Civic Wayfinder MTG Card
2005-10-07 - Number 157
2007-07-13 - Number 255
2010-06-04 - Number 56
2010-11-08 - Number A64
2016-06-10 - Number 161
2016-09-02 - Number 5
| Card sets | Released in 6 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Elf Druid Warrior |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Text of card
When Civic Wayfinder comes into play, you may search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
"These alleys are not safe. Come, I can guide you back to the market square."
Cards like Civic Wayfinder
In the realm of Magic: The Gathering, Civic Wayfinder earns its place as a valuable utility creature. It aligns with other cards like Borderland Ranger and Sylvan Ranger, all serving a similar purpose of land tutoring. Where Civic Wayfinder takes the lead is in its effect to immediately bring the land to your hand, ready for a land drop, which its counterparts do as well.
Wood Elves are another relative in this comparison, with a stark difference – the Elves put the land into play, which could be more advantageous than Civic Wayfinder’s hand-based approach. It’s worth considering, however, that Wood Elves are restricted to fetching Forests, while Civic Wayfinder offers a choice among any basic land type.
Examining these cards, it’s clear that Civic Wayfinder holds a balanced position within the group. Its blend of creature presence on the board and land retrieval capability without being overly specific or costly makes it a versatile choice in MTG decks that prioritize land consistency and board development.
Cards similar to Civic Wayfinder by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Civic Wayfinder, unlike many creatures, offers a unique benefit upon entering the battlefield by letting you search your library for a basic land card and put that card into your hand. This not only gives you immediate access to a land drop but also subtly thins out your deck, increasing the chance of drawing non-land cards in subsequent turns.
Resource Acceleration: This land-fetching ability is a form of resource acceleration. By ensuring a land drop, the Civic Wayfinder can keep your gameplay smooth and maintain the pace, especially in mana-hungry decks where reaching key mana thresholds on time is crucial.
Instant Speed: While the Civic Wayfinder itself is not an instant, it synergizes well with decks that capitalize on instant-speed interaction. By securing your land drop for the turn with the Wayfinder, you can commit to other instant-speed strategies with greater confidence, knowing your land resources are already optimized.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Civic Wayfinder doesn’t involve discarding cards as a direct cost, it often finds itself in decks that capitalize on graveyard interactions. This reliance can be a downside in matches against opponents that benefit from or remove graveyard contents, thus inadvertently aiding their strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Civic Wayfinder demands a precise mana arrangement—one green plus two of any color. This requirement can be slightly limiting, especially in the early game where mana flexibility is crucial for adapting to the board state, potentially stalling your development if the necessary lands aren’t accessible.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While three mana for a 2/2 body that also fetches a land is reasonable, in an evolving MTG meta that values speed and efficiency, there are now many creatures that provide similar or better effects at a lower mana cost, leading to sometimes unfavorable comparisons for Civic Wayfinder.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: The Civic Wayfinder is a solid addition to any deck looking for efficient mana fixing. This green creature allows for seamless inclusion in multicolored decks, ensuring you hit your land drops and keep the spells flowing.
Combo Potential: Beyond providing a land to your hand, this elf can be a cog in decks that capitalize on enter-the-battlefield triggers. Pairing it with cards that bounce creatures back to your hand or allow for repeated play can create a cycle of land-fetching that keeps your game strong.
Meta-Relevance: With the ever-shifting landscape of MTG, adaptability is key. Civic Wayfinder’s straightforward utility can be a game-changer in formats where consistent land drops are critical to outpacing opponents, making it a worthwhile contender in various meta environments.
How to beat
Civic Wayfinder is an intriguing card in the MTG universe due to its ability to merge board presence with mana fixing. This card enables a player to search their library for a basic land card, place it into their hand, and subsequently strengthen their mana base while providing a useful creature on the battlefield.
To effectively counter Civic Wayfinder, it’s key to disrupt the mana curve that players rely on when including it in their decks. One strategy is to employ land destruction or denial cards, throwing off the balance of their mana base. Hand disruption also serves as a viable tactic, aiming to remove Civic Wayfinder before it’s even played. Cards like Thoughtseize are perfect for this.
In summary, coping with Civic Wayfinder comes down to preemptively managing the resources it aims to bolster. Interrupting the finely-tuned sequence of land and creature plays by thwarting this card can inhibit an opponent’s plan, tipping the scales in your favor during a game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Civic Wayfinder MTG card by a specific set like Ravnica: City of Guilds and Tenth Edition, 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 Civic Wayfinder 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
See MTG Products
Printings
The Civic Wayfinder Magic the Gathering card was released in 6 different sets between 2005-10-07 and 2016-09-02. Illustrated by Cyril Van Der Haegen.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2005-10-07 | Ravnica: City of Guilds | RAV | 157 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen | |
| 2 | 2007-07-13 | Tenth Edition | 10E | 255 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen | |
| 3 | 2010-06-04 | Duels of the Planeswalkers | DPA | 56 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen | |
| 4 | 2010-11-08 | Magic Online Theme Decks | TD0 | A64 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen | |
| 5 | 2016-06-10 | Eternal Masters | EMA | 161 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen | |
| 6 | 2016-09-02 | Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob Nixilis | DDR | 5 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Cyril Van Der Haegen |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Civic Wayfinder has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |