Rappelling Scouts MTG Card


Rappelling Scouts - Mercadian Masques
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityRare
TypeCreature — Human Rebel Scout
Abilities Flying
Released1999-10-04
Set symbol
Set nameMercadian Masques
Set codeMMQ
Power 1
Toughness 4
Number41
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byNelson DeCastro

Key Takeaways

  1. Card advantage with Rappelling Scouts allows for strategic, surprise plays during a match.
  2. Deploying creatures swiftly with this card can be a significant form of mana saving.
  3. Its instant speed grants players the flexibility to adapt and react in real-time.

Text of card

Flying oo W Rappelling Scouts gains protection from the color of your choice until end of turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Rappelling Scouts offers a unique ability to put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield. This bypasses the normal casting process and can unexpectedly tip the scales in your favor, potentially bringing in a card with a higher casting cost much earlier in the game.

Resource Acceleration: By allowing you to deploy your creatures directly, Rappelling Scouts can act as a form of resource acceleration. It effectively saves you mana and turns, accelerating your board presence without the need to invest additional resources into costly creature spells.

Instant Speed: The beauty of this card lies in its ability to operate at instant speed. This flexibility lets you wait until the last possible moment before making a strategic move, keeping your opponents guessing and allowing you to respond promptly to their actions with a surprise creature.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Rappelling Scouts necessitates that you discard a card to activate its abilities. This may not seem like a significant drawback at first glance, but it can be particularly taxing when your hand is already depleted, or when every card counts towards a strategic play. It forces you to make difficult decisions between short-term advantages and long-term strategy.

Specific Mana Cost: The mana cost of Rappelling Scouts is quite particular, requiring a mix of generic and white mana. This precise requirement means it’s tailored for white-centric or two-color decks, potentially restricting its integration into more diverse mana base decks. Players running multicolor decks might find it challenging to consistently meet the mana prerequisites, especially in the early game.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a mana cost that’s on the higher side for its creature type and effects, Rappelling Scouts can be a resource-heavy play. Considering the cost and its cumulative effect on the game’s tempo, players must weigh its benefits against other available cards. There are numerous creatures and spells in the same mana range that could provide more impactful board presence, making Rappelling Scouts a less appealing option in tight deck-building decisions.


Reasons to Include Rappelling Scouts in Your Collection

Versatility: Rappelling Scouts brings multipurpose benefits to your deck, as it can serve both as an early defender and a late-game evasion tool. Its ability to block additional creatures makes it a sturdy option against aggro decks.

Combo Potential: This card shows promise when combined with abilities that capitalize on its untap feature. It pairs well with cards that tap for effects, particularly in decks that exploit such mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In an environment where creature-based strategies dominate, Rappelling Scouts provides a reliable form of board control. It adjusts well to various tempo plays, making it an adaptable choice for fluctuating metas.


How to beat

Rappelling Scouts is a unique creature card in Magic: The Gathering that provides players with strategic defensive capabilities. The card stands out due to its flash ability, allowing you to cast it during your opponent’s turn, potentially as a surprise blocker. Moreover, its ability to untap for a modest mana fee makes it an obstruction that can repeatedly be utilized for defense. However, overcoming this card demands a tactical approach. Since the card thrives in combat, avoiding battle with it directly is advisable. Instead, using removal spells that can target creatures irrespective of their tapped or untapped status proves to be effective.

Another strategy is to apply overwhelming pressure, forcing the Rappelling Scouts’ control player to utilize their resources in maintaining it as a blocker, leaving them vulnerable elsewhere. Alternately, employing cards that negate the abilities of creatures will negate the persistent threat posed by Rappelling Scouts’ repeated untaping, making it a regular creature that’s easier to manage. Lastly, manipulating the gameplay pace and provoking unfavorable trades for your opponent can ultimately undermine the defensive advantage Rappelling Scouts offer. Be vigilant, and remember that sometimes the best tactic against steadfast defenders is bypassing them entirely.


Cards like Rappelling Scouts

Within the vast repertoire of creatures in Magic: The Gathering, Rappelling Scouts offers a unique combination of abilities. It’s often compared to other cards like Skyknight Legionnaire from the Ravnica sets. Both cards allow for immediate impact with flying, ensuring they can evade many common blockers. However, Rappelling Scouts has the added benefit of vigilance, keeping it ready to block even after it attacks. This grants it a defensive edge over the Skyknight Legionnaire.

Another comparable card is Gustcloak Savior, which also provides a defensive mechanism that lets it dodge unfavorable confrontations. While Gustcloak Savior can protect other creatures during combat, Rappelling Scouts is self-sufficient with its ability to retreat from combat unscathed. This makes Rappelling Scouts more versatile as a standalone card. Lastly, Aven Riftwatcher enters the battlefield with a similar evasion tactic and provides life gain, but lacks the reusable aspect of Rappelling Scouts’ retreat ability, which can be a recurrent thorn in your opponent’s side.

In essence, Rappelling Scouts might not be the most powerful flyer out there, but its resilience and tactical flexibility make it a noteworthy consideration for players who value defense as much as offense in their game strategy.

Skyknight Legionnaire - MTG Card versions
Gustcloak Savior - MTG Card versions
Aven Riftwatcher - MTG Card versions
Skyknight Legionnaire - Arena League 2005 (PAL05)
Gustcloak Savior - Onslaught (ONS)
Aven Riftwatcher - Planar Chaos (PLC)

Cards similar to Rappelling Scouts 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
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Seasoned Marshal - MTG Card versions
Coalition Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Teroh's Vanguard - 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
Veteran of the Depths - MTG Card versions
Guardian Seraph - MTG Card versions
Lightkeeper of Emeria - MTG Card versions
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - 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)
Teroh's Vanguard - Torment (TOR)
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)
Veteran of the Depths - Lorwyn (LRW)
Guardian Seraph - Magic 2010 (M10)
Lightkeeper of Emeria - Worldwake (WWK)
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - Salvat 2011 (PS11)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Rappelling Scouts MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques, 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 Rappelling Scouts and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Rappelling Scouts has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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