Crosstown Courier MTG Card
2012-10-05 - Number 34
2014-03-14 - Number 6
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Vedalken |
| Abilities | Mill |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
Text of card
Whenever Crosstown Courier deals combat damage to a player, that player puts that many cards from the top of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Information travels quickly through Ravnica's network of messengers and thought agents.
Cards like Crosstown Courier
Crosstown Courier offers a unique spin on creature abilities in Magic: The Gathering. Its kinship can be found with creatures like Ophidian, who similarly encourages combat engagement to trigger its card draw function. Where Crosstown Courier diverges is in its damage-based card reveal mechanic, allowing players to peek at their opponent’s deck as it deals combat damage, a subtle yet potentially advantageous form of information warfare.
Exploring further parallels, we find Shadowmage Infiltrator, an iconic card known for its combination of evasion and card advantage. While the Infiltrator guarantees a card draw on combat damage to a player, Crosstown Courier has a less immediate benefit, stocking up the hand with revealed cards only when it leaves the battlefield. Nevertheless, the two-mana cost of Crosstown Courier presents an earlier drop, potentially accruing benefits as the game unfolds.
Assessing the versatility and applications of Crosstown Courier within Magic: The Gathering, its effects stand out most in decks that capitalize on knowing an opponent’s upcoming draws or those designed to strategically exile the revealed cards from an opponent’s deck. Although it may not provide the immediate gratification of card draw like some of its counterparts, the strategic edge it grants can be just as valuable under the right circumstances.
Cards similar to Crosstown Courier by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Crosstown Courier shines in decks that aim to keep their hand filled with options. Every time it deals combat damage to a player, you get to peek at that many cards from the top of your opponent’s library — a great way to predict their next moves while padding your hand with additional resources.
Resource Acceleration: While Crosstown Courier itself doesn’t directly ramp your mana, its synergy with spells or abilities that capitalize on card advantage can indirectly lead to resource acceleration. Drawing into more land cards or cards that allow you to play additional lands keeps your mana pool growing and your plays impactful.
Instant Speed: Although Crosstown Courier is a creature card and not cast at instant speed, it pairs well with instants in your deck. Its ability to gather information about the opponent’s upcoming draws enables strategic instant play, ensuring that you can react in the most efficient way possible during the full course of the match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Crosstown Courier may necessitate the discard of valuable cards, a strategy that’s not always in your best interest. This could disrupt your game plan by forcing you to choose between maintaining card advantage and optimizing the courier’s effect.
Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that requires both blue and generic mana, Crosstown Courier demands a dedicated mana base. This could potentially restrict the card to decks that are heavily blue or have the resources to reliably produce both types of mana.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While not exceptionally high, the courier’s mana cost can be steep for its stats and ability. For two mana, players might expect a more impactful effect or a creature with higher power and toughness, which makes the courier a less appealing choice when deck building.
Reasons to Include Crosstown Courier in Your Collection
Versatility: Crosstown Courier offers flexible gameplay, easily fitting into blue-based decks that aim to draw extra cards or benefit from creatures with evasion. As a 2/1 body with the ability to sneak damage through, this card is useful for triggering draw mechanics.
Combo Potential: Its ability to mill an opponent’s deck when dealing combat damage opens up possibilities for synergistic play with cards that capitalize on the number of cards in an opponent’s graveyard or those that manipulate deck order.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where card advantage often dictates the victor, Crosstown Courier gains significance. It shines in environments where unblockable creatures can consistently connect with the opponent, making it a smart inclusion for players looking to exploit such strategies.
How to beat Crosstown Courier
Crosstown Courier shines in the realm of Magic: The Gathering as a card that has the potential to disrupt an opponent’s strategy through its unique damage-to-card ability. When the Courier deals combat damage to a player, it gives you an advantage by forcing them to put that many cards from the top of their library into their graveyard. This can gradually diminish an opponent’s resources, making it a strategic play in formats that thrive on card advantage.
To effectively counter Crosstown Courier, one can utilize cards that prevent combat damage or block effectively. Cards with the ‘reach’ or ‘flash’ ability can surprise block the Courier before it can fulfill its role. Additionally, spot removal spells are outstanding at removing the Courier from the battlefield before it can assert its pressure. Ensnaring cards or those that restrict the ability to attack are also excellent methods to ensure the Crosstown Courier is rendered ineffective, conserving your library from unwanted depletion.
Overall, while Crosstown Courier poses a threat through its milling capability, it is quite manageable with the right counter-measures. A keen understanding of timing and effective use of removal or blocking techniques ensures that the Courier does not outpace your control over the game.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Crosstown Courier MTG card by a specific set like Return to Ravnica and Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska, 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 Crosstown Courier 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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Printings
The Crosstown Courier Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2012-10-05 and 2014-03-14. Illustrated by Chase Stone.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2012-10-05 | Return to Ravnica | RTR | 34 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Chase Stone | |
| 2 | 2014-03-14 | Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska | DDM | 6 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Chase Stone |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Crosstown Courier has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |