Boggart Harbinger MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Goblin Shaman
Released	2007-10-12
Set symbol
Set name	Lorwyn
Set code	LRW
Power	2
Toughness	1
Number	102
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Steve Prescott

Key Takeaways

Boggart Harbinger offers card advantage by tutoring for top-deck Goblin cards, aligning gameplay strategies.
Efficiency in finding Goblin combos contributes to resource acceleration and consistent threat deployment.
The ability is not instant speed, but it primes future turns for strategic, instant-speed interactions.

Text of card

When Boggart Harbinger comes into play, you may search your library for a Goblin card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it.

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Activating the ability of Boggart Harbinger can streamline your deck’s performance by searching for a key goblin card and placing it on top of your library, ready to be drawn into your hand. This kind of tutoring effect ensures that you get access to your most impactful goblins when you need them the most, keeping you a step ahead of the opposition.

Resource Acceleration: While not directly adding mana to your pool, Boggart Harbinger helps in resource acceleration by efficiently finding combo pieces or utility goblins. This search and retrieve capability can be equivalent to drawing into more resources, as it consolidates the quality of your future draws and improves the consistency with which you can deploy threats or answers on the board.

Instant Speed: Despite being a creature, Boggart Harbinger’s ability triggers upon entering the battlefield, which allows you to set up future plays during your turn. While the card itself doesn’t operate at instant speed, it sets the stage for instant-speed interactions on subsequent turns, offering strategic depth and the potential for unexpected plays based on the goblin card placed on top of the library.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Boggart Harbinger itself does not require a discard to play, it’s important to note that its value can diminish if you’re required to discard other cards to maintain a strategic hand. In decks where card advantage is key, having to discard can be counterproductive to the harbinger’s tutoring effect.

Specific Mana Cost: Boggart Harbinger requires a dedicated mana cost consisting of both black and red. This can be somewhat restrictive, fitting mainly into a Goblin tribal or a Rakdos deck, and might not blend well with decks that aren’t built to easily produce both colors of mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of three mana, including both colored mana, Boggart Harbinger is on the higher side for its tutoring effect, especially compared to other tutors in MTG that might offer more versatility or lower mana costs. This can make it a less appealing option in formats where mana efficiency is crucial to outpace opponents.

Reasons to Include Boggart Harbinger in Your Collection

Versatility: Boggart Harbinger serves as an excellent utility card for any deck focusing on the Goblin tribe or those that exploit the use of tutors. Its ability to search for any Goblin card from your deck and put it on top is invaluable for setting up your next draw.

Combo Potential: With Boggart Harbinger, you can streamline your strategy by fetching the perfect piece to complete your combo. It works wonders in bringing together key cards that synergize to unleash potent effects and overwhelm opponents.

Meta-Relevance: Given that Goblins are a perennial favorite in various formats and often appear in competitive play, having Boggart Harbinger in your collection ensures you have access to a creature that can adapt and excel within the ever-changing competitive landscape.

How to beat

Boggart Harbinger is a unique tool in Magic the Gathering, serving as both a creature and a library manipulator. Goblins, in their mischievous nature, ensure that your next draw is tailored to the situation, by searching for a Goblin card and placing it on top of the library. This three-mana cost card from the Lorwyn set isn’t unassailable, though.

To counter Boggart Harbinger, it’s vital to disrupt the deck’s tempo. Efficient removal spells to eliminate the Harbinger before it can use its ability, or immediate counter spells when it’s cast, keep the opponent’s library unsorted. Graveyard shuffling mechanics also throw a wrench in the Harbinger’s planning, nullifying the advantage it seeks to set up. Moreover, instant speed removal creates a timing dilemma for an opponent relying on the next draw, potentially wasting their tutor.

Ultimately, while Boggart Harbinger is undoubtedly a strong enabler for Goblin-themed strategies, reactive control measures and anticipating your opponent’s plays are key strategies. Knowing when to disrupt their setup can mitigate the advantages Boggart Harbinger provides and maintain the upper hand throughout the game.

Cards like Boggart Harbinger

Boggart Harbinger is a unique tutor card in the realm of MTG, offering an avenue to sift through your deck for that perfect Goblin ally. Its closest relatives could be thought of as Goblin Matron, another card that enables you to search for a Goblin card, though Boggart Harbinger has the added benefit of placing that card directly on top of your library, setting up your next draw. Moreover, unlike a generic tutor such as Diabolic Tutor, Boggart Harbinger comes with a body that can be useful on the battlefield.

Imperial Recruiter warrants mention in this conversation, functioning as a more flexible tutor able to fetch creatures with power 2 or less. The Recruiter doesn’t restrict your search to the Goblin tribe, offering broader utility at a higher mana value. In contrast, Boggart Harbinger’s tribal specificity is an advantage in Goblin-centric decks where synergy is key. Moggcatcher is another Goblineseque option, albeit one with a recurring ability to summon Goblins directly to the fray rather than just setting up future plays.

Scrutinizing the differentiators between Goblin tutors and Boggart Harbinger illustrates a tailored advantage for those sporting decks brimming with Goblin synergy. With a fine-tooth comb through strategy and card interactions, the value of Boggart Harbinger becomes evident, especially in setups where the top-deck manipulation furthers your tactical edge.

Cards similar to Boggart Harbinger by color, type and mana cost

Mischievous Poltergeist - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Boggart Harbinger MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn, 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 Boggart Harbinger and other MTG cards: