Courtly Provocateur MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Human Wizard |
| Released | 2012-07-13 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Magic 2013 |
| Set code | M13 |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 1 |
| Number | 46 |
| Frame | 2003 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | James Ryman |
Key Takeaways
- Provocateur excels in tactical board control, influencing combat by directing opponents’ creature engagement.
- Provides versatility in decks, aligning with tap and untap mechanics for potential combo exploitation.
- Effective in creature-dominant metas, it disrupts opponents’ strategies, demanding precise countermeasures.
Text of card
: Target creature attacks this turn if able. : Target creature blocks this turn if able.
"My one regret is that I have mastered an art that leaves its audience unable to applaud."
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Courtly Provocateur shines in tactical play, allowing you to effectively control combat scenarios by selectively engaging or stalling threats. This level of board influence can lead to significant card advantage, as it helps you dictate the pace of the game and outmaneuver your opponent’s strategy.
Resource Acceleration: Although not directly influencing resource acceleration, the Provocateur’s ability to manage potential blockers can indirectly accelerate your resources by ensuring your other creatures connect, which could trigger abilities or effects that result in additional land drops or resources.
Instant Speed: Having the power to use Courtly Provocateur’s abilities at instant speed adds a layer of unpredictability and flexibility. It can be activated during the declare attackers or declare blockers step of combat, allowing you to wait until the most advantageous moment to influence the battlefield and catch an opponent off-guard.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: While Courtly Provocateur doesn’t directly require a discard, it does not defend against discard-centric strategies, potentially leaving you at a disadvantage if you are forced to lose valuable cards from your hand without efficient countermeasures.
Specific Mana Cost: Courtly Provocateur demands both blue and white mana to play, which can restrict it to decks that are committed to these colors, reducing its versatility across the varied MTG archetypes that do not support this color combination.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana to cast, with a focus on politics rather than outright power, there might be alternatives that offer more immediate impact on the game or require less mana investment for a similar effect, especially in formats where mana efficiency is crucial.
Reasons to Include Courtly Provocateur in Your Collection
Versatility: Courtly Provocateur offers flexibility on the battlefield, able to manipulate combat by forcing opponent’s creatures to attack or block. This can benefit various control strategies, making it a versatile tool in both casual and focused gameplay.
Combo Potential: With its unique ability to control combat outcomes, this card synergizes well with cards that have tap or untap mechanics. Additionally, it pairs well with cards that have abilities triggering from creatures attacking or blocking, allowing for intricate combos.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where creature-based strategies are prevalent, Courtly Provocateur can serve as a tactical asset, disrupting enemy formations and enabling advantageous skirmishes for the controlling player.
How to beat Courtly Provocateur
Courtly Provocateur is a unique card that can be quite an asset in control strategies within MTG. This creature allows a player to manipulate combat by forcing opponent’s creatures to attack or block when you choose. To outmaneuver it, the key is first to understand its limitations. It can only target creatures, so employing non-creature spells or abilities can circumvent its effect.
Removal spells are especially potent against Courtly Provocateur. Cards like Murder or Doom Blade can directly dispose of the Provocateur, eliminating the tactical advantage it provides. Alternatively, using instant-speed removal can disrupt your opponent’s strategic plays mid-combat. Strategies that don’t rely on creatures heavily, like combo or control decks, are usually less affected by the Provocateur’s abilities.
Moreover, utilizing hexproof or shroud-equipped creatures ensures they remain outside the reach of Courtly Provocateur’s capacity to control combat scenarios. Considering sideboard options that include creature removal or hexproof-inducing spells can be extremely effective during matches where the Provocateur is likely to appear. Planning ahead and maintaining board control are crucial components in negating Courtly Provocateur’s influence in the game.
Cards like Courtly Provocateur
Courtly Provocateur has an intriguing role in Magic: The Gathering, standing out as a tactical asset in creature manipulation. When comparing it to other cards, its closest counterparts might be those like Icy Manipulator. Although the Icy Manipulator is an artifact that lacks the creature type, both have the ability to influence combat by dictating how certain creatures attack or block. However, Icy Manipulator offers more flexibility, being able to target any creature, artifact, or land.
Another similar card to consider is the devious Master Decoy. Like Courtly Provocateur, Master Decoy specializes in controlling combat phases by tapping opposing creatures. While Master Decoy is limited to only tapping creatures, this limitation comes at a lower activation cost compared to Courtly Provocateur. The Provocateur, however, extends its influence to also forcing creatures to attack, which can be strategically significant.
Despite differences in nuances and mana costs, Courtly Provocateur holds its ground with the extended control it offers over the battlefield, shaping the dynamic of each turn and creating advantageous situations for the savvy player.
Cards similar to Courtly Provocateur by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Courtly Provocateur MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2013, 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 Courtly Provocateur and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Courtly Provocateur has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Courtly Provocateur card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2012-07-01 | After the first ability resolves, the creature attacks only if it’s able to do so as the declare attackers step begins. If, at that time, the creature is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can’t attack, or hasn’t been under that player’s control continuously since the turn began (and doesn’t have haste), then it doesn’t attack. If there’s a cost associated with having the creature attack, the player isn’t forced to pay that cost, so it doesn’t attack in that case either. |
| 2012-07-01 | After the second ability resolves, the creature blocks only if it’s able to do so as the declare blockers step begins. If, at that time, the creature is tapped, is affected by a spell or ability that says it can’t block, or no creatures are attacking that player or a planeswalker controlled by that player, then it doesn’t block. If there’s a cost associated with having the creature block, the player isn’t forced to pay that cost, so it doesn’t block in that case either. |
| 2012-07-01 | The controller of the creature targeted by the first ability chooses which player or planeswalker that creature attacks. |
| 2012-07-01 | The controller of the creature targeted by the second ability chooses which attacking creature that creature blocks. |
