Glissa's Courier MTG Card

Glissa's Courier - Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)

Mirrodin Besieged (MBS)
2011-02-04 - Number 80

The List (PLST)
2020-09-26 - Number MBS-80

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Phyrexian Horror
Abilities	Mountainwalk
Power	2
Toughness	3

Key Takeaways

Glissa’s Courier provides repeatable card advantage through artifact and graveyard synergies.
The card requires specific mana and might slow multicolored deck strategies.
Its combo potential and meta-relevance make it a collection-worthy card.

Text of card

Mountainwalk

"So, the survivors from Oxid Ridge are on the move. Let them come and witness predation in its purest form." —Glissa

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Glissa’s Courier encourages strategic gameplay by synergizing with artifact and graveyard themes. It interacts with the battlefield and graveyard for potential recurring benefits during a match, giving players an edge over opponents through incremental card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Glissa’s Courier can serve as a functional cog in machine-themed decks, potentially ramping up your resource acceleration by recovering key artifacts from the graveyard. This can result in setting up powerful plays and overwhelming the opposition with superior board presence.

Instant Speed: While Glissa’s Courier itself may not operate at instant speed, it enables you to deploy artifacts or enable tricks at instant speed during your turn. This adaptability can make your strategy less predictable and more dynamic, complicating your adversary’s attempts to counter your moves effectively.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: One downside of Glissa’s Courier is that it necessitates the discarding of a card. This can be quite the setback when your hand is already running thin, forcing tough decisions about resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands a precise combination of green and black mana which can be problematic in a multicolored deck, limiting its flexibility and potentially slowing down your game plan.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With its mana cost sitting above the curve for its stats and abilities, there are alternative cards that may grant a bigger bang for your buck, potentially offering greater value and impact on the game.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Glissa’s Courier can be a flexible addition to numerous deck types due to its trample ability, allowing it to serve as a reliable damage dealer in both aggressive and ramp strategies.

Combo Potential: As a Phyrexian creature, it aligns well with synergies that capitalize on this subtype, making it a fitting piece in artifact-centric or proliferate combos, expanding its utility beyond just being a beater.

Meta-Relevance: Given its solid body for a three-mana creature and innate evasion through trample, Glissa’s Courier holds its own in metagames where mid-sized creatures can dominate and where being able to push through damage is key.

How to beat

When facing Glissa’s Courier in a game of Magic: The Gathering, the key to overcoming this artifact creature lies in its inherent weaknesses. This Phyrexian creature can be formidable due to its Forestwalk ability, allowing it to be unblockable as long as the opponent controls a Forest. In response, players might consider altering their land base if possible, or using land removal spells to disrupt the efficacy of its special ability. Removal spells that don’t specifically target creatures, like board wipes, also bypass the potential unblockability of Glissa’s Courier.

Another tactic is to use spells that change land types, hence stripping the Courier of its unblockable status. Utilizing cards that can transform Forests into other land types or cards that control which lands the opponent can play will effectively nullify its advantage. Furthermore, strategies that put up a strong defense, irrespective of the opponent’s creatures’ abilities, such as cards that prevent all combat damage or spells that don’t allow creatures to attack, will serve as a barrier to the onslaught of Glissa’s Courier.

In the face of this threat, some direct strategies—like employing creature removal spells, artifact destruction, or exile effects—remain reliable. Consistent board control is crucial, emphasizing the importance of preparedness and adaptability in each match against this efficient Phyrexian courier.

Cards like Glissa's Courier

Glissa’s Courier stands out in the roster of green creature cards in MTG. It shares a fundamental attribute with other creatures like Tel-Jilad Chosen, as both are known for their ability to pass through artifacts—a trait not commonly seen. Where Glissa’s Courier gains an edge is in its power and toughness ratio, boasting a stronger presence on the battlefield than the Chosen for the same mana cost.

Likewise, Boreal Centaur is another card that becomes unblockable when facing artifacts, but Glissa’s Courier is superior due to its higher power. The Centaur, while having a lower casting cost with snow mana adaptability, falls short in terms of board impact compared to the Courier.

Comparing these cards provides insights into the unique blend of abilities and stats that Glissa’s Courier offers players. Its combination of evasion and strength at a reasonable mana cost ensures that the card holds a valuable place among creatures with similar profiles in the game.

Cards similar to Glissa's Courier by color, type and mana cost

Hungry Hungry Heifer - MTG Card versions

Territorial Scythecat - MTG Card versions

Reki, the History of Kamigawa - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Glissa's Courier MTG card by a specific set like Mirrodin Besieged 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 Glissa's Courier and other MTG cards: