Echo Tracer MTG Card
2003-02-03 - Number 37
2014-09-05 - Number 51
| Card sets | Released in 2 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Abilities | Morph |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Instant speed morphing of Echo Tracer offers surprise interaction and flexible combat tactics.
- Combo potential with enter-the-battlefield effects enhances Echo Tracer’s value in synergy-driven decks.
- Its higher mana cost and color specificity may limit inclusion in some MTG deck strategies.
Text of card
Morph (You may play this face down as a 2/2 creature for . Turn it face up any time for its morph cost.) When Echo Tracer is turned face up, return target creature to its owner's hand.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Echo Tracer, when bounced to your hand and recast, can repeatedly activate its ability to return target creature to its owner’s hand. This interaction can disrupt your opponent’s board while maintaining your own creature count and hand resources, ensuring a steady flow of options.
Resource Acceleration: While Echo Tracer itself does not directly provide mana, the consistent return of creatures to the hand can be compounded with other cards that provide benefits when creatures enter the battlefield or are returned to hand, thus indirectly contributing to both mana and resource acceleration in synergy-driven decks.
Instant Speed: The morph mechanic lets you play Echo Tracer face-down as a 2/2 creature at any time you could cast an instant. Additionally, its ability to bounce creatures can be activated at instant speed once it’s turned face-up. This means you have the flexibility to surprise your opponent and avoid unfavorable engagements, keeping them guessing and your board presence adaptable.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Echo Tracer requires you to return a creature you control to your hand as part of its morph cost. This can be a drawback if you’re trying to maintain board presence or if bouncing a creature disrupts your overall strategy.
Specific Mana Cost: Echo Tracer demands a specific color combination of one blue and two generic mana to cast normally. This can be restrictive, particularly in multi-colored decks that may not always have the right mana available at the crucial moment.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana for a 2/2 creature, the cost of Echo Tracer can be on the higher side when compared to other creatures with similar or more impactful abilities. This could make it less appealing when building a deck that needs to maximize efficiency and value for each card slot.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Echo Tracer offers a flexible role in various deck archetypes, as it can be a key player in control strategies or even included in combo decks due to its morph feature which allows for surprise utility in responding to opponents’ threats.
Combo Potential: With the ability to return creatures to their owners’ hands when flipped, Echo Tracer pairs well with cards that have enter-the-battlefield effects or other morph cards, enabling intricate combos and recurring value plays.
Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, maintaining answers to dominant threats is crucial. Echo Tracer’s unassuming presence on the battlefield disguises its utility, providing much-needed flexibility in matches where tempo can dictate the winner.
How to beat
Echo Tracer is known for its rebound ability, which can potentially disrupt an opponent’s strategy in Magic: The Gathering. When facing this card, consider employing spells with split second to prevent the usage of its return-to-hand effect, as these spells cannot be responded to. Moreover, leveraging creatures with hexproof or shroud provides safety from being targeted by Echo Tracer’s ability, ensuring your key creatures remain on the battlefield.
Another effective tactic is to utilize instant-speed removal when Echo Tracer is declared as an attacker or blocker. This negates the chance it will be returned to hand and reused. Cards that deny abilities, such as “Stifle” or “Voidslime,” also counteract Echo Tracer’s strategy by stopping its triggered ability outright. Lastly, because Echo Tracer requires a morph cost to activate its ability, playing cards that restrict mana or increase the cost of abilities can make it too resource-intensive for your opponent to capitalize on.
By understanding Echo Tracer’s mechanics and having a selection of counterplays, you can maintain control over the board and minimize the card’s impact, tipping the scales in your favor.
Cards like Echo Tracer
Echo Tracer is an intriguing creature in the realm of Magic: The Gathering, providing subtle strategies to a player’s arsenal. A close cousin to Echo Tracer in the world of utility creatures is Man-o’-War. While Man-o’-War offers a similar bounce effect upon entering the battlefield, which can interrupt an opponent’s strategy, it doesn’t have the morph ability that Echo Tracer brings to the table. Morph allows for a more flexible use of mana and can surprise an opponent with a sudden bounce effect.
Another card that echoes the essence of creature bounce is Aether Adept. As a spell that permits the return of a creature to its owner’s hand, Aether Adept is comparable in function to Echo Tracer. However, Echo Tracer’s morph is a unique feature that sets it apart, despite Aether Adept having no mana cost to activate its ability after being cast. Furthermore, Echo Tracer’s potential use as a blocker before using its ability adds an additional layer of defensive tactics.
Assessing Echo Tracer amongst its peers, it’s clear that its advantageous blend of utility through its morph ability combined with its creature bouncing capability allows it to hold a distinctive position in the creature lineup of Magic: The Gathering, specifically in decks that value versatility and surprise tactics.
Cards similar to Echo Tracer by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Echo Tracer MTG card by a specific set like Legions and Duel Decks: Speed vs. Cunning, 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 Echo Tracer 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
Printings
The Echo Tracer Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2003-02-03 and 2014-09-05. Illustrated by Scott M. Fischer.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2003-02-03 | Legions | LGN | 37 | 1997 | Normal | Black | Scott M. Fischer | |
| 2 | 2014-09-05 | Duel Decks: Speed vs. Cunning | DDN | 51 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Scott M. Fischer |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Echo Tracer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Echo Tracer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2004-10-04 | The trigger occurs when you use the Morph ability to turn the card face up, or when an effect turns it face up. It will not trigger on being revealed or on leaving the battlefield. |
