Veteran Explorer MTG Card


Veteran Explorer provides card advantage and resource acceleration, crucial for quicker, powerful plays. It requires a sacrifice mechanism to utilize its full potential, adding strategic complexity. Despite its strengths, it comes with cons such as a specific mana cost and high investment for a 1/1.
Card setsReleased in 5 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Soldier Scout
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

If Veteran Explorer is put into any graveyard from play, each player may search his or her library for up to two basic land cards and put those lands into play. Each player shuffles his or her library afterwards.


Cards like Veteran Explorer

Veteran Explorer holds a unique position in the realm of creature cards in MTG. This one-drop green creature has the potential to significantly alter land dynamics on the battlefield, similar to cards such as Sakura-Tribe Elder. While both provide additional land on the field, Veteran Explorer offers it for both players when it dies, unlike Sakura-Tribe Elder which puts the land directly into play under your control.

Dawning the same philosophy, we compare it to Burnished Hart, another creature with land-fetching abilities. Burnished Hart costs more and requires a sacrifice to trigger the effect, but it allows the player to selectively choose the lands to put into play tapped. This guarantees personal benefit unlike the mutual advantage Veteran Explorer could grant to an opponent.

Considering the strategic implications, Veteran Explorer can be particularly potent in multiplayer formats, where political alliances can shift the tide of the game. The card’s ability to ramp both you and a potential ally, or even level the playing field, amplifies its tactical value in contrast to counterparts that only accelerate your own mana base.

Sakura-Tribe Elder - MTG Card versions
Burnished Hart - MTG Card versions
Sakura-Tribe Elder - MTG Card versions
Burnished Hart - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Veteran Explorer by color, type and mana cost

Scryb Sprites - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogre - MTG Card versions
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Skyshroud Elite - MTG Card versions
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Norwood Ranger - MTG Card versions
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Wild Dogs - MTG Card versions
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Pouncing Jaguar - MTG Card versions
Taunting Elf - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elite - MTG Card versions
Scavenger Folk - MTG Card versions
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
Rime Dryad - MTG Card versions
Village Elder - MTG Card versions
Willow Dryad - MTG Card versions
Spike Drone - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Elite - MTG Card versions
Elvish Berserker - MTG Card versions
Tree Monkey - MTG Card versions
Norwood Ranger - MTG Card versions
Ghazbán Ogress - MTG Card versions
Wild Dogs - MTG Card versions
Elvish Herder - MTG Card versions
Pouncing Jaguar - MTG Card versions
Taunting Elf - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elite - MTG Card versions
Scavenger Folk - MTG Card versions

Decks using this card

MTG decks using Veteran Explorer. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Nic FitNic Fit LegacyNic FitLegacy Super Qualifier 2023-12-28
Titanic DryadTitanic Dryad LegacyNic Fit2023 / 2023 Happy New Year at Home Legacy
ZombiesZombies LegacyNic Fit*HALF PRICE FRIDAY* $1K - Legacy - SCG CON Atlanta - Friday - 1:30 pm
BRGBRG LegacyLegacy Challenge 32 2024-03-17
4-color Loam4-color Loam LegacyMonthly Legacy
Jund ComboJund Combo LegacyNic Fit98 / The 98th Legacy at Home
Four-color ReanimatorFour-color Reanimator LegacyNic FitCharlotte Legacy League Season 1 Week 6
Gruul AggroGruul Aggro Legacy1 LPL OPEN - SEASON V - Liga Paulista Legacy
Koike Nic FitKoike Nic Fit LegacyNic FitLancaster TableTop Republic Proxy Legacy Open

Card Pros

Card Advantage: One of the strategic benefits of Veteran Explorer is its ability to potentially secure card advantage. When it’s sent from the battlefield to the graveyard, each player may search their library for up to two basic land cards and put them on the battlefield. This can be particularly advantageous for the player who designed their deck to capitalize on this effect.

Resource Acceleration: Veteran Explorer can dramatically accelerate a player’s resources. By fetching additional lands, you increase your mana pool, which enables casting more powerful spells earlier in the game. This can be especially potent in multiplayer games where its effect could be exploited to outpace opponents in terms of resources.

