Honorable Scout MTG Card


Honorable Scout aids in resource acceleration and early-game board presence with its low casting cost. Its ability to draw cards against multicolored spells can alter opponents’ strategies effectively. Despite its versatility, Honorable Scout’s discard requirement and specific mana cost could limit its use.
Honorable Scout - Planeshift
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Soldier Scout
Released2001-02-05
Set symbol
Set namePlaneshift
Set codePLS
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number8
Frame1997
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byMike Ploog

Text of card

When Honorable Scout comes into play, you gain 2 life for each black and/or red creature target opponent controls.

"I've faced your kind before. This time I'm ready for you."


Understanding Honorable Scout’s Place in Your Deck

In the expansive universe of Magic: The Gathering, the Honorable Scout card serves as an interesting option for players looking to bolster their ranks with an efficient creature. As a White creature card, it finds company among other cards that offer life gain benefits upon entering the battlefield. Honorable Scout, similar to cards like Squadron Hawk, provides utility by potentially changing the life total equation while also adding to your creature count.

Cards like Honorable Scout

Honorable Scout’s unique feature is its life gain triggered by an opponent controlling a black or red permanent, echoing the functionality of cards like Auriok Champion. However, Auriok Champion offers protection from black and red, which Honorable Scout lacks, trading that for a lower mana cost and the potential for a one-time life boost. Crusader of Odric is another card that shares the aspect of thriving in a creature-rich deck, though it lacks the life gain trigger, it grows in power and toughness proportionally to your army size.

Comparatively, Healer’s Hawk may not share the same triggering conditions, but it does offer consistent life gain through its lifelink ability while providing an evasive body in the form of flying. The trade-offs among these cards are crucial for deck builders to consider. While Honorable Scout may not offer ongoing benefits like some of its counterparts, its immediate life impact and potential surprise factor when an opponent plays a key black or red permanent can provide strategic advantages in the right scenarios.

Ultimately, the Honorable Scout MTG card can be a valuable component to a well-synergized deck, offering a strategic option for those playing against black or red-heavy opponents.

Squadron Hawk - MTG Card versions
Auriok Champion - MTG Card versions
Crusader of Odric - MTG Card versions
Healer's Hawk - MTG Card versions
Squadron Hawk - MTG Card versions
Auriok Champion - MTG Card versions
Crusader of Odric - MTG Card versions
Healer's Hawk - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Honorable Scout by color, type and mana cost

Savannah Lions - MTG Card versions
Benalish Hero - MTG Card versions
Icatian Infantry - MTG Card versions
Icatian Scout - MTG Card versions
Icatian Javelineers - MTG Card versions
Trade Caravan - MTG Card versions
Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Volunteer Militia - MTG Card versions
Nomads en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Soul Warden - MTG Card versions
Resistance Fighter - MTG Card versions
Faerie Guidemother // Gift of the Fae - MTG Card versions
Kor Duelist - MTG Card versions
Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful - MTG Card versions
Mother of Runes - MTG Card versions
Daru Mender - MTG Card versions
Eager Cadet - MTG Card versions
Bushi Tenderfoot // Kenzo the Hardhearted - MTG Card versions
Hada Freeblade - MTG Card versions
Loyal Sentry - MTG Card versions
Savannah Lions - MTG Card versions
Benalish Hero - MTG Card versions
Icatian Infantry - MTG Card versions
Icatian Scout - MTG Card versions
Icatian Javelineers - MTG Card versions
Trade Caravan - MTG Card versions
Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Volunteer Militia - MTG Card versions
Nomads en-Kor - MTG Card versions
Soul Warden - MTG Card versions
Resistance Fighter - MTG Card versions
Faerie Guidemother // Gift of the Fae - MTG Card versions
Kor Duelist - MTG Card versions
Yoshimaru, Ever Faithful - MTG Card versions
Mother of Runes - MTG Card versions
Daru Mender - MTG Card versions
Eager Cadet - MTG Card versions
Bushi Tenderfoot // Kenzo the Hardhearted - MTG Card versions
Hada Freeblade - MTG Card versions
Loyal Sentry - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Honorable Scout provides valuable card economy by potentially allowing you to draw a card after it enters the battlefield. This can help you keep up with opponents and stay ahead in the game.

Resource Acceleration: While Honorable Scout itself may not directly produce mana or tokens, its low casting cost aids in accelerating your board presence, effectively utilizing your resources to develop a stronger position early on.

Instant Speed: The abilities of Honorable Scout may not be at instant speed, but its presence can influence how your opponent plays their instant speed spells. Knowing you could draw a card if they play a multi-colored spell, they might alter their strategy, which can work to your advantage.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Honorable Scout requires you to discard another card to unlock its full potential, which may not always be optimal, especially if it depletes your hand prematurely.

Specific Mana Cost: The card’s casting cost necessitates white mana, potentially restricting its integration in multicolored decks that might be mana-flexible.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that might be considered elevated in comparison to other creatures of similar caliber, Honorable Scout’s overall efficiency in terms of board impact versus mana investment could be debated.


Reasons to Include Honorable Scout in Your Collection

Versatility: Honorable Scout offers flexible play options, serving as both an early blocker against aggressive decks and a life gain source. Its ability to gain life upon entering the battlefield can also swing races in your favor or offer an unexpected buffer against direct damage.

Combo Potential: This card pairs well with strategies centered around life gain triggers. It can act as a catalyst in decks that capitalize on gaining life for benefits such as creature buffs, card advantages, or alternative win conditions.

Meta-Relevance: Its usefulness shines in metas where aggressive red decks are prevalent. With a low casting cost, this white creature can be a timely addition, offsetting early damage and disrupting opponents’ pacing. Additionally, its creature type can be relevant in decks that emphasize tribal synergies.


How to beat

Honorable Scout is a white creature card that players can sometimes overlook, but it can be particularly effective against decks that capitalize on multicolored cards. Its ability to gain you life each time an opponent plays a multicolored spell makes it unexpectedly resilient in certain matchups. To outpace the incremental advantages this creature provides, it’s crucial to employ strategies that limit its influence on the game.

One approach is to control the board with sweepers or targeted removal spells that can dispatch Honorable Scout before it accrues too much life for your adversary. Playing monochromatic or fewer multicolored spells can also stifle its usefulness. Additionally, employing cards that can stop activated abilities or that impose restrictions on how often a player can cast spells during their turn will curb the advantages granted by Honorable Scout. By considering these tactics, you can effectively neutralize the benefits that Honorable Scout could offer to your opponent’s strategy and maintain the upper hand throughout your match.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Honorable Scout MTG card by a specific set like Planeshift, 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 Honorable Scout and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Honorable Scout has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Honorable Scout 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 If a creature is both black and red, you gain 2 life, not 4.