Over the years, a number of very similar – sometimes functionally different – cards have been printed. This series is devoted to finding those cards, analyzing their strengths and weaknesses, determining what role they play, and general discussion around cube card selection. I aim to determine if you should play one, neither, or both of the thread's cards.

Vampire Nighthawk

This simple and iconic design has been a cube role-player for over a decade. When facing down early aggro pressure, Vampire Nighthawk shines. Its 2/3 lifelink body blocks favorably and gains life to quickly put games out of reach. Against Midrange, successful attacks represent a 4-point life swing. However, deathtouch is the best keyword in the Midrange matchup, as Nighthawk can trade up with things like Restoration Angel and Carnage Tyrant – and even gain a bit of life. Because Vampire Nighthawk shines in creature-based combat, it is much weaker against Control and Combo. It can still inflict quite a bit of damage on your opponents, pressuring them to respond. Alternatively, it can trade with an activated Celestial Colonnade or cheated Emrakul, the Promised End, though these decks have a higher density of answers.

Vampire Nighthawk most often finds its home in Midrange and Control decks, as it slows your opponent’s tempo advantage and threatens to block and kill even the biggest and most evasive attackers. Its mana cost is efficient, though the commitment to double black prevents Vampire Nighthawk from being splashed in non-black decks.

Nighthawk Scavenger

Much of what can be said about Vampire Nighthawk is true of Nighthawk Scavenger. It excels against aggro, stifles tempo pressure, and can create big life total swings. However, Nighthawk Scavenger has a conditionality – its power is determined by number of card types in your opponent’s graveyards.

Scavenger’s conditionally can certainly be a downside. Early in the game, before any cards have hit your opponent’s graveyard, Nighthawk Scavenger is a below-rate 1/3. It is also susceptible to both on-board and in-hand graveyard manipulation – Scavenging Ooze can shrink it to a manageable size or a Dig Through Time can lead to a combat blowout.

However, the upsides of Nighthawk Scavenger’s conditionality far outweighs its downsides. A single fetchland, cantrip, or removal spell used by your opponent brings Nighthawk Scavenger up to the same power and toughness as Vampire Nighthawk. Beyond that, there are seven common card types – Artifact, Creature, Enchantment, Instant, Land, Planeswalker, and Sorcery – that are bound to show up in your games. As each new card type is added to your opponent’s graveyard, Nighthawk Scavenger grows. It is not uncommon to play Scavenger as a mid-game 5/3 flying lifelinker. In many ways, it reminds me of a more impactful, evasive, but fragile Tarmogoyf. As a larger attacker than Vampire Nighthawk, Nighthawk Scavenger more frequently goes on the beat-down, putting an imposing clock on your opponent. Because of its easy-to-meet conditionality, Nighthawk Scavenger is as good as or better than Vampire Nighthawk at nearly every point in the game.

Summary

I would play Nighthawk Scavenger over Vampire Nighthawk. While Vampire Nighthawk has spent years in my cube as a formidable roadblock and occasional attacker, Nighthawk Scavenger transitions much better from its defensive early-game to a powerful end-game attacker, threatening to put the game out of reach with just a few swings of its own.

There is certainly room for both in most cubes, but the diversity and power of black three-drops like Murderous Rider. Ophiomancer, Opposition Agent, and Plague Engineer give you few slots to play around with. For rarity-restricted and ultra-budget cubes, Vampire Nighthawk is still an excellent choice. However it’s hard to pass up Nighthawk Scavenger and its $2 price tag.

Previous Installations

• Lightning Helix vs Boros Charm
• Liliana, Heretical Healer vs Liliana, the Last Hope
• Hanweir Garrison vs Goblin Rabblemaster
• Frantic Search vs Thirst for Knowledge vs Compulsive Research
• Elspeth, Knight Errant vs Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
• Green Sun’s Zenith vs Chord of Calling
• Karn Liberated vs Ugin, the Spirit Dragon
• Looter il-Kor vs Wharf Infiltrator
• Tarmogoyf vs Sylvan Advocate

Have suggestions for the next installation? Drop it in the comments!

@thesidestepkids | thesidestepkids#7403 | /u/thesidestepkids

360 Unpowered Cube | 450 Pioneer+ Cube