Emissary of Sunrise MTG Card

Ixalan (XLN)
2017-09-29 - Number 10

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number XLN-10

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Cleric
Abilities	Explore,First strike
Power	2
Toughness	1

Key Takeaways

Offers card advantage and resource acceleration with first strike and explore on entry.
Demands precise mana and compares less favorably in cost for its abilities and stats.
Boosts board control, synergy with landfall, and early game momentum in play.

Text of card

First strike When Emissary of Sunrise enters the battlefield, it explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Emissary of Sunrise comes with the valuable first strike ability alongside providing card advantage. When it comes into play, its explore mechanic potentially reveals a land card from the top of your library and puts it into your hand, offering you an immediate resource gain.

Resource Acceleration: Beyond the potential for drawing a card, if a non-land card is revealed through explore, Emissary of Sunrise receives a +1/+1 counter. This subtle form of resource acceleration bolsters your battlefield presence without additional mana investment, helping you press the advantage.

Instant Speed: While Emissary of Sunrise itself is not an instant, the explore mechanic can sometimes operate at a near-instant speed level of value. Exposing the top card of your library during your main phase allows strategic depth, letting you plan subsequent land plays or bluff having instant-speed tricks in hand based on the revealed card.

Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: The Emissary of Sunrise demands a precise blend of mana, requiring both white and generic mana which may not be readily available in multi-color decks that don’t prioritize white.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana for a 2/1 creature, players might find Emissary of Sunrise a bit steep for the stats and First Strike ability, especially when compared to other cards in the same cost range offering more impactful board presence.

Discard Requirement: While it doesn’t require a discard, its First Explore effect could unwittingly land a needed spell in the graveyard if luck isn’t on your side, something players must be cautious of when weighing its potential deck contribution.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Emissary of Sunrise fits well in decks that aim to control the board early on. With its First Strike, it serves as a robust early blocker and can swing into potentially dangerous boards with less risk.

Combo Potential: This card reveals the top card of your library upon entering the battlefield—if it’s a land, into your hand it goes, providing subtle deck thinning. This can be combined with cards that benefit from landfall triggers or simply to ensure land drops.

Meta-Relevance: In a format where games can hinge on early momentum, Emissary of Sunrise offers both presence on the board and a level of consistency for your land drops. It’s a smart choice when facing an environment heavy with aggressive strategies that require quick answers.

How to beat

Emissary of Sunrise is a card that can challenge players with its First Strike ability and the potential to create card advantage due to its explore mechanic upon entering the battlefield. To successfully combat this card, players should consider removing it before combat or using instant-speed interaction that can handle a creature with First Strike. Utilize spells that can bypass First Strike by not engaging in combat, such as direct removal spells or using creatures with deathtouch to deter attacks.

It’s also important to manage the occurrence of the explore ability, which can put the Emissary of Sunrise’s controller at an advantage by drawing into more land cards or empowering the creature with a +1/+1 counter. Counterspells can be key here, avoiding the trigger altogether if played in response to the Emissary being cast. Alternatively, hand disruption tactics can ensure that an opponent doesn’t benefit from the additional cards that explore could provide, keeping the equilibrium of the game.

Overall, strategic use of removal, counterspells, and other control elements make it feasible to handle Emissary of Sunrise effectively. By reducing the benefits it can bestow upon your opponent, you maintain balance and control of the battlefield.

Cards like Emissary of Sunrise

Emissary of Sunrise offers a unique approach to creature cards with its First Strike ability and card exploration mechanic in MTG. Analogous to Court Street Denizen, the Emissary provides gameplay advantage by controlling the board with its First Strike, although it foregoes the latter’s ability to tap other creatures. Comparatively, the Emissary also resembles creatures like Seekers’ Squire, as it allows you to explore when it enters the battlefield, granting you a potential card draw or a +1/+1 counter.

However, unlike Seekers’ Squire, Emissary of Sunrise has the potential to put a land directly into hand, enhancing mana consistency. Then we can look at cards like Path of Discovery, which might not be a creature but shares the exploration theme, giving all your creatures a chance to meliorate when they enter the battlefield. Still, the Emissary stands out by presenting this advantage on a solitary, self-reliant card.

Assessing the value and impact on gameplay, Emissary of Sunrise holds its own among MTG cards with its unique blend of combat interactions and deck efficiency. Its balance of power, utility, and card advantage potential makes it a compelling choice for white-themed decks.

Court Street Denizen - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Emissary of Sunrise by color, type and mana cost

Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Emissary of Sunrise MTG card by a specific set like Ixalan and The List, 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 Emissary of Sunrise and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Emissary of Sunrise Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-09-29 and 2017-09-29. Illustrated by Deruchenko Alexander.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2017-09-29	Ixalan	XLN		10	2015	Normal	Black	Deruchenko Alexander
2	~~2020-09-26~~	The List	PLST		XLN-10	2015	Normal	Black	Deruchenko Alexander

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Emissary of Sunrise 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 Emissary of Sunrise card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

Date	Text
2018-01-19	If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to explore but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still explores. If you reveal a nonland card this way, you won’t put a +1/+1 counter on anything, but you may put the revealed card into your graveyard. Effects that trigger “whenever a creature you control explores” trigger if appropriate.
2018-01-19	If no card is revealed, most likely because that player’s library is empty, the exploring creature receives a +1/+1 counter.
2018-01-19	Once an ability that causes a creature to explore begins to resolve, no player may take any other actions until it’s done. Notably, opponents can’t try to remove the exploring creature after you reveal a nonland card but before it receives a counter.