Shoreline Ranger MTG Card

Islandcycling provides deck thinning and can fetch lands, improving draw quality. At instant speed, flexibility in timing heightens its game adaptability. High mana cost and blue mana requirements may limit deck inclusion.

Scourge (SCG)
2003-05-26 - Number 51

Shoreline Ranger - Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)

Magic Online Theme Decks (TD0)
2010-11-08 - Number A32

Conspiracy (CNS)
2014-06-06 - Number 106

Shoreline Ranger - Eternal Masters (EMA)

Eternal Masters (EMA)
2016-06-10 - Number 71

Masters 25 (A25)
2018-03-16 - Number 72

Card sets	Released in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	6
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Bird Soldier Ranger
Abilities	Cycling,Flying,Islandcycling,Landcycling
Power	3
Toughness	4

Text of card

Flying Islandcycling (, Discard this card from your hand: Search your library for an island card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)

Cards like Shoreline Ranger

Shoreline Ranger is an intriguing creature card for MTG players, offering a mix of flexibility and evasion. It compares to cards like Pilgrim’s Eye, another flying creature. While Pilgrim’s Eye has a lower casting cost and helps with land smoothing by retrieving a basic land card upon entry, Shoreline Ranger offers a bigger body and the potential for islandwalk, making it unblockable if the opponent controls an island.

Similarly, Balloon Peddler stands out with its flying ability and can grant other creatures flying for a short burst. But it falls in toughness and power in comparison to Shoreline Ranger. Then there’s the Cloud Sprite, which also flies and has a low cost, but it’s restricted from blocking other flying creatures, unlike the more versatile and powerful Shoreline Ranger.

The real advantage of Shoreline Ranger comes from its islandcycling ability, letting players exchange it for an island if it isn’t the right time for a six-mana flyer. This adaptability in land fetching and evasion tactics positions Shoreline Ranger as a viable option for deck builders seeking versatility in their creature slots, especially in formats like Commander where mana bases and evasion are critical.

Cards similar to Shoreline Ranger by color, type and mana cost

Sun Quan, Lord of Wu - MTG Card versions

Zahid, Djinn of the Lamp - MTG Card versions

Arcanis the Omnipotent - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Shoreline Ranger offers a subtle form of card advantage with its Islandcycling ability. This allows you to effectively exchange this card for an Island from your deck, thereby thinning your deck and increasing the likelihood of drawing more impactful cards during the course of a game.

Resource Acceleration: While Shoreline Ranger itself doesn’t directly accelerate your resources in terms of mana, its ability to fetch an Island can indirectly assist in ensuring land drops. This can be particularly beneficial in decks that have a mana-hungry late game or require a consistent land drop to maintain tempo.

Instant Speed: Although Shoreline Ranger cannot be played at instant speed, its Islandcycling ability is usable at any time you could cast an instant. This flexibility permits you to adapt to the flow of the game, using the Islandcycling ability if no immediate threats need to be addressed or if you’re in need of a land during an opponent’s turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: The ability inherent in Shoreline Ranger to search your library for an Island card comes with the drawback of returning a land you control to your hand. This could set you back, especially if you’re trying to maintain a strong board presence and mana availability for other spells.

Specific Mana Cost: Shoreline Ranger’s casting cost requires two blue mana, which aligns it specifically with blue or blue-inclusive decks. If you’re running a multi-colored deck without a strong blue mana base, you might find it challenging to summon this creature consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of six mana, Shoreline Ranger is considered to have a high mana cost for its body and ability. Other creatures or spells could offer more impactful abilities or present a better cost-to-benefit ratio than Shoreline Ranger at a lower cost, making them potentially more desirable choices in a deck designed for efficiency.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Shoreline Ranger can adapt to a variety of strategies by offering a reliable mana sink through its Islandcycling ability. This ensures that in mana-heavy hands or late-game scenarios, the card can still provide utility by potentially drawing into something more immediately impactful.

Combo Potential: In decks that synergize with flying creatures or cycling mechanics, Shoreline Ranger can be a key piece. It can help enable reanimation strategies or work with cards that trigger upon cycling, making it a multifaceted component within combo-centric decks.

Meta-Relevance: Given the fluctuating landscape of most metas, Shoreline Ranger holds a place in environments that reward flexible mana bases and evasive threats. Its ability to dodge ground stalls and provide an aerial presence can make it a worthwhile inclusion in midrange and control arsenals.

How to beat

Confronting the likes of Shoreline Ranger can shift the tides in a game of Magic: The Gathering. This creature flies above the battlefield, capable of evading many ground-bound defenses while accelerating island-based land strategies through its Islandcycling ability. However, strategies for countering it do exist and can be straightforward to implement.

Direct removal spells are a reliable method for dealing with Shoreline Ranger. Cards that can unconditionally destroy or exile creatures, such as Murder or Path to Exile, bypass the protection that flying offers. On another front, manipulating the opponent’s mana base can diminish the effectiveness of Islandcycling, reducing the Ranger’s utility.

Another potential avenue is to utilize reach or flying creatures to block and eliminate the ranger in combat. This renders the evasion ability null, pressuring your opponent to think twice about attacking. Finally, deploying faster-paced strategies can also outpace Shoreline Ranger, as it bears a relatively high mana cost, which can put opponents on the backfoot if they’re relying on it excessively.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shoreline Ranger MTG card by a specific set like Scourge and Magic Online Theme Decks, 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 Shoreline Ranger and other MTG cards:

BUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer

Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Shoreline Ranger Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 2003-05-26 and 2018-03-16. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#	Released	Name	Code	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2003-05-26	Scourge	SCG	51	1997	Normal	Black	Michael Sutfin
2	2010-11-08	Magic Online Theme Decks	TD0	A32	1997	Normal	Black	Michael Sutfin
3	2014-06-06	Conspiracy	CNS	106	2003	Normal	Black	Michael Sutfin
4	2016-06-10	Eternal Masters	EMA	71	2015	Normal	Black	Michael Sutfin
5	2018-03-16	Masters 25	A25	72	2015	Normal	Black	Magali Villeneuve

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Shoreline Ranger has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Premodern	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Predh	Legal
Penny	Legal