Blind HunterHow it works & interactions with other cards

Understanding Haunt and Life Drain

Blind Hunter features two primary abilities: Flying and a triggered ability that occurs both when it enters the battlefield and when the creature it 'haunts' dies. The Haunt keyword is a triggered ability that triggers specifically when Blind Hunter is put into a graveyard from the battlefield. When this happens, you exile Blind Hunter and choose a target creature for it to haunt. This creates a lasting connection where the exiled card's triggered ability waits for that second creature to die.

Resolution Step-by-Step

First, when Blind Hunter enters the battlefield, its life-drain ability triggers; you choose a target player to lose 2 life and you gain 2 life. Later, if Blind Hunter dies, the Haunt ability triggers. As this resolves, you exile the Bat and target a creature currently on the battlefield. Finally, when that haunted creature is put into a graveyard, the 'enters or creature it haunts dies' ability triggers a second time from exile, targeting a player for another 2-life drain.

Common Pitfalls

A common mistake is forgetting that Haunt requires a target creature. If there are no other creatures on the battlefield when Blind Hunter dies, the Haunt ability is removed from the stack and the card stays in the graveyard. Additionally, if the haunted creature is exiled or returned to hand instead of dying (moving to the graveyard), the second trigger will not fire. Note that the exiled Blind Hunter card does not have to haunt a creature you control; you can haunt an opponent's creature to ensure the trigger happens when they lose a blocker.

Interaction examples

Draining with the Throne

Roaming Throne

If you control Roaming Throne with 'Bat' chosen as the creature type, Blind Hunter's enters-the-battlefield ability triggers twice, draining 4 life total. Furthermore, when Blind Hunter dies, Roaming Throne causes the Haunt ability itself to trigger twice. This allows you to exile Blind Hunter and haunt two different creatures simultaneously. When either of those haunted creatures dies, the life-drain trigger will fire again.

Value Exchange

Solemn Simulacrum

You can use Blind Hunter to haunt your own Solemn Simulacrum. When the Simulacrum dies, you will stack the triggers so that you draw a card from the Golem's ability and resolve the 2-life drain from the Bat's Haunt ability. This synergy ensures you are compensated with cards and life at the moment your board state changes.