Hangman can be your cue to cast a removal spell, nullifying their advantage and preserving your resources. Alternatively, considering that Hangman operates on your opponent’s turn, flash creatures can serve as another surprise element for blocking and putting their plans to the test.

Consistently deciphering the nuances of each card can make the difference between victory and defeat. Thus, understanding the strengths and limitations of Hangman in Magic: The Gathering, offers you the tactical edge needed to dismantle its potential, transforming it from a threat to just another card on the board.


Cards like Hangman

The card Hangman adds suspense and strategy to Magic: The Gathering decks, reminding us of other cards that turn the game into a betting match of wits. Hangman’s unique guessing game mechanic echoes the deliberation found in Cabal Therapy. While Cabal Therapy allows you to name a card and tear it from an opponent’s hand, Hangman’s playful challenge involves opponents guessing the name for its release. Both introduce psychological play, but Hangman’s use is repeated and its outcome more random.

Shadowmage Infiltrator is another related card, offering the advantage of drawing cards when dealing combat damage to a player, similar to Hangman’s facet of potentially drawing cards upon stumping opponents. However, Shadowmage doesn’t involve the same high-stakes minigame. Conversely, Pithing Needle shares the characteristic of naming cards, although its preventative effect on activated abilities has a different focus from Hangman’s variable outcomes depending on the guesses made.

Evaluating Hangman alongside similar cards showcases its distinct mix of fun and competitive edge. The card’s unique gameplay element provides a refreshing shift from the typical MTG strategies, making it a memorable choice for players who relish gamesmanship.

Cabal Therapy - MTG Card versions
Shadowmage Infiltrator - MTG Card versions
Pithing Needle - MTG Card versions
Cabal Therapy - Judgment (JUD)
Shadowmage Infiltrator - Odyssey (ODY)
Pithing Needle - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)

Cards similar to Hangman by color, type and mana cost

Stone-Throwing Devils - MTG Card versions
Will-o'-the-Wisp - MTG Card versions
Vampire Bats - MTG Card versions
Bog Rats - MTG Card versions
Insidious Bookworms - MTG Card versions
Sewer Rats - MTG Card versions
Kjeldoran Dead - MTG Card versions
Muck Rats - MTG Card versions
Circling Vultures - MTG Card versions
Vebulid - MTG Card versions
Zodiac Rat - MTG Card versions
Urborg Skeleton - MTG Card versions
Carrion Rats - MTG Card versions
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - MTG Card versions
Champion of the Perished - MTG Card versions
Accursed Centaur - MTG Card versions
Dark Supplicant - MTG Card versions
Bile Urchin - MTG Card versions
Nezumi Shadow-Watcher - MTG Card versions
Rimebound Dead - MTG Card versions
Stone-Throwing Devils - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Will-o'-the-Wisp - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Vampire Bats - Tenth Edition (10E)
Bog Rats - Chronicles (CHR)
Insidious Bookworms - Alliances (ALL)
Sewer Rats - Mirage (MIR)
Kjeldoran Dead - Masters Edition II (ME2)
Muck Rats - Portal Second Age (P02)
Circling Vultures - Weatherlight (WTH)
Vebulid - Urza's Saga (USG)
Zodiac Rat - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Urborg Skeleton - Invasion (INV)
Carrion Rats - Hachette UK (PHUK)
Foulmire Knight // Profane Insight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Champion of the Perished - Innistrad: Double Feature (DBL)
Accursed Centaur - Onslaught (ONS)
Dark Supplicant - Legions (LGN)
Bile Urchin - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Nezumi Shadow-Watcher - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Rimebound Dead - Coldsnap (CSP)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hangman MTG card by a specific set like Unstable, 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 Hangman and other MTG cards:

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Rules and information

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

DateText
2018-01-19 Each letter can be guessed only once.
2018-01-19 If Hangman changes controllers, the person who originally chose the word continues to fulfill their duties as letters or words are guessed. Now that this player doesn’t control Hangman, they will have a much easier time figuring out the word.
2018-01-19 If a guessed letter appears multiple times in the word, you should fill in each instance of the letter in the word.
2018-01-19 The abilities mimic the game of hangman. You tell each player how long the secret word is. You may even draw out blanks as one does in the game of hangman.
2018-01-19 You must choose a word in a language each player understands. If there are multiple such languages, you should specify which one you’re using as you secretly note the word.

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