A-You Come to a River MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 2022-07-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate |
| Set code | HBG |
| Number | A-136 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Viko Menezes |
Text of card
Choose one — • Fight the Current — The owner of target nonland permanent puts it on the top or bottom of their library. • Find a Crossing — Target creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn and can't be blocked this turn.
Cards like A-You Come to a River
A-You Come to a River is an intriguing option for players seeking versatility in their deck. Its kinship can be seen with the modal card Choose Your Own Adventure. Although both allow players to select an effect fitting the current game state, A-You Come to a River provides a unique twist with its ability granting either a creature unblockable status for the turn or bouncing an opponent’s nonland permanent to their hand.
Comparatively, Unsummon is valued for its straightforward utility of returning a creature to the owner’s hand at a low cost. While it doesn’t offer the dual-choice facility, its efficiency in handling opposing threats is commendable. Conversely, there’s Cloak of Mists, which confers unblockable to a creature, but as an enchantment, lacks the instant speed and flexibility that A-You Come to a River offers.
Taking stock of these options, A-You Come to a River aligns well with players’ needs for flexible response cards in Magic: The Gathering. It’s not merely a question of bouncing threats but also of paving the way for crucial attacks, making A-You Come to a River a strategic choice for dynamic gameplay.
Cards similar to A-You Come to a River by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: ‘A-You Come to a River’ enables players to either draw two cards, assisting in keeping hand size healthy, or works as a bounce spell to control the board. This flexibility ensures that the card retains value in various game states.
Resource Acceleration: By choosing the return up to one target nonland permanent to its owner’s hand option, it can potentially set your opponent back on their mana curve, indirectly accelerating your resources in relation to theirs. This can be crucial for maintaining tempo.
Instant Speed: This card’s ability to be played at instant speed offers a significant strategic advantage. It allows players to adapt to the unfolding game, whether that’s by reacting to an opponent’s threat in their turn or by waiting until the end of their opponent’s turn to make a decision, thus keeping up the element of surprise and strategic concealness.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: A You Come to a River requires players to discard a card when choosing certain pathways, which can deplete hand advantage and force tough decisions, especially when card quantity in hand is crucial.
Specific Mana Cost: The card demands blue mana for casting, potentially limiting its integration into multicolored decks or those not focused on blue resources, restricting its versatility.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a cost that may be considered steep for the effects provided, players might find other options more cost-effective, especially when aiming for optimized deck building that seeks lower cost spells for a faster gameplay tempo.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: A You Come to a River is a flexible card that can be easily slotted into a variety of blue decks. Its ability to either bounce a creature or draw cards provides crucial game-adapting options that can cater to the changing tides of gameplay.
Combo Potential: The instant’s dual-choice mechanic opens up combo avenues in decks focused on spellslinger or creature tempo strategies. Pairing it with cards that care about spells being cast or drawing cards can amplify its impact on the game.
Meta-Relevance: With ever-shifting metas, control decks often require versatile answers. A You Come to a River offers precisely that, allowing players to maintain tempo or refuel their hand, positioning this instant as a particularly relevant choice in dynamic gameplay environments.
How to beat
A-You Come to a River is a versatile choice spell that presents MTG players with a strategic fork in their game plan. Much like the card Dazzling Reflection, A-You Come to a River offers two different effects based on the situation at hand. Players can either choose to fight the current, returning a nonland permanent to its owner’s hand, or they can find a crossing, granting a creature they control a mix of power boost and evasion until end of turn. It’s a card that can suddenly swing a game’s momentum.
Overcoming such a flexible spell requires smart play. Anticipate the moments when your opponent might have the card at their disposal. Playing around A-You Come to a River involves holding back removal until the creature is boosted, thereby neutralizing its enhanced threat while your opponent is tapped out. Additionally, creatures with hexproof or protection from blue provide a strong counter as they are immune to being returned or blocked when given the evasion from the card.
To beat it, focus on assessing the board and making your moves with A-You Come to a River’s possible effects in mind. This foresight will help you maintain control and prevent your opponent from gaining the upper hand with this crafty spell.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase A-You Come to a River MTG card by a specific set like Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the A-You Come to a River and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where A-You Come to a River has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |