Hostage Taker
Creature — Human Pirate
When this creature enters, exile another target creature or artifact until this creature leaves the battlefield. You may cast that card for as long as it remains exiled, and mana of any type can be spent to cast that spell.
Umbar was a refuge for all the enemies of Gondor—a threat to its coastlands and to all traffic on the sea.
Strategy & Gameplay
Hostage Taker is a versatile three-mana creature that provides immediate value through temporary creature or artifact removal while generating card advantage through exile casting. This Human Pirate delivers a potent combination of utility and tempo, making it a cornerstone piece for blue-black control and midrange strategies across multiple formats. The creature's enters-the-battlefield ability temporarily removes one of your opponent's threats while allowing you to cast the exiled card yourself, effectively giving you access to their resources while denying them. The flexibility to target either creatures or artifacts makes this card exceptionally adaptable to any metagame, letting you handle both creature-heavy decks and artifact-focused strategies in one compact package. In constructed formats, Hostage Taker fits beautifully into Dimir control shells, Grixis midrange decks, and tempo-oriented blue-black builds where it serves as both removal and a value engine. The ability to cast exiled cards with mana of any type removes color restrictions, allowing you to optimize your mana base while casting stolen spells. With its reasonable three-mana cost and respectable 2/3 body, it presents a legitimate clock while generating tempo advantages. Players seeking a repeatable removal source that doubles as a value generator will find this card invaluable. Its extensive format legality across Historic, Pioneer, Modern, Legacy, and Commander makes it a sound investment for collectors and competitive players alike, ensuring long-term relevance in multiple play environments.
Illustrated by Torgeir Fjereide