Teacher's Pet MTG Card


Teacher's Pet - Unstable
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Cat Bird Scientist
Released2017-12-08
Set symbol
Set nameUnstable
Set codeUST
Power 2
Toughness 1
Number25
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Bordersilver
Illustred byMark Behm
Un-set :-)This card is part of an Un-set

Key Takeaways

  1. Teacher’s Pet excels at searching for creature cards, optimizing your deck’s tactical plays.
  2. Instant speed activation of Teacher’s Pet adds flexibility and surprise to your game plan.
  3. Strategically using the card requires balancing its discard and mana cost against your strategy.

Text of card

, Sacrifice Teacher's Pet: Search your library for a card with augment, combine it with target host you control, then shuffle your library.

"First attempt: unsuccessful. Instead of an amphibious chicken, hybridization produced an aquaphobic fish."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Teacher’s Pet excels in boosting your hand by tutoring a specific creature card from your library, ensuring that you gain the precise tool you need for the situation at hand.

Resource Acceleration: By fetching a creature with a valuable mana ability, this card can effectively speed up your mana generation, setting you up for more impactful plays sooner than usual.

Instant Speed: The ability to use Teacher’s Pet at instant speed provides the flexibility to respond to your opponents’ actions, making it a versatile addition to any deck that aims to operate on both its own terms and reactively.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: For Teacher’s Pet to unleash its potential, you have to endure the setback of discarding another card. This trade-off demands strategic planning, as discarding at an inopportune time could deplete your hand, leaving you in a bind.

Specific Mana Cost: Casting Teacher’s Pet requires a precise combination of mana types. Should your mana base be shaky or your deck’s colors poorly aligned, successfully summoning this creature could prove challenging, potentially stalling your gameplay.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost positioned at the higher end for its abilities, Teacher’s Pet might not be the first pick for players seeking cost-effectiveness. In a game where tempo can determine the victor, there may be alternate creatures or spells that offer similar benefits without the hefty mana investment.


Reasons to Include Teacher’s Pet in Your Collection

Versatility: Teacher’s Pet offers a unique slot in decks that focus on creature-based strategies and can be particularly useful in those that leverage +1/+1 counters or creature-type synergies.

Combo Potential: This card can search for key creatures when it dies, allowing players to set up combos or retrieve pieces essential to their deck’s engine, thus acting as a tutor on a stick.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the current trend where creature interactions play a significant role, having Teacher’s Pet could provide an edge in games by streamlining your deck’s performance and maintaining a consistent board presence.


How to Beat Teacher’s Pet

Teacher’s Pet, a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering, blends flexibility with strategy. Its power lies in its ability to search for a creature card with Loom counters when it dies, which can bring a critical creature to the field. However, this can be turned to your advantage since your opponent’s plan is often heavily reliant on this single creature.

To counteract Teacher’s Pet, consider removal spells that exiles it rather than sending it to the graveyard, such as with Path to Exile or Leyline of the Void, which will negate the creature’s death-triggered ability. Alternatively, using cards like Grafdigger’s Cage can prevent the searched creature from being played directly from the library, stifling your opponent’s strategy.

Remember that disrupting your adversary’s plan requires understanding the pivotal cards in their deck. Timing your removal or disruption accurately will nullify the advantage of Teacher’s Pet, effectively turning their strategic play into a wasted effort and giving you the upper hand in the match.


Cards like Teacher's Pet

Teacher’s Pet slots into the realm of creature tutor cards within Magic: The Gathering, drawing parallels to the likes of Fauna Shaman. Both cards facilitate the search for creatures, but Teacher’s Pet requires an additional mana investment to be sacrificed to unleash its potential. Fauna Shaman, rather uniquely, allows for repeated use provided the player can continually discard a card each time.

In comparing this tactic, we look at survival-of-the-fittest-themed cards. Evolutionary Leap is a relative in this space, offering a repeatability factor similar to Fauna Shaman. Though it’s a tad more random as it digs for the next creature card rather than a specific selection, it comes without the requirement of sacrificing a creature as part of its cost.

Strategic gameplay hinges on leveraging these kinds of cards. Teacher’s Pet may demand a higher initial cost for the tutoring service, but in exchange, it sets the stage for an immediate impact creature to enter the battlefield. It’s a significant factor when considering the tempo and resource allocation during a match. Ultimately, Teacher’s Pet garners attention for its combo-enabling ability, nestling it securely among creature search options in the game.

Fauna Shaman - MTG Card versions
Evolutionary Leap - MTG Card versions
Fauna Shaman - Magic 2011 (M11)
Evolutionary Leap - Magic Origins (ORI)

Cards similar to Teacher's Pet by color, type and mana cost

White Knight - MTG Card versions
Soul Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Soltari Monk - MTG Card versions
Talon Sliver - MTG Card versions
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Faith Healer - MTG Card versions
Angelic Page - MTG Card versions
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Royal Falcon - MTG Card versions
Spirit Weaver - MTG Card versions
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Stoneforge Mystic - MTG Card versions
Drannith Magistrate - MTG Card versions
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Flumph - MTG Card versions
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Luminarch Aspirant - MTG Card versions
White Knight - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Soul Shepherd - Weatherlight (WTH)
Soltari Monk - Tempest (TMP)
Talon Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
Keeper of the Light - Exodus (EXO)
Faith Healer - Urza's Saga (USG)
Angelic Page - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Avenger en-Dal - Nemesis (NEM)
Royal Falcon - Starter 2000 (S00)
Spirit Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Voice of the Blessed - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Stoneforge Mystic - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Drannith Magistrate - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Leonin Lightscribe - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silver Knight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Longbow Archer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Flumph - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Soltari Priest - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Luminarch Aspirant - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Teacher's Pet 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 Teacher's Pet and other MTG cards:

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