Caravan Escort MTG Card
2010-04-23 - Number 15
2011-04-01 - Number 2
2015-08-28 - Number 3
2019-11-07 - Number 44
2020-09-26 - Number DDP-3
| Card sets | Released in 5 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 1 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Knight |
| Abilities | First strike,Level Up |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Level up (: Put a level counter on this. Level up only as a sorcery.) LEVEL 1-4 2/2 LEVEL 5+ 5/5 First strike
Cards like Caravan Escort
Caravan Escort is a familiar face in the lineup of one-mana white creatures in Magic: The Gathering, slotting into decks keen on early defense. Resembling other one-drops like Elite Vanguard, Caravan Escort offers more than just a quick creature on the board. The unique aspect of this card is its level up ability, transforming it from a humble 1/1 into a formidable defender given time and mana investment.
Another card worth comparing is Student of Warfare, a one-drop that boasts the level up feature as well. While both cards escalate in power with each level, Student of Warfare races ahead with its potential to become a first-striking powerhouse at a lower level. However, Caravan Escort catches up at the highest level, emerging as a steadfast 5/5 with first strike. Knight of Meadowgrain presents a different dynamic, entering the battlefield with lifelink and superior stats to Caravan Escort’s initial form, but without the potential for growth.
In summary, Caravan Escort holds its ground amid its peers with the promise of growth, offering deck builders an evolving threat capable of adjusting to the shifting tides of the game. Its juxtaposition of early game entry point and late-game impact makes it a card to consider in strategic MTG deck compositions.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Caravan Escort itself may not draw you cards, its synergy with equipment and enchantments means it has the potential to provide extra value over the course of the game. As you buff Caravan Escort, it can become a noticeable threat, potentially drawing removal from your opponent and preserving your more vital creatures.
Resource Acceleration: This one-drop creature allows you to establish your board presence from the very first turn. As you continue to develop your mana base, Caravan Escort can be leveled up, becoming stronger and helping to accelerate your game plan by applying early pressure on your opponent.
Instant Speed: Although Caravan Escort doesn’t have an instant-speed mechanic itself, its Level Up ability can be activated at any time you could cast an instant. This flexibility lets you hold back mana and make strategic decisions on the fly, providing the opportunity to adapt to incoming threats or end-of-turn opportunities.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Caravan Escort doesn’t have a discard mechanic itself, it requires a steady hand presence to be effective. Any strategy that relies on discarding can hinder its level-up potential.
Specific Mana Cost: Caravan Escort demands white mana for its initial cast and subsequent level-ups. This can be restrictive for multicolored decks that may not always have white mana readily available.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The cumulative mana cost to fully level up Caravan Escort can be quite demanding. More aggressive or tempo-based decks might find this cost inefficient when there are creatures that provide immediate impact without the need for additional mana investment.
Reasons to Include Caravan Escort in Your Collection
Versatility: Caravan Escort is a flexible addition to your deck, serving as an efficient one-drop creature that can evolve into a formidable defender with its level-up ability, fitting in both aggressive and defensive strategies.
Combo Potential: As a creature with the level-up mechanic, Caravan Escort pairs well with cards that benefit from creatures changing states or with those that manipulate counters, expanding its utility within intricate gameplay.
Meta-Relevance: In a metagame where early-game board presence is key, Caravan Escort offers a cost-effective creature that can grow and adapt as the game progresses, potentially giving players an edge during the crucial early turns.
How to beat
Caravan Escort stands out in MTG as a humble Level Up creature, providing strategic depth and stature elevation with each level gained. Originating from the Rise of the Eldrazi set, it showcases the innovative Level Up mechanic where, with sufficient mana investment, it evolves from a mere 1/1 to a potentially daunting 5/5 first-striker.
To counter Caravan Escort, efficient removal spells are your best tool. Early on, a simple Shock or Fatal Push can dispatch the creature before it accumulates levels and becomes a more significant threat. It’s crucial to act swiftly, as once leveled up, it demands more robust answers. Cards such as Murder or Path to Exile become necessary to manage a fully leveled Escort. On the flip side, utilizing enchantment-based removals like Pacifism or Lignify can render the leveled-up Escort harmless without the need for a direct confrontation.
Tactically, the best approach is to prevent it from reaching its full potential. Maintain mana for instant-speed interaction in your reserve and keep watch for the opportune moment to strike. Preventing the Escort from ascending through its levels ensures it remains an insignificant obstacle rather than a formidable guardian of the caravan.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Caravan Escort MTG card by a specific set like Rise of the Eldrazi and Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons, 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 Caravan Escort and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
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- MTG Mint Card
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- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Printings
The Caravan Escort Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2010-04-23 and 2019-11-07. Illustrated by Goran Josic.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010-04-23 | Rise of the Eldrazi | ROE | 15 | 2003 | Leveler | Black | Goran Josic | |
| 2 | 2011-04-01 | Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons | DDG | 2 | 2003 | Leveler | Black | Goran Josic | |
| 3 | 2015-08-28 | Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. Eldrazi | DDP | 3 | 2015 | Leveler | Black | Goran Josic | |
| 4 | 2019-11-07 | Mystery Booster | MB1 | 44 | 2015 | Leveler | Black | Goran Josic | |
| 5 | The List | PLST | DDP-3 | 2015 | Leveler | Black | Goran Josic |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Caravan Escort has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Caravan Escort card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2010-06-15 | A creature’s level is based on how many level counters it has on it, not how many times its level up ability has been activated or has resolved. If a leveler gets level counters due to some other effect (such as Clockspinning) or loses level counters for some reason (such as Vampire Hexmage), its level is changed accordingly. |
| 2010-06-15 | Effects that modify a leveler’s power or toughness, such as the effects of Giant Growth or Glorious Anthem, will apply to it no matter when they started to take effect. The same is true for counters that change the creature’s power or toughness (such as +1/+1 counters) and effects that switch its power and toughness. |
| 2010-06-15 | Effects that set a leveler’s power or toughness to a specific value, including the effects from a level symbol’s ability, apply in timestamp order. The timestamp of each level symbol’s ability is the same as the timestamp of the leveler itself, regardless of when the most recent level counter was put on it. |
| 2010-06-15 | If another creature becomes a copy of a leveler, all of the leveler’s printed abilities — including those represented by level symbols — are copied. The current characteristics of the leveler, and the number of level counters on it, are not. The abilities, power, and toughness of the copy will be determined based on how many level counters are on the copy. |
| 2010-06-15 | The abilities a leveler grants to itself don’t overwrite any other abilities it may have. In particular, they don’t overwrite the creature’s level up ability; it always has that. |