Kor Cartographer MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 6 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Kor Scout
Power 2
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Kor Cartographer grants players card advantage by fetching lands directly to the battlefield, boosting landfall strategies.
  2. Despite a steep mana cost, it excels in mana acceleration, essential for casting high-cost spells ahead of time.
  3. Synergizes with flash mechanics for surprise plays, yet demands precise mana and occupies a four-mana slot.

Text of card

When Kor Cartographer enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a Plains card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle your library.

Kor have no concept of exploration. They return to homelands forgotten.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Kor Cartographer stands out by enabling land search and placement directly onto the battlefield, contributing to significant card advantage especially when fetching utility or dual lands.

Resource Acceleration: By bringing an additional land into play, Kor Cartographer can ramp up your mana resources, which is crucial for casting high-cost spells earlier in the game.

Instant Speed: While Kor Cartographer itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it synergizes well with cards that allow you to flash creatures into play, providing you with the unexpected benefit of extra land during an opponent’s turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Kor Cartographer’s entrance to the battlefield doesn’t come with a card loss, yet it’s important to remember any additional spells may influence your hand count adversely if your deck isn’t prepared for such drawbacks.

Specific Mana Cost: The Kor Cartographer demands a precise mana combination to cast, with both generic and white mana needed. This specificity can make it challenging to fit into multi-colored decks that might strain to produce the right mana at the right time.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Four mana to bring a creature onto the field that fetches a land may seem steep, especially when there are less costly alternatives for land ramp in the game. While the ability to immediately fetch a Plains is helpful, some players may seek lower-cost cards to optimize their mana curve.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Kor Cartographer offers excellent flexibility in deck building, easily fitting into decks that thrive on land acceleration. As a creature that fetches a Plains card upon entering the battlefield, it serves multiple roles, aiding mana-fixing and supporting landfall strategies simultaneously.

Combo Potential: This card shines in combinations with bounce effects or resurrection mechanics. With the right setup, you can repeatedly benefit from the land tutoring ability, which can be a game-changer in both casual and competitive play by ensuring consistent land drops every turn.

Meta-Relevance: In formats where establishing a solid mana base swiftly is crucial, the Kor Cartographer can become an indispensable asset. Its relevance tends to escalate in metagames where players race to deploy game-ending threats ahead of curve, making it a stealthy yet effective choice for many deck archetypes.


How to beat

Kor Cartographer is an intriguing utility creature in Magic: The Gathering, primarily sought after in formats that appreciate land ramp. The card allows players to secure a Plains card from their library and put it into play tapped, ensuring a mana advantage for subsequent turns. While relatively straightforward, Kor Cartographer can be a key component for setting up powerful plays or simply accelerating your game plan.

To effectively counter Kor Cartographer, you can utilize removal spells to dispatch the creature before its land-tutoring ability can trigger. Cards such as Fatal Push, Path to Exile or other instant-speed removals are excellent for disrupting your opponent’s strategy. It’s also beneficial to limit Kor Cartographer’s impact by applying pressure early in the game, forcing your opponent to decide between developing their board or dealing with your threats. Additionally, land destruction strategies can mitigate the advantage gained by Kor Cartographer, re-balancing the resource count and keeping the game on an even keel. Cards that can shuffle the opponent’s library or exile cards from their graveyard will prevent them from gaining further advantage with recursion techniques.

Overall, understanding when to disrupt Kor Cartographer’s land tutoring is critical. Take into account the state of the game and the land-based interactions your opponent is likely relying on when you decide your line of play against this seemingly modest, yet potentially game-changing creature.


BurnMana Recommendations

The strategic depth of MTG is part of what makes the game so absorbing. With cards like Kor Cartographer, players gain the opportunity to ramp up their mana resources and set the stage for powerful moves in the mid to late game. Such tools can be vital in outpacing the competition and ensuring you’re always a step ahead. Whether you’re optimizing your current deck or seeking fresh strategies, consider how land acceleration can boost your gameplay. For those ready to delve deeper and harness the full potential of cards like Kor Cartographer, we’re here to guide you. Embark on your quest towards mastery and elevate your MTG experience with us.


