Byway Courier MTG Card
2016-04-08 - Number 196
2019-11-07 - Number 1152
2023-03-21 - Number 188
2020-09-26 - Number SOI-196
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Scout |
| Abilities | Investigate |
| Power | 3 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
When Byway Courier dies, investigate. (Put a colorless Clue artifact token onto the battlefield with ", Sacrifice this artifact: Draw a card.")
A good courier travels fast and asks no questions.
Cards like Byway Courier
In the realm of creature spells that offer a value upon death, Byway Courier holds a particular niche within MTG. It shares similarities with the likes of Elvish Visionary, which also allows card advantage through its enter-the-battlefield (ETB) effect, drawing you a card. However, Byway Courier’s ability hinges on death, depositing a clue token that can later be cashed in for a card, offering a delayed but flexible benefit.
Comparably, Satyr Wayfinder offers a different flavor of card advantage. While it doesn’t leave behind a tangible artifact, it does help sift through your library and stock your graveyard, a subtle form of card selection and advantage. Then there’s Thraben Inspector, creating a clue token on ETB, ensuring immediate value regardless of its survival, contrasting with Byway Courier’s death-triggered ability.
Overall, Byway Courier offers a strategic dimension for players who can capitalize on death-trigger synergies or simply enjoy the anticipation of cracking open a clue for a fresh draw. While it may not provide the instantaneous gratification of Elvish Visionary or the immediate utility of Thraben Inspector, its potential in the right deck is undeniable, exemplifying versatility in creature design in MTG.
Cards similar to Byway Courier by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Upon death, Byway Courier allows you to investigate, which can transition into drawing a card. This process augments your hand, giving you the upper hand in maintaining card flow and options during the game. A crucial facet for outlasting opponents.
Resource Acceleration: While it doesn’t directly produce mana, the clue token generated by Byway Courier can be a valuable resource. It represents potential future card draw without losing tempo, an indirect form of accelerating your game plan. It’s like a savings account of opportunities just waiting to be cashed in.
Instant Speed: The ability to investigate with Byway Courier may not be at instant speed, but the versatile nature of clue tokens gives you the freedom to crack them open when it suits you best. This means you can passively set up for a surprise card draw when your opponent least expects it, keeping your strategy both flexible and unpredictable.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Byway Courier necessitates that you have another permanent to sacrifice when it dies in order to draw a card, a scenario that could be unfavorable if you are struggling to maintain board presence.
Specific Mana Cost: Requiring both green mana and generic mana, Byway Courier’s specific cost may not seamlessly fit into multicolored or mana-intensive decks, potentially affecting its playability.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three, including one green, you may find that more impactful creatures or spells are available at a similar cost, which may lead to Byway Courier being overlooked in favor of options providing greater value or versatility.
Reasons to Include Byway Courier in Your Collection
Versatility: Byway Courier offers great flexibility for various deck archetypes since it provides card advantage through its death-triggered ability. This ensures that whether you’re in a pinch during combat or need to replenish your hand, Byway Courier has you covered.
Combo Potential: With its ability to generate a Clue token upon dying, Byway Courier can be a piece of combos that capitalize on artifacts or death triggers, allowing you to draw into more resources or enabling synergistic interactions within your deck.
Meta-Relevance: As metas evolve, cards that offer both a body to block or attack and card draw capabilities can maintain relevance. Byway Courier, with its intrinsic card advantage mechanism, remains a potentially strong play in fluctuating gameplay environments.
How to Beat
Byway Courier, while not a top-tier threat in MTG, still warrants a strategy for any player looking to maintain control of the battlefield. As an efficient creature card, it offers the advantage of generating card advantage through its death-triggered ability. The card allows its controller to investigate, essentially creating a Clue artifact token that can be sacrificed later for card draw.
To effectively counter Byway Courier, prioritize removal spells that avoid sending it to the graveyard such as exile effects. Cards like Path to Exile or Swords to Plowshares provide a clean solution by removing it from the game entirely, thereby negating its ability to investigate. Alternatively, you can use bounce spells or effects to return it to its owner’s hand, circumventing the death trigger. Also, since the Clue token generated requires mana to be used, applying pressure and keeping your opponent’s mana tapped can render the advantage moot. In essence, smart resource management and choosing the right moment to deploy removals can nullify Byway Courier’s impact on your game.
Understanding how to dismantle your opponent’s strategy, especially when it involves accruing card advantage over time, is fundamental to seizing victory. By mitigating the Byway Courier’s influence, you can preserve your hold on the game and continue towards triumph.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Byway Courier MTG card by a specific set like Shadows over Innistrad and Mystery Booster, 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 Byway Courier and other MTG cards:
BUY NOW BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
- 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Byway Courier Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2016-04-08 and 2023-03-21. Illustrated by Zoltan Boros.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2016-04-08 | Shadows over Innistrad | SOI | 196 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros | |
| 2 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 1152 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros | |
| 3 | The List | PLST | SOI-196 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros | ||
| 4 | 2023-03-21 | Shadows over Innistrad Remastered | SIR | 188 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Zoltan Boros |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Byway Courier 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 |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Byway Courier card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2016-04-08 | If you sacrifice a Clue for another card’s cost or effect, such as that of Angelic Purge or Tamiyo’s Journal, you can’t also pay and sacrifice it to draw a card. |
| 2016-04-08 | The token is named Clue and has the artifact subtype Clue. Clue isn’t a creature type. |
| 2016-04-08 | The tokens are normal artifacts. For example, they can be sacrificed to cast Angelic Purge or targeted by Root Out. |