Savvy Hunter offers hope for Golgari in MTG Standard

Food for life, Food for card draw.

Vivien Magic the Gathering
Image via Wizards of the Coast Magic: The Gathering

Rotation in Magic: The Gathering is just a few weeks away and with it comes the Throne of Eldraine set in Standard, along with a Savvy Hunter who sacrifices Food for card draw. 

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Savvy Hunter MTG Throne of Eldraine
Image via Wizards of the Coast Magic: The Gathering

Drawing cards is great for tempo in MTG, but there’s more to it. It comes down to what a player can get out of a card that has cantrip (card draw), however. In the case of Savvy Hunter, there are two major benefits for trying to fit her into a Golgari or Sultai deck. 

Food mechanic

It’s still a little early in Throne of Eldraine spoiler season to be hyping the new Food mechanic, but there’s potential to be had. Food tokens produce three life points when sacrificed along with tapping two of any color mana. 

Savvy Hunter takes Food a step further, allowing a player to sacrifice two Food tokens and draw a card. Hunter also creates a Food token every time she attacks and blocks. 

Three for three

While the Food mechanic isn’t a sure thing in either Golgari or Sultai decks, there’s no arguing a three-drop with power and defense of 3/3. In dropping a Paradise Druid on turn two, a player has the freedom to play Savvy Hunter on turn three.

Savvy Hunter is able to attack and block via the three-drop spot, but she can also curve into Vivien, Arkbow Ranger. This comes in handy if a player needs to minus-three Vivien upon entering the battlefield to remove a threat.

The Throne of Eldraine set releases via MTG Arena on Sept. 26. Pre-release for ELD via tabletop is Sept. 29 to Sept. 29, with the official release launching on Oct. 4. 

Author
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Danny Forster
Staff writer, lead beat writer for MTG and TFT
Danny has been writing for Dot Esports for over five years, first as a freelancer and now as a staff writer. He is the lead beat writer for Magic: The Gathering and Teamfight Tactics. Danny is also a solid Monopoly GO player, having beaten every main event without spending a dime. When Danny isn't writing or gaming, he's chilling by the water in Spacecoast Florida with his family and friends. He's always got a tan, because touching grass is important, and loves playing strategic digital and tabletop games. Past outlets Danny has written for include TheGamer and ScreenRant.