Scout the Borders MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Sorcery |
| Released | 2014-09-26 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Khans of Tarkir |
| Set code | KTK |
| Number | 148 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | James Paick |
Text of card
Reveal the top five cards of your library. You may put a creature or land card from among them into your hand. Put the rest into your graveyard.
"I am in my element: the element of surprise." —Mogai, Sultai scout
Cards like Scout the Borders
Scout the Borders is a notable utility card in Magic: The Gathering, joining the ranks of green spells that manipulate the library and graveyard. It’s often compared to similar cards like Grisly Salvage, which also permits the player to reveal a number of cards from the top of their library, select a creature or land among them, and place the rest into the graveyard. Grisly Salvage offers these options at instant speed unlike Scout the Borders, which is a sorcery.
Another relative in function is Satyr Wayfinder, bringing a weaker version of this selective milling to the table. While it only allows for a reveal of the top four cards and the addition of a single land card to the hand, the addition of a creature on the battlefield can be a subtle but significant tactical advantage over Scout the Borders. Conversely, Scout the Borders allows the player to delve deeper into their library with five cards, thereby increasing the chance of hitting crucial land drops or graveyard synergies.
Overall, each of these cards exemplifies the versatility and strategic depth Magic: The Gathering offers, especially within the spectrum of green’s library-to-graveyard manipulation mechanics. While Scout the Borders isn’t the quickest card of its kind, its strength lies in the quantity of cards it processes, cross-sectioning a sizeable swathe of the library for a tactical advantage.
Cards similar to Scout the Borders by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Scout the Borders shines in enabling players to sift through the top five cards of their library. This action allows for a selection of a crucial card to be added to their hand, thereby maintaining a strong hand presence and potentially tipping the scales in their favor.
Resource Acceleration: By allowing a player to pick a land card from the top five cards, Scout the Borders can facilitate resource acceleration. This can be especially advantageous in decks that benefit from having a variety of lands or require specific land types to activate synergies and combos.
Instant Speed: Though Scout the Borders operates at sorcery speed, it strategically sets up future plays. Post resolution, it prepares the ground for instant-speed interactions on subsequent turns, with the player better informed about potential draws and able to craft a more effective strategy for the upcoming stages of the match.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Engaging with Scout the Borders in MTG requires players to delve into their library but also demands they discard the remaining cards not selected. This action could be a strategic pitfall when crucial spells or creatures are thus relegated to the graveyard, potentially reducing valuable late-game options.
Specific Mana Cost: The card calls for a particular blend of mana, one green and two of any color, making it less of a universal pick and more of a commitment to green-focused deck structures. Players running multicolored decks might find this mana requirement a bit too rigid for their versatile strategies.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Requiring three mana for its ability to look at the top five cards of your library may not always measure up to the efficiency other cards in the same cost bracket offer. Cards with lower costs or those that provide a greater advantage for a similar investment could be more beneficial for a player’s deck dynamics and overall strategy.
Reasons to Include Scout the Borders in Your Collection
Versatility: Scout the Borders shines in its flexibility by allowing players to dig through the top five cards of their library, granting the ability to select a creature or land card that fits the current situation. This utility makes it a suitable addition for many green-based decks looking to optimize their draws.
Combo Potential: The ability to fill your graveyard with Scout the Borders paves the way for various graveyard synergies to take effect. Whether it’s fueling delve costs, triggering abilities like that of a “Tarmogoyf,” or setting up for potent reanimation spells, the card’s graveyard-filling effect can be a significant enabler for combo-reliant decks.
Meta-Relevance: As games are often won by either drawing the right card at the right time or efficiently utilizing one’s graveyard, Scout the Borders can consistently ensure your strategy is not hindered by mana flooding or drought. Its relevance becomes more potent in environments where manipulating the library and graveyard plays a central role in prevailing strategies.
How to beat
Scout the Borders is a versatile card from Khans of Tarkir that has found its way into the toolkit of many green-based deck strategies in Magic: The Gathering. As a sorcery that allows players to look at the top five cards of their library, put one into their hand and the rest into their graveyard, it can be a powerful tool for enabling delve and threshold abilities. But like any strategy in MTG, it has its vulnerabilities.
To effectively play against Scout the Borders, consider strategies that disrupt the graveyard. Cards like Rest in Peace or Relic of Progenitus can negate the value your opponent gains by filling their graveyard with Scout the Borders. Additionally, hand disruption tactics such as Thoughtseize or Inquisition of Kozilek can preemptively remove the card from your opponent’s hand before they even have a chance to use it. Abundant graveyard interactions mean that timing and the element of surprise are your best allies in rendering Scout the Borders less effective.
Understanding your opponent’s game plan is also critical. If their strategy hinges on Scout the Borders, applying pressure with aggressive creatures or using spell-based disruption can hinder their ability to effectively utilize the card’s potential. Ultimately, staying one step ahead and being proactive with your counters can ensure that Scout the Borders doesn’t tip the scales too heavily in your adversary’s favor.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Scout the Borders MTG card by a specific set like Khans of Tarkir, 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 Scout the Borders and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
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Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Scout the Borders has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |