Ranger's Longbow MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Artifact — Equipment |
| Abilities | Equip |
| Released | 2021-07-23 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Adventures in the Forgotten Realms |
| Set code | AFR |
| Number | 203 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Marcela Medeiros |
Key Takeaways
- Grants direct damage ability, offering control and potential creature removal for card advantage.
- Instant speed activation for strategic flexibility, though equipping has a card discard cost.
- Enhances decks against flyers but weighs on mana resources and may limit hand options.
Text of card
Equipped creature gets +2/+1 and has reach. Equip (: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)
With the right weapon, a fearsome beholder is nothing more than a big floating bullseye.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Equipping Ranger’s Longbow to a creature can grant you the ability to deal direct damage, potentially removing your opponent’s key creatures and leading to card advantage on the battlefield.
Resource Acceleration: With the activated ability provided by Ranger’s Longbow, you optimize your mana usage by converting it into direct damage, effectively utilizing resources to control the game’s pace.
Instant Speed: While the equipment itself does not have instant speed, its ability can be activated at instant speed. This provides the flexibility to respond to the opponent’s actions or end-of-turn strategically, keeping them on their toes.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: A key drawback of Ranger’s Longbow is the need to discard a card to activate its abilities. This can be particularly detrimental in the late game when your hand might already be depleted, limiting your strategic options and potentially forcing you to lose valuable resources.
Specific Mana Cost: Ranger’s Longbow’s activation cost requires specific mana, which could pose a challenge in multicolored decks. This might restrict the card’s compatibility, ultimately confining it to decks that can reliably produce the necessary mana types.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: For its equip cost and the effect it confers upon the creature, Ranger’s Longbow might be seen as costly. While it does give a creature a considerable ability, the mana investment is significant. Players might seek alternatives that provide similar benefits without the high mana expenditure.
Reasons to Include Ranger’s Longbow in Your Collection
Versatility: Ranger’s Longbow offers flexibility as it can equip to any creature, enhancing any deck where creatures play a key role. Its ability to give reach means even your smallest creatures can become potent threats to flying adversaries.
Combo Potential: The card can become an integral part of an equipment-themed strategy or synergize with cards that benefit from equipped creatures. It’s also worthwhile in decks that aim to enhance individual creatures to deal decisive damage.
Meta-Relevance: In a game climate where flyers are prevalent, having access to an equipment that grants reach and boosts creature power can shift the balance in your favor, making Ranger’s Longbow a savvy addition against current trends.
How to beat
Ranger’s Longbow brings a unique dynamic to the battlefield with its ability to arm your creatures with a touch of offensive and defensive versatility. This simple yet effective equipment card offers not just a power boost but also the potential for your equipped creature to gain the reach ability. While it holds similarities to other equipment cards that offer power boosts, such as Short Sword, it stands out by adding a layer of protection against flying creatures.
Countering Ranger’s Longbow requires a strategy that focuses on minimizing its impact. Cards like Naturalize or Disenchant allow you to remove the Longbow directly, negating its advantages swiftly. Alternatively, engaging in combat tricks or removal spells to dispatch creatures before they’re equipped can disrupt your opponent’s plans. Artifact removal, such as Abrade, serves as a multi-purpose solution, capable of dealing with the Longbow or other threats looming on the board.
Ultimately, the key to overcoming Ranger’s Longbow lies in timely removal and preventing your opponent from establishing a fortified position on the field. By strategizing around this approach, you maintain control and mitigate the extra power and reach that the Longbow aims to provide.
Cards like Ranger's Longbow
Ranger’s Longbow offers a unique boost in Magic: The Gathering, providing equipped creatures with a distinct offensive capability. Its peers in the realm of equipment cards include the likes of Viridian Longbow. Both embolden creatures to deal direct damage, however, Ranger’s Longbow also grants a notable power bonus. Unlike Viridian Longbow, the Ranger’s version doesn’t allow the creature to tap for damage, which maintains the creature’s ability to attack.
Another equipment of interest is the heavy hitter, Fireshrieker. While it doesn’t allow for direct damage like Ranger’s Longbow, it does double a creature’s combat damage, emphasizing a more aggressive play. On the defensive side of the spectrum, Short Sword is simpler, offering a smaller power boost without any additional perks. It’s an accessible alternative for players seeking a straightforward combat enhancer.
Assessing Ranger’s Longbow within its category suggests that its special ability to add to creature damage without engaging it lends a tactical edge. It’s an effect that can be pivoted to adapt to various game situations, ensuring that its wielder not only increases their damage output but also retains versatility on the battlefield.
Cards similar to Ranger's Longbow by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ranger's Longbow MTG card by a specific set like Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, 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 Ranger's Longbow and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ranger's Longbow has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
