Bloodhunter Bat MTG Card
2012-07-13 - Number 82
2017-04-15 - Number 15
2018-03-16 - Number 80
2020-07-17 - Number 210
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 4 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Bat |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Bloodhunter Bat is a tactical card for life total management, crucial in tight matches.
- The card has combo potential with sacrifice mechanics and life gain effects.
- Countered by instant removal or creatures with Reach or Flying.
Text of card
Flying When Bloodhunter Bat enters the battlefield, target player loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.
It returns eager to share the feast of blood and gore with its ghoulish master.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Bloodhunter Bat shines in scenarios where maintaining card presence on the battlefield matters. When it enters the battlefield, it not only represents a flying creature but also directly impacts life totals, effectively swinging the race in your favor.
Resource Acceleration: While not directly providing mana, Bloodhunter Bat offers a subtle form of resource acceleration by affecting life totals. The two-point life gain can be critical for decks that leverage life as a resource, giving you more leeway to utilize abilities that cost life or to strategically pay life for effects, knowing you have a lifeline coming.
Instant Speed: Although Bloodhunter Bat itself is not an instant, the life swing it creates is immediate upon entrance, akin to instant speed effects. This can catch opponents off guard, especially in formats where life totals can fluctuate rapidly, and timing such effects can be a pivot for winning the game.
Card Cons
Specific Mana Cost: Bloodhunter Bat demands a precise combination of one black and three generic mana, potentially restricting its inclusion to decks that can reliably produce the required colors.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a total casting cost of four mana for a 2/2 flying creature, it may be considered resource-intensive compared to other creatures of similar cost that provide a greater power/toughness ratio or additional abilities.
Discard Requirement: While not directly asking for a discard, the card’s ability to shine is in synergy with such effects, yet, it risks being underwhelming if you’re unable to leverage its enter-the-battlefield life swing due to a lack of complementary discard mechanics.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Bloodhunter Bat offers a straightforward effect that is easy to integrate into various deck builds, particularly those seeking life swings to stabilize or finish off an opponent.
Combo Potential: This card’s entrance and exit from the battlefield can be leveraged in decks utilizing sacrifice mechanics or in combination with effects that capitalize on life gain or loss.
Meta-Relevance: As an accessible creature with a direct impact on life totals, Bloodhunter Bat remains a useful tool in shifting metagames, particularly when combating aggressive strategies that leave opponents at lower life totals.
How to beat Bloodhunter Bat
Bloodhunter Bat is a creature card in Magic: The Gathering that provides a small life swing when it enters the battlefield. To counter this pesky flyer, consider using spot removal spells like Murder or Doom Blade to dispatch the bat before the life total can affect the game’s outcome. Alternatively, instant-speed removal spells can be highly effective; they allow you to wait until your opponent has committed to an attack before eliminating the bat, negating any potential combat damage.
Another tactic is to employ creatures with Reach or Flying to block Bloodhunter Bat, neutralizing the threat it poses in combat. If you’re running a deck with life gain strategies, the impact of Bloodhunter Bat’s ability can be mitigated by your own life-gaining cards. Efficient counterplay is about being prepared. Keep removal handy, or if you’re in green, creatures like Giant Spider can be a cost-effective way to halt the bat’s advances.
Essentially, being proactive about maintaining board control and having the right answers at the right time will ensure that Bloodhunter Bat is nothing more than a minor nuisance in your path to victory in the game.
Cards like Bloodhunter Bat
Bloodhunter Bat stands out within the Magic: The Gathering creature portfolio, especially when evaluated against other flying creatures with similar cost and added effects upon entering the battlefield. Its ability to both deal damage to the opponent and grant you life upon entry often draws comparisons to creatures like Falkenrath Noble. The Noble, although offering a higher cost, has the advantage of triggering its effect with any creature’s death, not just upon entry, potentially offering greater value over time.
Another card akin to Bloodhunter Bat is Child of Night. A lower mana vampire with lifelink, it doesn’t pack the immediate punch but can provide sustained life gain across multiple turns. However, it lacks the Bat’s damage-dealing entrance that may tip the scales in a tight match. Then there’s Duskhunter Bat, which shares the bat theme but trades Bloodhunter’s life manipulation for the capacity to grow stronger with enough black mana available.
When it’s about dealing immediate impact damage combined with a life boost, Bloodhunter Bat presents a unique value in deck-building strategies focused on swift life total swings, making it a card worthy of consideration for MTG players looking to optimize their airborne assaults.
Cards similar to Bloodhunter Bat by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Bloodhunter Bat MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2013 and Welcome Deck 2017, 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 Bloodhunter Bat and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Bloodhunter Bat Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2012-07-13 and 2020-07-17. Illustrated by Tomasz Jedruszek.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012-07-13 | Magic 2013 | M13 | 82 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 2 | 2017-04-15 | Welcome Deck 2017 | W17 | 15 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 3 | 2018-03-16 | Masters 25 | A25 | 80 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek | |
| 4 | 2020-07-17 | Jumpstart | JMP | 210 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Tomasz Jedruszek |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Bloodhunter Bat has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
