Prickleboar MTG Card


Prickleboar excels in combat, offering card advantage through forcing unfavorable opponent trades. The five-mana cost fits well in ramp strategies, making it a natural curve-topper. Its turn-based first strike ability provides offensive and defensive utility during your turn.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost5
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Boar
Power 3
Toughness 3

Text of card

As long as it's your turn, Prickleboar gets +2/+0 and has first strike. (It deals combat damage before creatures without first strike.)

"Canyons in the Phoberos badlands are essentially gates to the Underworld." —Mirinthes, Akroan captain


Cards like Prickleboar

Prickleboar is a creature card that players often evaluate against other five-mana cost creatures within Magic: The Gathering. Its defining ability is that it gains first strike during your turn, making it a formidable blocker or attacker in the right circumstances. Comparing it to cards like Serra Angel, Prickleboar lacks flying but offers a solid body at 5/3 which can make it a surprise threat on the battlefield.

Another comparable creature is Thornhide Wolves, a simple 4/5 body without any special abilities. Prickleboar stands above it during your turn due to the first strike advantage, allowing it to often trade up against more powerful creatures. Looking further, Bitterbow Sharpshooters also share the same mana cost with a vigilance and reach abilities, yet doesn’t present the same offensive capacity as Prickleboar does during your own turn. Each of these creatures bring specific advantages, but Prickleboar’s ability to be a tactical asset during your turn gives it a unique edge in creature combat.

Ultimately, the choice between Prickleboar and other creatures in the same mana range revolves around the strategy of your deck and the synergy it has with other cards, making Prickleboar a versatile pick in certain MTG deck builds, especially for those looking to apply pressure during their turn.

Serra Angel - MTG Card versions
Thornhide Wolves - MTG Card versions
Bitterbow Sharpshooters - MTG Card versions
Serra Angel - MTG Card versions
Thornhide Wolves - MTG Card versions
Bitterbow Sharpshooters - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Prickleboar by color, type and mana cost

Fire Elemental - MTG Card versions
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Fire Elemental - MTG Card versions
Earth Elemental - MTG Card versions
Eron the Relentless - MTG Card versions
Balduvian War-Makers - MTG Card versions
Hivis of the Scale - MTG Card versions
Hulking Cyclops - MTG Card versions
Flame Spirit - MTG Card versions
Flowstone Salamander - MTG Card versions
Ma Chao, Western Warrior - MTG Card versions
Covetous Dragon - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Strike Force - MTG Card versions
Volatile Arsonist // Dire-Strain Anarchist - MTG Card versions
Tephraderm - MTG Card versions
Avarax - MTG Card versions
Bonethorn Valesk - MTG Card versions
Frost Ogre - MTG Card versions
Heartless Hidetsugu - MTG Card versions
Shard Phoenix - MTG Card versions
Soul of Magma - MTG Card versions
Hunted Dragon - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Prickleboar itself does not directly provide card advantage, its powerful end-game presence can pressure opponents into unfavorable trades. This often results in you gaining a card advantage as opponents exhaust resources to handle the threat Prickleboar poses.

Resource Acceleration: Although Prickleboar does not create mana or treasure tokens, its five-mana cost can act as a natural curve topper in an aggressive ramp strategy, effectively utilizing available resources to deploy a potent threat to the board early in the game.

Instant Speed: Prickleboar’s key feature in combat is its ability to gain first strike during your turn. While it doesn’t have instant speed itself, this ability allows Prickleboar to excel in offensive situations where timing is crucial, often giving it an edge in battles against other creatures on the board.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Prickleboar doesn’t call for an immediate discard to cast, its impact on the board may prompt unfavorable trades or targeted removal that effectively deplete your hand.

Specific Mana Cost: Prickleboar’s reliance on red mana makes it less flexible for multicolor decks, potentially compromising your deck’s synergy and mana curve if not running predominantly red.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of five mana, Prickleboar can be a costly investment, particularly when other creatures in the same mana range may offer additional abilities or greater power and toughness.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Prickleboar is a solid addition to decks that require flexible creature cards. With its ability to gain a power boost during your turn, it can serve both defensive and offensive roles depending on your needs.

Combo Potential: Due to its increased power during your turn, Prickleboar pairs well with cards and strategies that capitalize on high-power creatures. Whether it’s enabling formidable abilities or powering up pump spells, this creature can be a key part of various combos.

Meta-Relevance: In environments where aggression is paramount, Prickleboar shines by providing a significant attacking force that must be dealt with. Its capacity to become a 5/3 creature can pressure opponents and make it a constant threat on the battlefield.


How to beat Prickleboar

Prickleboar stands out in the creature realm of Magic: The Gathering with its formidable ability to gain +2/+0 during your opponent’s turn, effectively making it a stouter defender during combat. The key to overcoming the Prickleboar lies in navigating its strengths. Since it remains a 3/3 on your own turn, strategic timing of removal spells when it’s vulnerable is crucial. It’s important to sideboard removal that works on your turn, like Murder or Doom Blade, as these can take down the Prickleboar before it becomes a threat.

Alternatively, you could bypass the battle phase altogether by employing non-damage based removal such as Oblivion Ring or exile effects, circumventing the Prickleboar’s power boost. Another strategy is to outpace the Prickleboar with flying creatures, leaving ground-based combat behind, or simply overwhelm it with numbers. Remember that Prickleboar’s increased power during your opponent’s turn won’t help if you’re not engaging in combat with it directly. By adjusting your tactics and making clever use of your instants and creatures with evasion, you’ll neutralize the Prickleboar’s advantage and maintain control of the board.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Prickleboar MTG card by a specific set like Magic Origins and Mystery Booster, 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 Prickleboar and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Prickleboar Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2015-07-17 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Jesper Ejsing.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12015-07-17Magic OriginsORI 1582015NormalBlackJesper Ejsing
22019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 10272015NormalBlackJesper Ejsing
32020-09-26The ListPLST ORI-1582015NormalBlackJesper Ejsing

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Prickleboar has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal