Halo Hopper MTG Card


Halo Hopper grants card advantage through Insect tokens, enhancing creature count without depleting your hand. Instant speed play offers reactive tactics and seamless integration into various deck strategies. Despite its benefits, Halo Hopper requires careful hand management due to its discard condition.
Halo Hopper - March of the Machine
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeArtifact Creature — Frog
Abilities Convoke
Released2023-04-21
Set symbol
Set nameMarch of the Machine
Set codeMOM
Power 3
Toughness 2
Number260
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byDaniel Ljunggren

Text of card

Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for or one mana of that creature's color.)

Folded by an imaginative child, animated by a mischievous kami, and blessed by an otherworldly angel.


Cards like Halo Hopper

Halo Hopper joins the ranks of intriguing creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, offering a unique blend of versatility and tactical advantages. It draws close parallels to cards like Ornithopter – a longstanding favorite amongst players for its ability to hit the board swiftly without any mana cost. While Halo Hopper requires the investment of one blue mana, in exchange, it grants you the flying trait, providing significant aerial control early in the game.

Skyscanner presents another comparison, with both creatures sharing the flying ability. However, Skyscanner’s edge comes from its additional ability to draw a card upon entry, inevitably increasing your hand size. Halo Hopper, in contrast, doesn’t provide card draw but boasts a lower casting cost, facilitating faster gameplay and synergizing well with bounce or flicker strategies that aim to exploit enter-the-battlefield effects.

Evaluating alongside these flyer staples, Halo Hopper stands out with its ease of inclusion in decks focusing on flying synergy or those needing a cheap, evasive creature. It demonstrates that while other cards may offer more direct value in certain aspects, Halo Hopper’s low-cost aerial presence makes it an asset for tactically-minded players in Magic: The Gathering.

Ornithopter - MTG Card versions
Skyscanner - MTG Card versions
Ornithopter - MTG Card versions
Skyscanner - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Halo Hopper by color, type and mana cost

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Vedalken Shackles - MTG Card versions
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Manalith - MTG Card versions
Celestial Prism - MTG Card versions
Runed Arch - MTG Card versions
Clay Pigeon - MTG Card versions
Ashnod's Altar - MTG Card versions
Jalum Tome - MTG Card versions
Patchwork Gnomes - MTG Card versions
The Stasis Coffin - MTG Card versions
Captain's Hook - MTG Card versions
Spellweaver Helix - MTG Card versions
Scale of Chiss-Goria - MTG Card versions
Lightning Coils - MTG Card versions
Loxodon Warhammer - MTG Card versions
Sword of Feast and Famine - MTG Card versions
Training Drone - MTG Card versions
Pristine Talisman - MTG Card versions
Alloy Myr - MTG Card versions
Guardians of Meletis - MTG Card versions
Vedalken Shackles - MTG Card versions
Herald's Horn - MTG Card versions
Manalith - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Halo Hopper. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Boros ConvokeBoros Convoke ModernBoros ConvokeModern Preliminary 2024-01-22
WW ModernModern League 2024-05-01
AffinityAffinity ModernAffinityModern League 2024-04-27
RGRG ModernModern Challenge 64 2024-03-17
DecklistDecklist Free form88#CS

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Halo Hopper has the potential to offer card advantage by granting you an extra creature without spending an additional card from your hand. This advantage grows if you’re able to generate multiple Insect tokens, overshadowing your opponent’s board with a swarm of creatures.

Resource Acceleration: While Halo Hopper itself doesn’t produce additional mana, the ability to create Insect tokens can lead to resource acceleration with other cards that benefit from having numerous creatures on the field, or those that can sacrifice creatures for mana, improving the speed and efficiency of your deck’s performance.

Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of Halo Hopper’s abilities provides the flexibility to react to your opponent’s actions. Deploying tokens on your opponent’s end step or after they’ve committed to an unfavorable attack can shift the tempo of the game and keep your strategy veiled until just the right moment.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Halo Hopper comes with a caveat; activating its ability necessitates discarding another card. This can be a significant drawback when your hand is already depleted, or when every card is essential to your strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: The card’s casting requirements can be restrictive. Halo Hopper requires a specific mana combination to play, which may not always align with your deck’s mana base or strategy, leading to potential delays in getting it onto the battlefield.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighed against other options within the game, the mana investment for Halo Hopper is on the higher side for its effects. Experienced players often seek the most cost-efficient creatures, and this card might not make the cut when alternatives are available that provide a better power to cost ratio.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Halo Hopper’s ability to serve multiple purposes in a game, like providing an early blocker or enabler for sacrifice strategies, makes it a flexible card suitable for various deck types.

Combo Potential: As a creature with a beneficial dying effect, it pairs well with mechanics that capitalize on creatures entering and leaving the battlefield, paving the path for powerful interactions.

Meta-Relevance: Given its efficiency and utility in gameplay, Halo Hopper holds its ground in a competitive environment where such economical cards can tip the scales in a player’s favor.


How to beat

Halo Hopper is an intriguing card in the MTG arena known for its flying ability and the flexibility it offers. It can be challenging to face, especially when it’s leveraging its strength of evasion. On the battlefield, Halo Hopper requires a strategic approach to defeat. Spells that don’t target creatures, like Wrath of God or Supreme Verdict, become particularly useful since they can bypass Halo Hopper’s elusive nature. Board wipes level the playing field by removing all creatures, including those with flying.

Additionally, employing creatures with reach or cards that grant reach to your creatures can be an effective countermeasure. Spider Spawning is an excellent example of a card that introduces multiple creatures with reach onto the battlefield. Cards that alter the rules of engagement, such as Gravity Well, can also impede Halo Hopper by removing its flying advantage when attacking. Finally, using instant-speed removal spells when the opponent taps out, or their guard is down, can catch Halo Hopper off-guard and neutralize the threat it poses. By anticipating your opponent’s moves and keeping these strategies in mind, you can craft a gameplay that effectively counters Halo Hopper’s strengths.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Halo Hopper MTG card by a specific set like March of the Machine, 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 Halo Hopper and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Halo Hopper has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
AlchemyLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
PauperLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal