River Herald Scout MTG Card

River Herald Scout excels in Merfolk tribal decks, enhancing tap-triggered synergies for potential card advantages. Instant speed activation of the Scout’s ability allows strategic plays and unexpected defenses during opponent turns. Limited to green mana decks, the Scout’s casting cost can be restrictive, but its tribal utility justifies inclusion.

River Herald Scout - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	2
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Merfolk Scout
Abilities	Explore
Released	2023-11-17
Set symbol
Set name	The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Set code	LCI
Power	1
Toughness	2
Number	72
Frame	2015
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Josu Hernaiz

Text of card

When River Herald Scout enters the battlefield, it explores. (Reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)

"Don't worry, little swimmers. I'm here for the ruins, not you."

Cards like River Herald Scout

River Herald’s Scout has found its niche within the pantheon of creature cards in Magic: The Gathering, sharing similarities with other card-selecting minions like Merfolk Looter. Each has its own method of altering the flow of play – River Herald’s Scout can boost itself and another Merfolk, which is essential for tribal synergy and can create a momentum shift on the board. Merfolk Looter, by contrast, excels with its tap ability to draw and discard, offering a more consistent card filtering option but without the creature enhancing ability.

Silvergill Adept might also be seen swimming in similar waters. This merfolk shines with its straightforward card draw upon entering the battlefield, assuming the reveal of another merfolk card, or for an additional mana without the reveal. It’s this direct draw mechanic that differentiates it from the Scout which requires a strategic setup for an on-attack trigger. Then, we have Mist-Cloaked Herald, a card valued for its simplicity and unblockability. Unlike River Herald’s Scout, which requires a partner to maximize its potential, Mist-Cloaked Herald stands alone, stealthily evading defenders and guaranteeing damage to opponents.

Analyzing these cards, it’s clear River Herald’s Scout plays a unique role, especially within its tribe, acting as a linchpin for synergy and attack augmentation in Magic: The Gathering’s vast array of creatures.

Cards similar to River Herald Scout by color, type and mana cost

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Decks using this card

MTG decks using River Herald Scout. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

Name	Format	Archetype	Event
Five-color	Free form		Torino Tournament - Lost Caverns of Ixalan
Decklist	Free form		UOL LCI Sealed League
Simic Cauldron	Standard	Simic Merfolk	02/10 Standard RCQ (Two Slot) Round 6
Mono-Blue Merfolk	Legacy	Merfolk	Weekly Legacy

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The River Herald Scout may seem unassuming, but it has a tactical role in decks focused on Merfolk synergy. By enabling you to consistently tap or untap another target Merfolk you control, it opens pathways to card advantage. This is especially potent when linked with Merfolk that have tap-triggered abilities, as it allows multiple uses of those abilities in a turn, or untapping to reuse an ability or for defense.

Resource Acceleration: While the Scout itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, it can indirectly contribute to resource acceleration by untapping Merfolk that generate mana or provide similar benefits. This synergistic approach can be a subtle yet effective method to edge ahead in the resource race.

Instant Speed: The Scout’s ability is an activated one that can be used at instant speed, enabling reactive play during your opponent’s turns. This becomes a tool for surprise interactions, whether it’s to suddenly untap a Merfolk that was considered out of commission or to tap a Merfolk with an advantageous blocking capability. The strategic value of such a plays can’t be overstated, particularly in response to your opponent’s actions.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: River Herald Scout doesn’t come with an inherent discard mechanic, but in a game where maintaining card advantage is crucial, including cards that lack impact without others to support them can effectively lead to discarding opportunities to play stronger standalone cards.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s casting cost demands green mana, which makes it exclusive to decks that run forests or have access to green mana sources. This limits its versatility across the varied Magic the Gathering deck archetypes that might not align with its green mana requirements.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: River Herald Scout requires two mana to cast, a significant investment for a 1/3 creature. In a format where board presence and efficiency govern success, allocating resources to a creature that doesn’t affect the board significantly upon entering may be a tactical drawback when alternatives could exert more immediate pressure or provide more significant benefits.

Reasons to Include River Herald Scout in Your Collection

Versatility: River Herald Scout has the unique ability to untap another target Merfolk you control, which can be incredibly versatile in Merfolk tribal decks. Its synergy with other Merfolk can lead to powerful board states and surprise tactical advantages during a game.

Combo Potential: The unlock potential of River Herald Scout is not to be underestimated. In conjunction with cards that have tap abilities, this Scout can be part of an engine that generates significant value over the course of a match, leading to influential combos that can swing the game in your favor.

Meta-Relevance: With the right build, this card’s Merfolk synergies could prove to be especially relevant in a meta that favors creature-based strategies. The ability to constantly untap potent Merfolk can disrupt opponents’ plans and offer persistent threats that demand answers. As such, having River Herald Scout in your collection offers a valuable piece to adjust to evolving meta conditions.

How to beat

The River Herald Scout, a card in the vast universe of Magic: The Gathering, may seem unassuming at first glance. Situated in the realm of Merfolk territory, this card flaunts its ability to boost its fellow Merfolk comrades by sneaking them past enemy lines. Comprehending the subtleties of any MTG card is key to developing a strategy to counter it effectively.

To outmaneuver a player relying on the River Herald Scout’s ability, consider employing removal spells to disrupt the synergy within their Merfolk assembly. Targeted spells like Fatal Push or Lightning Bolt serve well in this capacity, removing the threat before it can muster its aquatic allies. Moreover, cards that hinder activated abilities, like Cursed Totem or Pithing Needle, can suppress the River Herald Scout’s tactical edge, solidifying your defenses against the Merfolk tide.

Ultimately, while the River Herald Scout offers strategic depth to Merfolk-focused decks, its influence on the battlefield can be mitigated with precise tactics and proactive control elements. Recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of such cards enhances gameplay and enriches your repertoire of strategies in Magic: The Gathering’s ever-evolving meta.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase River Herald Scout MTG card by a specific set like The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, 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 River Herald Scout and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where River Herald Scout has restrictions

Format	Legality
Standard	Legal
Historicbrawl	Legal
Historic	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Gladiator	Legal
Alchemy	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Commander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Explorer	Legal
Brawl	Legal
Penny	Legal
Timeless	Legal

Rules and information

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

Date	Text
2023-11-10	If a resolving spell or ability instructs a specific creature to explore but that creature has left the battlefield, the creature still explores. If you reveal a nonland card this way, you won't put a +1/+1 counter on anything, but you may put the revealed card into your graveyard. Effects that trigger "whenever a creature explores" trigger as appropriate.
2023-11-10	If an ability instructs a creature to explore, its controller reveals the top card of their library. If it's a land card, they'll put it into their hand. Otherwise, they'll put a +1/+1 counter on that creature, then choose to either leave that card on top of their library or put it into their graveyard.
2023-11-10	If no card is revealed, most likely because that player's library is empty, the exploring creature receives a +1/+1 counter.
2023-11-10	In some unusual cases, noncreature permanents may explore. For example, if the creature card returned by Defossilize is somehow not a creature once it's on the battlefield, it can still explore. You'll take all the same actions, and you may end up putting a +1/+1 counter on the permanent. (Note that some effects target a creature, and those effects would still require a legal target to have it explore.)
2023-11-10	Once an ability that causes a creature to explore begins to resolve, no player may take any other actions until it's done. Notably, opponents can't try to remove the exploring creature after you reveal a nonland card but before it receives a counter.
2023-11-10	Some spells or abilities might cause a creature to explore multiple times in a row. If you reveal a nonland card when a creature explores and leave it on top of your library, then the creature explores again immediately afterwards, you'll reveal the same card again.