Atzocan Archer MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Archer
Abilities	Fight,Reach
Released	2017-09-29
Set symbol
Set name	Ixalan
Set code	XLN
Power	1
Toughness	4
Number	176
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Naomi Baker

Key Takeaways

The Archer offers card advantage by removing creatures and building your board presence immediately.
Its tactical entrance effect simulates instant-speed removal, altering opponent strategies mid-game.
Though mana-specific and potentially costly, its versatility and meta relevance justify inclusion in decks.

Text of card

Reach When Atzocan Archer enters the battlefield, you may have it fight another target creature. (Each deals damage equal to its power to the other.)

His arrows are fletched with feathers from the greatest of the winged dinosaurs.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Atzocan Archer is adept at creating incremental card advantage by dealing damage to an opponent’s creature upon entering the battlefield. This “enter the battlefield” effect can eliminate a key threat from the opponent while adding a creature to your board, effectively negating an opponent’s previous play while developing your own presence on the board.

Resource Acceleration: Although Atzocan Archer doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it contributes to board stability. By removing an opposing creature, it allows you to maintain your mana and resources for further game development rather than spending them on dealing with that creature through other means.

Instant Speed: Atzocan Archer itself may not be an instant, but its ability to interact with the board the moment it enters play gives you a tactical advantage similar to that of instant-speed removal. This disrupts your opponent’s plays and forces them to reconsider their strategy, knowing that their creatures could be immediately threatened by the Archer’s arrival.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Atzocan Archer does not have a discard requirement which can be seen as an advantage as it allows players to maintain card advantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Atzocan Archer requires one green mana, which necessitates a presence of green source in your mana base, potentially limiting deck-building flexibility for multicolored decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana total, including the specific green mana, Atzocan Archer can be less mana-efficient compared to other creatures or removal options available at lower costs.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Atzocan Archer is a multifunctional card that can significantly stabilize your defense while posing a threat to flying creatures. With a longbow in hand, this card ensures that your opponent thinks twice before attacking with small aerial threats.

Combo Potential: This creature is not just a defensive asset but can also work wonders when combined with cards that capitalize on dealing damage or when used to trigger enrage abilities among dinos in your deck.

Meta-Relevance: The archer’s role in current game dynamics is noteworthy. It’s particularly valuable in formats where small utility creatures or aggressive flying threats are common. Its presence on the battlefield can shift the tide of games, making it a prudent choice for players who strategize against creature-dense decks.

How to beat

Atzocan Archer is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering that presents a multi-faceted challenge. This utilitarian card shines when it enters the battlefield, as it’s not only a reliable blocker thanks to its reach, but it also deals one damage to target creature upon entry. Players facing the Atzocan Archer need to consider both these aspects in their strategy.

To effectively circumvent its battlefield presence, it’s wise to limit creatures with one toughness from being exposed to the Archer’s entrance effect. Utilize instant speed removal spells to dispatch the Archer before it can affect the board unfavorably, or employ larger creatures that can withstand its damage and defeat it in combat. Another tactic includes countering it when cast, bypassing its effects altogether. Engaging enchantments like Pacifism or employing bounce spells can also neutralize the Archer or temporarily reset its battlefield influence.

Atzocan Archer poses a distinct problem, but with careful planning and the appropriate responses, players can navigate the threats it represents and maintain a commanding position in their MTG games.

Cards like Atzocan Archer

Atzocan Archer makes for an interesting presence in the field of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering. When delving into cards with similar characteristics, we come across both differences and similarities. Kraul Harpooner, for instance, shares the reach ability, allowing it to block flying creatures just like Atzocan Archer. However, Kraul Harpooner can potentially have greater power upon entering the battlefield depending on the number of creature cards in your graveyard.

Comparatively, we have Thornweald Archer, a creature with both reach and deathtouch, whereas Atzocan Archer brings a one-time use of direct damage to another target creature when it enters the battlefield, giving it the utility of removing key threats immediately. Lastly, Archer of Qarsi stands as another example, purely defensive with reach and defender, but it does not provide the tactical engagement that Atzocan Archer offers.

Overall, Atzocan Archer can be a strategic choice in MTG. It not only defends against aerial attacks but also affects the board state by picking off smaller creatures, a dual purpose that is not commonly found in other cards within its mana range and abilities.

Cards similar to Atzocan Archer by color, type and mana cost

Hungry Hungry Heifer - MTG Card versions

Verduran Enchantress - MTG Card versions

Territorial Scythecat - MTG Card versions

Shizuko, Caller of Autumn - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Atzocan Archer MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan, 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 Atzocan Archer and other MTG cards:

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Atzocan Archer has restrictions

Format	Legality
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Restricted
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Atzocan Archer card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2017-09-29	Atzocan Archer’s ability can target another creature you control (such as a Dinosaur with an enrage ability).
2017-09-29	If Atzocan Archer isn’t on the battlefield as its triggered ability resolves, or if the target of that ability is illegal, no creature will deal or be dealt damage.
2017-09-29	You must choose another target creature (if able) as Atzocan Archer’s triggered ability is put on the stack. You choose as that ability resolves whether those creatures fight.