Skyshroud Ranger MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Elf Ranger
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Lands placed at instant speed by Skyshroud Ranger can indirectly lead to stronger card advantage.
  2. Resource acceleration is significant with the Ranger, enabling swift mana growth in green decks.
  3. Instant land activation keeps gameplay dynamic and unpredictable, offering strategic depth.

Text of card

oc T: Choose a land card in your hand and put it into play. Play this ability as a sorcery.

"Just as you see the grave and remember the friend, I see this forest and remember Llanowar." —Mirri of the *Weatherlight*


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Skyshroud Ranger doesn’t directly allow you to draw cards, the benefit of placing additional lands onto the battlefield from your hand can indirectly lead to card advantage by giving you access to more mana to utilize your hand more effectively.

Resource Acceleration: Skyshroud Ranger is a prime example of resource acceleration in green decks. It may look simple at a glance, but the ability to put a land card onto the battlefield at instant speed every turn can significantly ramp up your mana resources, potentially putting you turns ahead of your opponent.

Instant Speed: The power of Skyshroud Ranger shines with its instant-speed land activation. This allows you to wait until the last possible moment during your opponent’s end step to play an additional land, which not only accelerates your resources but also keeps your options open and your plays unpredictable, a strategy that can be crucial in the right deck.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While not applicable to Skyshroud Ranger itself, players must be aware of the potential drawback in synergistic strategies that include this card. Decks that revolve around Landfall triggers or similar mechanics may require cards to be discarded to fully utilize such interactions, potentially depleting valuable hand resources.

Specific Mana Cost: Skyshroud Ranger’s casting cost requires green mana, which makes it a less flexible choice for multi-colored decks that may not prioritize green mana or have an abundance of it readily available. This limits the Ranger’s utility to largely green-centric or green-inclusive decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its ability to sidestep the “tap” symbol in the land’s rule text, Skyshroud Ranger’s cost can be considered high when compared to other one-mana dorks—which can both produce mana and hold more utility within their respective decks. In competitive play, resource acceleration is key, and some players might find the Ranger’s output insufficient when faster options are available.


Reasons to Include Skyshroud Ranger Mtg Card in Your Collection

Versatility: Skyshroud Ranger’s ability to put lands onto the battlefield at instant speed allows it to slide into various green decks, from ramp-based strategies that aim to deploy high-cost threats early, to landfall decks that trigger powerful land-based abilities each turn.

Combo Potential: This card excels when paired with lands that have powerful tap abilities or those that return to your hand, enabling multiple uses in a single turn. Its untapped land drop can also unexpectedly ramp you ahead, unlocking combos ahead of schedule.

Meta-Relevance: In a game where tempo can determine the winner, having a one-drop creature that accelerates your mana growth keeps you on par or even ahead of the meta, making Skyshroud Ranger a quietly potent addition to your arsenal.


How to beat

Skyshroud Ranger stands out in MTG as an efficient mana accelerator for land-based strategies. Similar in purpose to cards like Llanowar Elves, which tap for mana, Skyshroud Ranger uniquely allows you to play an additional land on your turn, albeit at sorcery speed. This ability can quickly outpace an opponent if left unchecked. Yet, unlike traditional mana dorks, it doesn’t actually generate mana itself, which is a subtle but important distinction for players looking to tackle it head-on.

Contesting a Skyshroud Ranger effectively involves disrupting your opponent’s land development. Speed is critical; thus, removal spells like Lightning Bolt give you an edge by eliminating the Ranger before it can start ramping. It can also be worthwhile to counter the spell on cast using instant-speed counters like Mana Leak. This prevents your opponent from gaining any land advantage. Lastly, land destruction strategies or denial cards such as Stone Rain or Blood Moon can restrict the ranger’s effectiveness if your opponent depends on accessing a variety of lands.

In essence, when evaluating ways to suppress Skyshroud Ranger, consider instant-speed interaction and land disruption strategies. Preventing your opponent from capitalizing on the Ranger’s ability early on is key to maintaining a level playing field.


