Flamestick Courier MTG Card


Flamestick Courier - Onslaught
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Goblin
Released2002-10-07
Set symbol
Set nameOnslaught
Set codeONS
Power 2
Toughness 1
Number203
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byLuca Zontini

Key Takeaways

  1. Grants swift deck sifting for consistent resource flow, crucial in overpowering opponents.
  2. Enables casting multiple spells each turn, for mana efficiency and strategic depth.
  3. Instant speed interaction provides a tactical edge in various game scenarios.

Text of card

You may choose not to untap Flamestick Courier during your untap step. o R, oc T: As long as Flamestick Courier remains tapped, target Goblin gets +2/+2 and has haste.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: With Flamestick Courier, you’re granted the ability to sift through your deck rapidly, giving you a better chance of finding the tools you need for victory. Every time you cast a noncreature spell, the potential to draw an extra card intensifies your game plan, providing a stream of resources that can overwhelm your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: This card shines in decks that are looking to cast multiple spells in a single turn. Its ability to untap a land whenever you cast a noncreature spell functions as a form of resource acceleration, potentially giving you access to more mana in a single turn than your lands would normally permit.

Instant Speed: The flexibility granted by instant speed interaction cannot be overstated—Flamestick Courier allows you to seamlessly slot your spellcasting into the pace of the game. Whether it’s avoiding sorcery-speed removal or simply optimizing your mana usage each turn, the ability to act swiftly and unpredictably gives strategic players a significant edge in tight matchups.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Flamestick Courier can grant advantageous haste to another creature, it demands a card be discarded, potentially sapping your hand of other strategic plays.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s inclusion in a deck necessitates access to red mana sources, potentially restricting its integration into multicolor strategies that can’t consistently generate the required mana.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana cost needed to play Flamestick Courier may weigh down your curve. Other options in the game might enable quicker plays or better synchronize with the overall tempo of your strategy.


Reasons to Include Flamestick Courier in Your Collection

Versatility: Flamestick Courier’s ability to give a creature haste can be vital in a multitude of decks, especially those looking to quickly deliver heavy hits or utilize tap abilities without waiting for summoning sickness to fade away.

Combo Potential: This card can seamlessly integrate into decks where speed is key. It’s excellent for enabling swift combo setups, turning a well-timed play into a game-winning move by catching opponents off guard.

Meta-Relevance: In a game state where the pace can determine the victor, having the capacity to up the tempo and pressure early can be a game-changer, making Flamestick Courier a relevant choice across various competitive scenes.


How to beat Flamestick Courier

Flamestick Courier is an intriguing card that can pose a significant challenge on the battlefield. One effective strategy to counter this card revolves around removing it from play before its ability can be activated. Utilizing instant-speed removal spells allows you to target the Flamestick Courier before it can make an impactful contribution to your opponent’s game, thereby mitigating its potential threat. Cards such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile offer efficient and cost-effective ways to dispatch small creatures like the Flamestick Courier swiftly and decisively.

Another tactic involves the manipulation of the stack, specifically by employing counterspells when the Flamestick Courier’s ability is on the stack. This preemptive approach prevents its effect from resolving and effectively neutralizes the advantage it could provide. The key is to remain vigilant, keeping mana open to respond at the crucial moment. Additionally, making use of creature abilities that can block or interact on a creature level without using the stack, such as those found on cards like Baleful Strix or Aether Adept, can ensure that the Flamestick Courier’s advantages are kept in check, thus maintaining the balance of the game in your favor.


Cards like Flamestick Courier

Flamestick Courier offers a unique take on the mechanic of haste within Magic: The Gathering. Comparable to the well-known Goblin Motivator, this card shares the capability to grant haste to another creature. However, Flamestick Courier stands out as it allows you to attach it to a creature as an Equipment, thereby giving sustained haste unlike the one-time effect from Goblin Motivator’s tap ability.

Another parallel can be drawn with cards like Crashing Drawbridge. Both provide a means to give other creatures haste, but Flamestick Courier gives the additional benefit of being a creature when not equipped. Conversely, Crashing Drawbridge requires you to tap it to give other creatures haste and lacks Flamestick Courier’s flexibility. Furthermore, we can look at cards such as Swiftfoot Boots or Lightning Greaves, which also equip to give haste and additional abilities. However, these are artifacts, unlike Flamestick Courier, which can attack or block on its own when not equipped.

Overall, Flamestick Courier showcases its strength by being versatile as both an equipment and a creature, a trait that’s valued for players who enjoy flexible strategies in their Magic: The Gathering decks.

Goblin Motivator - MTG Card versions
Crashing Drawbridge - MTG Card versions
Swiftfoot Boots - MTG Card versions
Lightning Greaves - MTG Card versions
Goblin Motivator - Core Set 2019 (M19)
Crashing Drawbridge - Throne of Eldraine (ELD)
Swiftfoot Boots - Magic 2012 (M12)
Lightning Greaves - Mirrodin (MRD)

Cards similar to Flamestick Courier by color, type and mana cost

Dwarven Warriors - MTG Card versions
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Wall of Lava - MTG Card versions
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Nosy Goblin - MTG Card versions
Goblin Sky Raider - MTG Card versions
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Ghost-Lit Raider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Chariot - MTG Card versions
Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions
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Orcish Artillery - MTG Card versions
Stinkdrinker Daredevil - MTG Card versions
Blind-Spot Giant - MTG Card versions
Mudbutton Torchrunner - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Warriors - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Raging Bull - Legends (LEG)
Wall of Lava - Ice Age (ICE)
Brassclaw Orcs - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Imperial Recruiter - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Uthden Troll - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Goblin Rabblemaster - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Nosy Goblin - Onslaught (ONS)
Goblin Sky Raider - Onslaught (ONS)
Cosmic Larva - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Ghost-Lit Raider - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Goblin Chariot - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Balduvian Barbarians - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Basalt Gargoyle - Time Spiral (TSP)
Orcish Artillery - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Stinkdrinker Daredevil - Lorwyn (LRW)
Blind-Spot Giant - Lorwyn (LRW)
Mudbutton Torchrunner - Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins (DD1)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Flamestick Courier MTG card by a specific set like Onslaught, 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 Flamestick Courier and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Flamestick Courier has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Flamestick Courier card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2004-10-04 It checks the creature type when the ability is announced and resolved, but once the effect is placed on the creature, if its creature type changes the effect still continues.

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