Merfolk Wayfinder MTG Card
2009-10-02 - Number 56
2014-03-14 - Number 9
2017-10-24 - Number 12
| Card sets | Released in 3 setsSee all |
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Merfolk Scout |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Power | 1 |
| Toughness | 2 |
Key Takeaways
- Merfolk Wayfinder enhances card draws and accelerates mana, crucial for maintaining game momentum.
- Instant speed casting gives flexibility, adapting Merfolk Wayfinder to various game states effectively.
- While offering key advantages, the Wayfinder’s drawbacks include a specific mana need and a discard requirement.
Text of card
Flying When Merfolk Wayfinder enters the battlefield, reveal the top three cards of your library. Put all Island cards revealed this way into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Merfolk Wayfinder helps sift through the top cards of your deck, presenting an opportunity to ensure that your next draw is as impactful as possible. Through its exploration ability, you’re more likely to maintain a steady flow of useful cards into your hand.
Resource Acceleration: By potentially revealing lands with the Wayfinder, you’re not only planning your plays ahead but also accelerating your mana base. Getting those lands onto the battlefield quicker than usual means ramping up to your bigger threats and taking control of the game.
Instant Speed: The real strength of Merfolk Wayfinder lies in its flexibility. Casting it at instant speed allows you to adapt to the state of the game, utilizing it to its full potential whether you’re searching for an answer or just setting up for future turns.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Merfolk Wayfinder’s ability activation often hinges on relinquishing another card from your hand, a tactical drawback when your hand size is already dwindling.
Specific Mana Cost: This card’s demand for blue mana as part of its casting cost means it seamlessly fits into blue-themed or sea-faring decks, but can be a stumbling block in multicolor deck constructions that aren’t as mana-flexible.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Weighing the cost of investing four mana for Merfolk Wayfinder’s effect, players might find themselves contemplating whether they’re truly getting the best value, especially when other cards offer similar or better benefits for the same or lower mana investment.
Reasons to Include Merfolk Wayfinder in Your Collection
Versatility: Merfolk Wayfinder offers flexibility in deck building, suitable for decks that capitalize on card selection and library manipulation. Its ability to look at the top cards of your deck can smoothly align with strategies that prioritize draw quality over quantity.
Combo Potential: As a creature that interacts with the top of the library, it pairs well with cards that care about the type of cards drawn or enable top-deck play. This makes it a tactical piece in combos that can manipulate deck order for an advantageous setup.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where efficient card selection is key to outmaneuver opponents, Merfolk Wayfinder’s low cost and immediate impact make it a contender. It has utility in games where finding the right answers or combo pieces quickly is critical for maintaining tempo.
How to beat
Confronting a Merfolk Wayfinder on the battlefield can be challenging for players in Magic: The Gathering. This card embodies the strategic depth of blue, known for its cunning manipulation and information gathering. The Wayfinder’s ability to peer into the top few cards of a deck and tactically rearrange them offers an undeniable advantage to the controlling player by setting up their future draws.
When aiming to counteract the Merfolk Wayfinder’s influence, consider utilizing instant-speed removal spells that can disrupt your opponent before they benefit from the card selection provided. Additionally, cards with flash allow you to maintain mana open to respond effectively. Graveyard manipulation can also be a strong strategy, as it disrupts the order established by the Wayfinder and undermines its setup. Tools like Tormod’s Crypt give you the ability to exile cards before their plans come to fruition.
Ultimately, playing around a Merfolk Wayfinder comes down to anticipation and disruption. By utilizing a reactionary strategy and maintaining a flexible approach to your plays, you’ll marginalize the Wayfinder’s impact and keep the upper hand in your matches.
Cards like Merfolk Wayfinder
Merfolk Wayfinder offers a unique take on deck manipulation in Magic: The Gathering, setting a specific precedent for cards within its niche. Its utility bears resemblance to that of cards like Sea Gate Oracle, which also allows for deck perusal upon entering the battlefield. Where Merfolk Wayfinder has an edge is in its synergy with Merfolk decks, where it can not only look at the top three cards but specifically seek out lands, smoothing out draws and ensuring land drops. Sea Gate Oracle doesn’t cater to a specific tribe, nor does it filter lands from the library.
Comparing it further, Sylvan Ranger offers a similar function, providing a guarantee of a basic land card to your hand. However, Merfolk Wayfinder, while not a guarantee, digs deeper and offers a higher potential to find utility or multi-type lands. Lastly, we have Civic Wayfinder which shares the same creature type but puts the land directly onto the battlefield, giving an immediate mana advantage. Despite this, Merfolk Wayfinder’s contribution to the Merfolk strategies’ consistency and its tribal advantages present it as a valuable addition.
Understanding these parallels casts Merfolk Wayfinder as a solid card for ensuring land consistency within MTG, illustrating its crucial role in thematic Merfolk strategies and how it measures up to related cards.
Cards similar to Merfolk Wayfinder by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Merfolk Wayfinder MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar and Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska, 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 Merfolk Wayfinder and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Printings
The Merfolk Wayfinder Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2009-10-02 and 2017-10-24. Illustrated by Christopher Moeller.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009-10-02 | Zendikar | ZEN | 56 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Christopher Moeller | |
| 2 | 2014-03-14 | Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska | DDM | 9 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Christopher Moeller | |
| 3 | 2017-10-24 | Duel Decks: Merfolk vs. Goblins | DDT | 12 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Christopher Moeller |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Merfolk Wayfinder has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Merfolk Wayfinder card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2009-10-01 | If there are three or fewer cards in your library, you’ll reveal all of them. |
