Viashino Outrider MTG Card


Viashino Outrider - Urza's Saga
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Viashino
Abilities Echo
Released1998-10-12
Set symbol
Set nameUrza's Saga
Set codeUSG
Power 4
Toughness 3
Number223
Frame1997
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byCiruelo

Key Takeaways

  1. Encourages aggressive play, forcing opponents to use resources to address its presence on the board.
  2. Can limit card options due to its discard requirement and specific mana cost for casting.
  3. Provides tribal synergy, making it a valuable addition to certain MTG deck strategies.

Text of card

Echo (During your next upkeep after this permanent comes under your control, pay its casting cost or sacrifice it.)

"Give thy ration to thy mount, if the road be long. So sayeth the bey."


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Viashino Outrider may not draw you additional cards directly, but by fostering aggressive board presence, it compels your adversary to deal with it, often at a two-for-one cost to them, enhancing your card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: Though not a direct mana generator, deploying Viashino Outrider quickly progresses your board state, effectively putting you turns ahead of your opponent and accelerating your in-game resources.

Instant Speed: As a creature, Viashino Outrider doesn’t have the instant speed trait. However, its presence influences opponents to play as if you have instant-speed interaction, potentially altering their playstyle to your benefit.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Playing the Viashino Outrider requires you to discard another card, which can deplete your hand and reduce your options later in the game. This can be particularly challenging when your hand is already limited, forcing tough decisions about resource management.

Specific Mana Cost: The Viashino Outrider’s casting cost includes red mana, which restricts it to red-themed or multicolor decks that can accommodate this requirement. This can limit the card’s versatility across various deck strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At three mana, including two red, the cost to bring Viashino Outrider into play may be considered high considering its base stats and abilities. In a format where tempo and efficiency are key, there may be alternative cards that provide more value or a larger immediate impact on the board state for the same or less mana investment.


Reasons to Include Viashino Outrider in Your Collection

Versatility: Viashino Outrider offers incredible flexibility, making it a fitting choice for decks that thrive on aggressive tactics. Its stats allow it to be a formidable contender on the battlefield right from the moment it’s played.

Combo Potential: As a creature with substantial power, Viashino Outrider can be a key part of combos, particularly in decks that capitalize on creature-based synergies or benefit from creature sacrifice mechanics.

Meta-Relevance: In any meta where tempo and creature presence are crucial, Viashino Outrider can serve as a cost-effective tool to maintain pressure and assert dominance on the game board.


How to beat

In the varied landscape of creatures within Magic the Gathering, the Viashino Outrider emerges as a formidable card, known for its capacity to enhance red decks with its solid stats and potentially favorable casting cost. When encountering this card on the battlefield, it’s essential to have a strategy to counter its impact. Removal spells are a reliable avenue to tackle this creature. Cards like Murder or Doom Blade allow players to remove the Viashino Outrider before its power becomes an issue. Counterspells such as Cancel or Mana Leak can prevent the Outrider from ever hitting the field, ensuring your opponent’s plans are foiled at the outset.

Beyond direct removal, players might also consider using burn spells or cards with ‘fight’ mechanics to deal damage to the creature while it’s vulnerable. An adaptive strategy and quick removal are key elements in controlling the pace of the game and effectively managing threats like the Viashino Outrider. Lastly, engaging in favorable trades with the Outrider by using lower-value creatures can also diminish your opponent’s board presence, ultimately leading to a successful strategy against this resilient creature.


Cards like Viashino Outrider

Viashino Outrider may not be a standout at first glance but it finds its place in the vast world of creatures in Magic: The Gathering. This creature bears similarity to other four-mana creatures such as Hill Giant, which has been a baseline for understanding the value of vanilla creatures with 3/3 stats. However, Viashino Outrider has an edge with its racial type, which is relevant in tribal decks specifically centered around Viashino or Warriors.

Looming alongside is Ogre Taskmaster, another creature that offers a set of 4/3 stats for the same mana cost but denies the ability to block—something the Outrider doesn’t have to worry about. The addition of the Viashino Outrider can be pivotal in decks that benefit from the synergy of its type, compared to the Taskmaster’s limitation. Another companion in this cadre is Goblin Sky Raider. Although the Sky Raider comes with the advantage of flight, its lower toughness can often become a liability on the battlefield.

Taking everything into consideration, while Viashino Outrider might not be the most powerful card on its own, its tribal utility and balanced stats provide players with a solid choice especially in themed decks that capitalize on those synergies, setting it apart from its counterparts.

Hill Giant - MTG Card versions
Ogre Taskmaster - MTG Card versions
Goblin Sky Raider - MTG Card versions
Hill Giant - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Ogre Taskmaster - Portal Second Age (P02)
Goblin Sky Raider - Onslaught (ONS)

Cards similar to Viashino Outrider by color, type and mana cost

Dwarven Warriors - MTG Card versions
Raging Bull - MTG Card versions
Wall of Lava - MTG Card versions
Brassclaw Orcs - MTG Card versions
Sabretooth Tiger - MTG Card versions
Imperial Recruiter - MTG Card versions
Uthden Troll - MTG Card versions
Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - MTG Card versions
Goblin Rabblemaster - MTG Card versions
Nosy Goblin - MTG Card versions
Goblin Sky Raider - MTG Card versions
Cosmic Larva - MTG Card versions
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - MTG Card versions
Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - MTG Card versions
Ghost-Lit Raider - MTG Card versions
Goblin Chariot - MTG Card versions
Balduvian Barbarians - MTG Card versions
Shinen of Fury's Fire - MTG Card versions
Basalt Gargoyle - MTG Card versions
Goblin Chieftain - MTG Card versions
Dwarven Warriors - Foreign Black Border (FBB)
Raging Bull - Legends (LEG)
Wall of Lava - Ice Age (ICE)
Brassclaw Orcs - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Sabretooth Tiger - Fifth Edition (5ED)
Imperial Recruiter - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Uthden Troll - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Hobgoblin Bandit Lord - Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Promos (PAFR)
Goblin Rabblemaster - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Nosy Goblin - Onslaught (ONS)
Goblin Sky Raider - Onslaught (ONS)
Cosmic Larva - Fifth Dawn (5DN)
Mannichi, the Fevered Dream - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Cunning Bandit // Azamuki, Treachery Incarnate - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)
Ghost-Lit Raider - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Goblin Chariot - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Balduvian Barbarians - Ninth Edition (9ED)
Shinen of Fury's Fire - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Basalt Gargoyle - Time Spiral Remastered (TSR)
Goblin Chieftain - Resale Promos (PRES)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Viashino Outrider MTG card by a specific set like Urza's Saga, 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 Viashino Outrider and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Viashino Outrider has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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