Untethered Express MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: As a powerful artifact creature, Untethered Express can generate an escalating threat on the battlefield which often requires multiple cards from your opponent to handle. With its Trample ability coupled with the way it accumulates +1/+1 counters, it’s known to outvalue singular removal spells, leading to potential card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Although not directly providing mana or acceleration in the traditional sense, Untethered Express consistently grows larger with each attack. This consistent growth doesn’t require additional card investment, effectively saving resources and accelerating your board presence without further tapping into your card pool.

Instant Speed: While Untethered Express itself is not an instant, its inherent Crew 1 ability allows players to instantly turn any creature into a significant threat, taking advantage of untapped creatures who may otherwise not be able to engage in combat. This can be particularly advantageous when you have creatures with summoning sickness or when you seek to avoid unfavorable combat during your turn.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Untethered Express doesn’t have a direct discard requirement, it does necessitate a crew to become an attacking or blocking creature. This can sometimes feel like a “discard” of resources as you’re tapping potentially useful creatures just to mobilize it.

Specific Mana Cost: Although Untethered Express can fit into any deck because of its generic mana cost, it’s important to note that it does have a four mana cost, meaning it may not be the first pick for decks that aim for lower curves or prioritize other turn-four plays.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With an initial cost of four mana, Untethered Express may come out too late in faster, more aggressive games. While it scales well into the late game due to its trample and growing power, the initial investment can be a setback in tempo against quicker strategies.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Untethered Express proves to be a force to be reckoned with across various deck builds, providing aggressive players with a scalable threat that dodges sorcery-speed removal with its natural vehicle state.

Combo Potential: This card shines in conjunction with creatures that tap to provide benefits, allowing you to exploit the Crew mechanic while gaining additional advantages, propelling your game plan forward.

Meta-Relevance: As creature-based strategies continue to hold sway in the meta, Untethered Express presents itself as a reliable and powerful asset, outpacing blockers and escalating its power with repeated attacks, which can be decisive in tight match-ups.

How to beat

Untethered Express is a formidable vehicle card gaining traction among Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts. This powerful artifact becomes even mightier as it attacks, collecting a +1/+1 counter each time. Neutralizing this threat requires a strategic approach. One effective tactic is employing instant-speed removal spells when your opponent declares it as an attacker but before it does combat damage, thus utilizing the window when it becomes a creature. Options such as Fatal Push and Path to Exile can efficiently handle the job, provided the Express’s power is within their threshold.

Another tactic to consider is the use of counter spells to prevent your adversary from ever getting their engine running. Dissolve and Negate are perfect for keeping cards like Untethered Express in your opponent’s hand or graveyard. Alternatively, if the Express is already on the battlefield, enchantments such as Pacifism could lock it down, hindering its potential to attack and accumulate counters. The key is to remain vigilant and respond swiftly, disrupting your opponent’s momentum and keeping the Untethered Express from roaring down the tracks to victory.