MTG Spider Man and Through the Omenpaths cards have now been tournament legal for over two weeks. Despite the fact that this set is small and hasn’t been particularly well received by the player base, that hasn’t stopped some of the new cards from shining in a variety of different formats.
While some of the new powerhouses feature flashy text boxes and mechanics, others get their strengths from their efficiency and versatility. That’s the case with a particular red card selection spell that’s showing up in Pioneer, Modern, and even Legacy! This cantrip is no joke, as long as you have a strategy that can support it.
Heroes’ Hangout in Pioneer
Heroes’ Hangout is the card in question, and as things currently stand, Pioneer Gruul Prowess is the strongest home for the new tool. Unlike traditional blue cantrips, you don’t actually get to draw cards when you use the Date Night ability on Heroes’ Hangout. Instead, you essentially get a two turn window to cast whatever card you choose. You also don’t generate any actual card advantage like you do with Light Up the Stage. So, what sets this card apart?
First and foremost, this card always costs one mana, and you don’t need to jump through any hoops to cast it. In Gruul Prowess, every card in the maindeck costs two or less mana. This means you’ll never have to worry about revealing two expensive cards and not being able to cast either in a timely manner. Getting to look at two cards instead of one is a big deal, too. It makes it easier to hit your land drops when needed, and later in the game, you’re more likely to chain spells together.
This is super important for Gruul Prowess. Buffing Monastery Swiftspear, Soul-Scar Mage, and Emberheart Challenger is essential. With Cori-Steel Cutter in the mix, having access to cheap spells that replace themselves goes a long way.
All of this upside makes the card stronger than it looks, and we haven’t even addressed the fact that it has another mode. In some situations, it’s best to give two of your creatures a small stat boost until end of turn. This helps you push damage, and First Strike gives you a better shot of attacking into burly blockers or creatures with Deathtouch and not losing your threat in the process. Triggering Emberheart Challenger’s Valiant ability provides even more value.
Heroes’ Hangout in Modern
Beyond Pioneer applications, Heroes’ Hangout is strong enough to show up in some Modern and Legacy decklists. In Modern, it’s appearing alongside Ruby Medallion in some Storm decklists. Ruby Storm is a well-established archetype that relies on discounts from Ruby Medallion and Ral, Monsoon Mage in order to take advantage of Rituals and card draw spells. Eventually, casting Grapeshot will be enough to end the game.
Heroes’ Hangout may not benefit from Ruby Medallion or Ral, but it does make your game plan more consistent. Against Thoughtseize decks, having a one-mana play that digs for either two-mana combo piece is nice. It’s rare you’ll ever take advantage of the card’s second mode here. It just goes to show how good of a cantrip this card truly is.
Heroes’ Hangout in Legacy
In a Legacy setting, one player managed to go 5-0 in a Legacy League with a Gruul Prowess shell that also incorporates a full playset of Heroes’ Hangout. The deck’s game plan is very similar to that of the Pioneer version. You just get access to broken zero-mana plays, including multiple Baubles and Mutagenic Growth.
Even in a format as high-powered as Legacy, the new Spider Man sorcery is making its presence known. Expect to see Heroes’ Hangout continue to pop up in the competitive scene.
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