Expedition Healer MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 2 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Kor Cleric |
| Abilities | Vigilance |
| Released | 2020-09-25 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Zendikar Rising |
| Set code | ZNR |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 13 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Heonhwa Choe |
Text of card
Vigilance Expedition Healer has lifelink as long as you control another Cleric.
In any adventuring party, the cleric is the heart: healing wounds, inspiring courage, and raising morale.
Cards like Expedition Healer
The allure of the Expedition Healer lies within its synergy with other cards that support a party mechanic in Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to other lifelink creatures such as Healer’s Hawk, the Expedition Healer has the added benefit of gaining lifelink as long as you control another cleric, giving you more value as you build out your party.
As we consider cards like Ondu Cleric, we observe that it also interacts positively with other allies, providing life gain with each ally that enters the battlefield. Although it doesn’t have lifelink inherently, it can substantially increase your life total in a populous board state. On the flip side, Expedition Healer offers immediate and consistent life gain with its attacking or blocking potential. Moreover, creatures like Ajani’s Pridemate can work exceptionally well with Expedition Healer by gaining counters every time you gain life, becoming a growing threat on the battlefield.
Overall, while several creatures can offer life gain and interact with the party mechanic, Expedition Healer’s versatility and conditional lifelink can be an understated asset in decks that favor these strategies, making it a card certainly worthy of consideration in the MTG realm.
Cards similar to Expedition Healer by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: While Expedition Healer may not let you draw cards directly, its presence can offer a strategic benefit. Having a creature with lifelink like Expedition Healer on the board means you’re often able to recover life points during your turns, which indirectly helps to preserve the cards in your hand by providing a better staying power in longer games and attrition wars.
Resource Acceleration: Expedition Healer itself doesn’t accelerate your resources in terms of mana, but by fulfilling its party role as a Cleric, it can contribute to activating full party mechanics found on other cards which might offer mana or other types of resource acceleration, helping you to further your game plan in different ways.
Instant Speed: This particular card operates at sorcery speed but equipping your Expedition Healer or having it enter the battlefield can still coincide with effects that operate at instant speed. This allows you to adapt to your opponent’s moves and stabilize your board when most needed. Moreover, the lifelink ability triggers whenever the Healer deals damage, providing instant benefits during each combat phase.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Expedition Healer demands the presence of another Cleric on the battlefield to fully leverage its lifelink ability, potentially leading to less optimal plays if your board state does not support this condition.
Specific Mana Cost: With its casting cost requiring white mana, Expedition Healer’s inclusion is naturally skewed towards white or white-inclusive decks, limiting its versatility across the diverse MTG landscape.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: While the two mana cost for a 2/2 creature with the potential for lifelink is not steep, when compared to other two-drops in the game, Expedition Healer can fall short in providing immediate impact or value, particularly if you are unable to meet its Cleric-synergy condition right away.
Reasons to Include Expedition Healer in Your Collection
Versatility: Expedition Healer offers a flexible role in a variety of decks, particularly those that rely on a robust creature base. With its lifelink ability, it can serve as both an early blocker and a source of life gain, aiding in longevity against aggressive strategies.
Combo Potential: The lifelink provided by Expedition Healer can be particularly synergistic with cards and mechanics that capitalize on life total as a resource, setting up potential for powerful combos in both limited and constructed play.
Meta-Relevance: In a game where small margins can be decisive, the consistent life gain from Expedition Healer can prove crucial, especially in a meta with burn decks or other aggressive tactics. Its presence on the battlefield can shift the momentum in your favor, making it a valuable asset in certain matchups.
How to beat
Expedition Healer is known among the ranks for its battlefield resilience in MTG. This steadfast creature bolsters your ranks with lifelink as long as you control another Cleric, turning routine attacks or blocks into a steady stream of life gain. Overcoming this ally requires more than just brute force.
A shrewd tactic is employing removal spells that circumvent the lifelink ability like Shock or Eliminate. Alternately, cards that prevent damage or counter abilities, such as Essence Scatter, can effectively neutralize this Healer before it begins to tip the scales. Mass removal spells, such as Shatter the Sky, can also sweep the battlefield clean regardless of individual abilities, offering a solution if the Healer is part of a larger Cleric contingent.
Ultimately, handling Expedition Healer efficiently involves understanding its lifelink potential and strategically deciding when to remove or neutralize it to prevent your opponent from gaining too much advantage. Weighing the cost of removal against the benefits of lifelink should be a key part of your tactical decision-making process in MTG.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Expedition Healer MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar Rising, 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 Expedition Healer 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
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Expedition Healer 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 |
Guide to Vigilance card ability
In the strategic universe of Magic: The Gathering (MTG), the vigilance ability stands out as a powerful tool for players. This potent keyword allows creatures to attack without tapping, keeping them ready and alert to defend against incoming threats. It represents a perfect balance between aggression and defense, offering a dynamic approach to gameplay. Lets dive deeper into how vigilance shapes the battlefield.