Ghosthelm Courier MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Released | 2002-10-07 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Onslaught |
| Set code | ONS |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 85 |
| Frame | 1997 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Edward P. Beard, Jr. |
Text of card
You may choose not to untap Ghosthelm Courier during your untap step. o U, oc T: As long as Ghosthelm Courier remains tapped, target Wizard gets +2/+2 and can't be the target of spells or abilities.
Cards like Ghosthelm Courier
Ghosthelm Courier is an intriguing card that offers both creatures enhancement and hand refilling capabilities in MTG. It is somewhat akin to cards like Whispersilk Cloak, which also provides unblockable status to creatures but doesn’t come with the ability to cycle through your hand. The courier’s unique selling point is the ability to exile it to draw a card, which can be critically timed during gameplay for a strategic advantage.
Compared to Neurok Stealthsuit, which gives creatures Shroud, Ghosthelm Courier maintains the theme of protection but offers a more aggressive capability with the addition of the card drawing feature. While Stealthsuit keeps a creature under the radar from targeted spells, the courier pushes for a more proactive game plan. Additionally, we can look at cards like Rogue’s Gloves, which yield a card upon dealing combat damage to a player; however, Ghosthelm Courier’s advantage lies in its instant speed activation, offering flexibility at crucial moments.
Ultimately, Ghosthelm Courier stands out for its dual nature of enhancing a creature’s combat capabilities and providing the potential for card advantage. It fits well into strategies that value evasion as well as decks that seek to maintain card flow while applying pressure to opponents.
Cards similar to Ghosthelm Courier by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Ghosthelm Courier can be a strategic addition to any deck that thrives on maintaining a solid hand. Its ability to potentially replace itself in your hand after fulfilling its role on the battlefield is an excellent way to ensure you don’t lose momentum in terms of available resources.
Resource Acceleration: This card offers a dynamic edge in terms of mana efficiency. By using Ghosthelm Courier to expedite your mana development, you’re more likely to deploy threatening plays way ahead of the curve. This could leave your opponents scrambling to keep up as you ramp up your strategy swiftly.
Instant Speed: The instant speed nature of Ghosthelm Courier’s ability can dramatically alter the state of play in your favor. You can surprise your opponent by boosting one of your creatures during combat or in response to an action they’ve taken, making it not just a flexible play, but a tactical instrument capable of swaying the game’s outcome at a moment’s notice.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Ghosthelm Courier demands discarding another card to activate its ability. This can be a setback when your hand is already depleted or if the card you’re forced to discard is a valuable one.
Specific Mana Cost: This card requires blue mana for casting, making it less flexible for inclusion in multi-color decks that may have a tricky mana base or where blue is not a primary color.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost requiring three mana, one of which is specifically blue, Ghosthelm Courier is on the higher side for its effects compared with other utility creatures in the game that may provide similar or greater benefits for a lower cost.
Reasons to Include Ghosthelm Courier in Your Collection
Versatility: Ghosthelm Courier offers an adaptive ability that can be useful across different deck types. Its capacity to grant haste to creatures for a single mana can be crucial in aggressive strategies where speed is key.
Combo Potential: This card enables numerous interactions in decks that focus on creature-based combos or those that require swift deployment of key creatures for game-altering plays.
Meta-Relevance: Within certain meta environments where slowing down opponents and maintaining a tempo advantage is vital, Ghosthelm Courier’s haste-enabling ability could significantly disrupt your opponent’s game plan.
How to beat
Ghosthelm Courier poses a unique challenge on the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. This creature offers a tactical advantage by granting haste to another target creature for just two mana, making it a swift enabler for surprise attacks. It’s a card that encourages a proactive approach, giving players the ability to pressure opponents by quickly escalating their board presence.
To counter this card effectively, consider using removal spells that can target Ghosthelm Courier before it activates its ability, or sweepers that can clear the board of multiple threats at once. Instant-speed removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile works wonders in disrupting the Courier’s haste-granting plans. Additionally, cards with flash allow you to maintain mana openness, making your opponent think twice before investing in their haste strategy. Keeping a watchful eye on open mana and potential removal cards can shift the tempo to your favor and mitigate the Courier’s impact on the game.
In strategizing against Ghosthelm Courier, ensuring your deck is equipped with both proactive and reactive solutions is paramount. This balance aids in managing the immediate threats presented by such accelerators and paves the way for you to direct the game flow, ultimately rendering Ghosthelm Courier less effective.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Ghosthelm Courier MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Ghosthelm 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
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Ghosthelm Courier has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Premodern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Ghosthelm Courier 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 | It checks the creature type when the ability is announced and resolved, but once the effect is placed on the creature, if its creature type changes the effect still continues. |