Cards like Kor Cartographer

Kor Cartographer stands as a unique role-player among white mana acceleration cards in Magic: The Gathering. Bridging similarities with cards like Solemn Simulacrum, Kor Cartographer enables players to fetch a Plains card directly onto the battlefield. While Solemn Simulacrum allows for any basic land and offers an additional card draw upon its demise, the Kor Cartographer’s dedication to white mana strategies could be pivotal in mono-white or two-color decks.

Another card worth considering in this vein is Knight of the White Orchid. This stalwart Knight is also adept at fetching Plains. However, the Knight can be more restrictive, given that its ability only triggers if an opponent controls more lands. It does, however, come with the added benefit of First Strike and a more aggressive mana cost. Oreskos Explorer follows suit, providing a similar land-search effect, but the Explorer is contingent on an opponent controlling more lands than you at the time of casting and the lands go to your hand instead of the battlefield.

Deciding which of these options to use in your deck will often depend on your overall strategy. Yet, Kor Cartographer’s ability to ramp up one’s mana base without condition is a trait that can consistently strengthen any game, aligning perfectly with white’s late-game ambitions.

Solemn Simulacrum - MTG Card versions
Knight of the White Orchid - MTG Card versions
Oreskos Explorer - MTG Card versions
Solemn Simulacrum - Mirrodin (MRD)
Knight of the White Orchid - Shards of Alara (ALA)
Oreskos Explorer - Commander 2015 (C15)

Cards similar to Kor Cartographer by color, type and mana cost

Northern Paladin - MTG Card versions
Moorish Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Witch Hunter - MTG Card versions
Carrier Pigeons - MTG Card versions
Tormented Angel - MTG Card versions
Seasoned Marshal - MTG Card versions
Coalition Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Mangara, the Diplomat - MTG Card versions
Akroma's Devoted - MTG Card versions
Leonin Abunas - MTG Card versions
Kami of Old Stone - MTG Card versions
Aven Cloudchaser - MTG Card versions
Blinking Spirit - MTG Card versions
Seht's Tiger - MTG Card versions
Valor - MTG Card versions
Guardian Seraph - MTG Card versions
Lightkeeper of Emeria - MTG Card versions
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - MTG Card versions
Hero of Bladehold - MTG Card versions
Mausoleum Guard - MTG Card versions
Northern Paladin - Revised Edition (3ED)
Moorish Cavalry - Arabian Nights (ARN)
Witch Hunter - Chronicles (CHR)
Carrier Pigeons - Alliances (ALL)
Tormented Angel - Urza's Destiny (UDS)
Seasoned Marshal - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Coalition Honor Guard - Apocalypse (APC)
Mangara, the Diplomat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Akroma's Devoted - Legions (LGN)
Leonin Abunas - Mirrodin (MRD)
Kami of Old Stone - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Aven Cloudchaser - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Blinking Spirit - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Seht's Tiger - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Valor - Time Spiral Timeshifted (TSB)
Guardian Seraph - Magic 2010 (M10)
Lightkeeper of Emeria - Worldwake (WWK)
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - Salvat 2011 (PS11)
Hero of Bladehold - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
Mausoleum Guard - Innistrad (ISD)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Kor Cartographer MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth, 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 Kor Cartographer and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Kor Cartographer Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2021-02-05. Illustrated by Ryan Pancoast.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12009-10-02ZendikarZEN 182003normalblackRyan Pancoast
22012-03-30Duel Decks: Venser vs. KothDDI 132003normalblackRyan Pancoast
32020-09-25Zendikar Rising CommanderZNC 182015normalblackRyan Pancoast
42020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 302015normalblackRyan Pancoast
52020-11-20Commander LegendsCMR 3772015normalblackRyan Pancoast
62021-02-05Kaldheim CommanderKHC 282015normalblackRyan Pancoast

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Kor Cartographer has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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