Salt Road Quartermasters MTG Card


Salt Road Quartermasters - Dragons of Tarkir
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Soldier
Released2015-03-27
Set symbol
Set nameDragons of Tarkir
Set codeDTK
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number199
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byAnthony Palumbo

Key Takeaways

  1. Salt Road Quartermasters provides card advantage out of the gate with its onboard +1/+1 counters.
  2. Moving counters adds a layer of resource acceleration, beefing up your creature lineup quickly.
  3. Synergy with instant speed interactions offers surprise tactical advantages during combat.

Text of card

Salt Road Quartermasters enters the battlefield with two +1/+1 counters on it. , Remove a +1/+1 counter from Salt Road Quartermasters: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Salt Road Quartermasters arrives with two +1/+1 counters, potentially offering card advantage by providing an immediate board presence that requires attention from your opponent.

Resource Acceleration: The ability to move +1/+1 counters from Salt Road Quartermasters onto other creatures can be a form of resource acceleration, allowing you to beef up your team and make the most out of the counters.

Instant Speed: While Salt Road Quartermasters itself isn’t an instant, its counters can synergize with other instant speed interactions on your battlefield, enhancing combat tricks or synergistic plays during unexpected moments of the game.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Salt Road Quartermasters necessitates certain actions to be taken in order to fully utilize its abilities. Players may find themselves in positions where such requirements become a setback, hindering optimal play.

Specific Mana Cost: Costing three mana with a specific color identity, Salt Road Quartermasters can only be optimally embedded within decks that can reliably generate the requisite mana, potentially limiting its versatility in a diverse meta.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With various creatures in the MTG universe accessible at a lower mana rate, the mana investment for Salt Road Quartermasters may not always equate to an immediate impactful presence on the battlefield, leaving players to ponder its value against alternatives.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Salt Road Quartermasters can adapt to various playstyles, slotting into decks that appreciate creatures with built-in resource management. Its ability to distribute +1/+1 counters makes it a multifaceted asset on the battlefield.

Combo Potential: The card’s synergy with proliferate mechanics or counter manipulation strategies can turn it into a powerhouse. Players can exploit its ability to create substantial threats or to fuel strategies centered around +1/+1 counters.

Meta-Relevance: Given that creature-centric decks continue to have a presence in a range of formats, Salt Road Quartermasters holds potential in metas where evolving board states and incremental advantage are key to victory.


How to beat Salt Road Quartermasters

Salt Road Quartermasters come equipped with a trade-off mechanic that has a presence in the green deck environment. Nimble and able to accumulate +1/+1 counters, these Quartermasters can distribute them to other creatures, adding versatility to battlefield tactics. To effectively counteract this card, keeping removal spells handy is key. Cards that can target creatures before they build up their strength, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, are excellent options.

Additionally, strategies that limit the Quartermasters’ ability to accumulate or redistribute counters can hinder their impact. Cards like Pithing Needle, which prevent the usage of activated abilities, or instant-speed interactions that disrupt their counter distribution are invaluable in these scenarios. Moreover, maintaining board control through consistent creature presence makes it difficult for your opponent to capitalize on the Quartermasters’ strengths. These strategies can provide substantial advantage, ensuring that the Salt Road Quartermasters do not overrun the game with their growth potential.

Therefore, while Salt Road Quartermasters can be a formidable card in the right deck, they can be effectively managed with well-timed removal and control elements, ensuring they remain just one part of the myriad challenges a player must navigate in the ever-strategic MTG landscape.


Cards like Salt Road Quartermasters

Salt Road Quartermasters finds its place among Magic: The Gathering’s creatures that arrive on the battlefield with counters. It stands shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Ainok Bond-Kin, which shares the counter theme, though Salt Road Quartermasters is unique in how it distributes its counters. Unlike Ainok Bond-Kin which utilizes counters to activate outlast and bolster other creatures, the Quartermasters manage their resources, providing a more flexible approach to utilizing +1/+1 counters.

Another creature to consider is the renowned Longshot Squad. Like the Quartermasters, it also interacts with counters, granting creatures with +1/+1 counters reach. However, Salt Road Quartermasters offers individual strength by moving counters to where they’re needed the most, potentially creating a more formidable force. Or there’s the Abzan Falconer that gives flying to creatures with +1/+1 counters, a tactic that differs from the adaptability offered by the Quartermasters.

Considering the spectrum of similar MTG cards, Salt Road Quartermasters holds its own with the advantage of transferring counters, thus tailoring battle strategies dynamically. Such versatility in handling +1/+1 counters makes it a card that can turn the tides of combat situations favorably for players.

Ainok Bond-Kin - MTG Card versions
Longshot Squad - MTG Card versions
Abzan Falconer - MTG Card versions
Ainok Bond-Kin - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Longshot Squad - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)
Abzan Falconer - Khans of Tarkir (KTK)

Cards similar to Salt Road Quartermasters by color, type and mana cost

Cat Warriors - MTG Card versions
Rysorian Badger - MTG Card versions
Sabertooth Cobra - MTG Card versions
Quirion Druid - MTG Card versions
Spike Feeder - MTG Card versions
Hungry Hungry Heifer - MTG Card versions
Titania's Chosen - MTG Card versions
Taoist Mystic - MTG Card versions
Femeref Archers - MTG Card versions
Lydari Druid - MTG Card versions
Steel Leaf Champion - MTG Card versions
Realmwalker - MTG Card versions
Topiary Stomper - MTG Card versions
Territorial Scythecat - MTG Card versions
Wirewood Savage - MTG Card versions
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Timberwatch Elf - MTG Card versions
Leatherback Baloth - MTG Card versions
Pincher Beetles - MTG Card versions
Yavimaya Elder - MTG Card versions
Cat Warriors - Legends (LEG)
Rysorian Badger - Homelands (HML)
Sabertooth Cobra - Mirage (MIR)
Quirion Druid - Visions (VIS)
Spike Feeder - Stronghold (STH)
Hungry Hungry Heifer - Unglued (UGL)
Titania's Chosen - Urza's Saga (USG)
Taoist Mystic - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Femeref Archers - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Lydari Druid - Sega Dreamcast Cards (PSDG)
Steel Leaf Champion - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Realmwalker - The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander (LCC)
Topiary Stomper - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Territorial Scythecat - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Wirewood Savage - Onslaught (ONS)
Reki, the History of Kamigawa - Saviors of Kamigawa (SOK)
Timberwatch Elf - Salvat 2005 (PSAL)
Leatherback Baloth - DCI Promos (PDCI)
Pincher Beetles - Tenth Edition (10E)
Yavimaya Elder - Mystery Booster (MB1)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Salt Road Quartermasters MTG card by a specific set like Dragons of Tarkir, 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 Salt Road Quartermasters and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Salt Road Quartermasters has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PioneerLegal
PennyLegal

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