Instant Speed: While Veteran Explorer itself is not an instant, it can be combined with effects that sacrifice creatures at instant speed. This allows players to trigger its land-search effect on an opponent’s turn, disrupting their plans and gaining an immediate footing in both tempo and resources.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Veteran Explorer can enhance mana resources, it necessitates a way for you to sacrifice it, which may entail an additional card or effect you must provide, potentially depleting your hand or board presence.

Specific Mana Cost: This card demands both green mana to cast, possibly restricting its inclusion in multicolor decks or formats where color flexibility is crucial.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Despite its valuable ramp capability, the initial two-mana investment is quite steep for a creature with just a 1/1 body, especially when other one-mana dorks like Llanowar Elves could be considered for ramping purposes.


Reasons to Include Veteran Explorer in Your Collection

Versatility: Veteran Explorer is not just another creature; it is a utility card that fits snugly into any deck that loves to ramp. Its ability to search for basic land cards upon being put into a graveyard from the battlefield makes it a perfect fit for decks that strive for a strong mana base early in the game.

Combo Potential: This card has a high ceiling for synergizing with sacrifice effects. You can combo with cards that allow you to sacrifice Veteran Explorer at will, providing you a significant advantage by pulling lands out of your deck, thus thinning it and increasing the likelihood of drawing non-land cards in subsequent turns.

Meta-Relevance: As the game evolves, decks that can efficiently utilize their mana to cast impactful spells stay relevant. Veteran Explorer can play a pivotal role in strategies that require a lot of mana, ensuring that your deck remains competitive within various meta landscapes.


How to Beat

Veteran Explorer is a unique MTG card that can shift the balance of a game with its death-trigger land ramp. When this creature dies, each player may search their library for up to two basic land cards and put them onto the battlefield. Being prepared to mitigate its benefits for your opponent while maximizing your gains is paramount. It’s crucial to plan your land drops and deck construction around the possibility of an opponent utilizing this ramp to their advantage. Furthermore, consider including graveyard control within your strategy. To decrease the efficiency of Veteran Explorer, implement effects that exile it from the game or leverage sacrifice negation tactics that prevent the death trigger from occurring. This could mean using cards with exile effects or building around cards that limit when creatures can be sent to the graveyard.

An adept approach to countering Veteran Explorer includes playing land destruction or land hate cards. Targeting the lands your opponent puts into play can nullify the advantage gained and potentially leave them in a worse position. By integrating these elements into your game plan, you can transform what would be a disadvantageous situation into a winning strategy against decks featuring the resourceful Veteran Explorer.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re looking to optimize your deck with a strategic edge, Veteran Explorer might just be the card to consider. Tailored for players keen on deck crafting and resource management, this green creature offers a unique twist on mana ramping, potentially changing the game’s dynamics in your favor. Remember, building around its abilities can lead to potent combos and a fortified mana base, essential for casting game-changing spells. Curious about integrating this card into your own deck or seeking ways to outmaneuver opponents who use it? Dive deeper with us and enhance your gameplay. With Veteran Explorer, every match becomes an opportunity to outshine and outplay.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Veteran Explorer MTG card by a specific set like Weatherlight and Commander 2011, 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 Veteran Explorer and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Veteran Explorer Magic the Gathering card was released in 5 different sets between 1997-06-09 and 2020-08-07. Illustrated by 2 different artists.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11997-06-09WeatherlightWTH 1441997NormalBlackDavid A. Cherry
22011-06-17Commander 2011CMD 1772003NormalBlackDavid A. Cherry
32016-11-11Commander 2016C16 1742015NormalBlackDavid A. Cherry
42018-06-08BattlebondBBD 2142015NormalBlackSteven Belledin
52020-08-07Double Masters2XM 1862015NormalBlackSteven Belledin

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Veteran Explorer has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2008-04-01 The player whose turn it is searches their library (or chooses not to), then each other player in turn order does the same. Then the player whose turn it is shuffles their library (if that player searched), then each other player in turn order does the same.