BurnMana Recommendations

Exploring the depths of MTG strategy with cards like Skyshroud Ranger can be both thrilling and rewarding. Its unique ability to ramp up your mana resources offers a variety of strategic plays that can enhance your game significantly. Whether you’re interested in honing your deck’s performance or diving deep into the synergies that make MTG such a captivating game, understanding the nuances of cards like Skyshroud Ranger is essential. We encourage you to continue your journey of discovery in MTG, and invite you to delve further into the potentials and uses of this card with us. For a deeper understanding of how to maximize your deck’s potential, learn more with BurnMana and elevate your game today.


Cards like Skyshroud Ranger

The Skyshroud Ranger is a subtle yet powerful fixture in MTG, providing a unique ramping capability among green creatures. Its closest kin in function and form is Llanowar Scout. Both can put an additional land into play each turn, but unlike Skyshroud Ranger, which can only be activated at sorcery speed, Llanowar Scout offers more flexibility with the ability to act at instant speed.

Another similar option is Sakura-Tribe Scout. While both the Scout and the Ranger share the ability to drop lands onto the battlefield at sorcery speed, the Sakura-Tribe Scout edges out slightly in terms of toughness, providing enhanced durability. Additionally, we have the card Walking Atlas, which though colorless, performs a remarkably similar task of placing lands directly into play, but without the restriction of speed, amounting to an advantage in more reactive game situations.

Assessing these alternatives, Skyshroud Ranger holds its ground in green mana-ramping strategies. While it may not be the most versatile, its low mana cost makes it a suitable early-game option for quickly developing your mana base in MTG decks favoring a rapid escalation in resources.

Llanowar Scout - MTG Card versions
Sakura-Tribe Scout - MTG Card versions
Walking Atlas - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Scout - Dominaria (DOM)
Sakura-Tribe Scout - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Walking Atlas - Worldwake (WWK)

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

Scryb Sprites - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogre - MTG Card versions
Shanodin Dryads - MTG Card versions
Wall of Wood - MTG Card versions
Village Elder - MTG Card versions
Spike Drone - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Elite - MTG Card versions
Elvish Berserker - MTG Card versions
Tree Monkey - MTG Card versions
Wild Dogs - MTG Card versions
Elvish Herder - MTG Card versions
Pouncing Jaguar - MTG Card versions
Scavenger Folk - MTG Card versions
Willow Geist - MTG Card versions
Nimble Mongoose - MTG Card versions
Elvish Lyrist - MTG Card versions
Elvish Pioneer - MTG Card versions
Hana Kami - MTG Card versions
Norwood Ranger - MTG Card versions
Scryb Sprites - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Llanowar Elves - Dominaria (DOM)
Ghazbán Ogre - Masters Edition (ME1)
Shanodin Dryads - Summer Magic / Edgar (SUM)
Wall of Wood - 30th Anniversary Edition (30A)
Village Elder - Mirage (MIR)
Spike Drone - Tempest (TMP)
Skyshroud Elite - Exodus (EXO)
Elvish Berserker - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Tree Monkey - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Wild Dogs - Dominaria Remastered (DMR)
Elvish Herder - Urza's Saga (USG)
Pouncing Jaguar - Urza's Saga (USG)
Scavenger Folk - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Willow Geist - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Nimble Mongoose - The List (PLST)
Elvish Lyrist - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Elvish Pioneer - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Hana Kami - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Norwood Ranger - Ninth Edition (9ED)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Skyshroud Ranger MTG card by a specific set like Tempest and Tenth Edition, 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 Skyshroud Ranger and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Skyshroud Ranger Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 1997-10-14 and 2007-07-13. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-10-14TempestTMP 2561997normalblackSteve Luke
22007-07-13Tenth Edition10E 2972003normalblackMark Tedin

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Skyshroud Ranger has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

DateText
2007-05-01 Putting the card onto the battlefield is optional. When the ability resolves, you can choose not to.

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