Benalish Heralds MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Human Soldier
Released	2000-10-02
Set symbol
Set name	Invasion
Set code	INV
Power	2
Toughness	4
Number	6
Frame	1997
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Don Hazeltine

Key Takeaways

Benalish Heralds offers card advantage, significant in curating hands and strategizing plays for MTG enthusiasts.
The card’s instant speed allows reactive play, giving an edge by adapting to opponents’ moves on the fly.
Balancing its high mana cost and specialized requirements is key to leveraging Benalish Heralds’ full potential.

Text of card

o3o U, oc T: Draw a card.

The detailed dispatch could be summarized in four words: "Time is running out."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Benalish Heralds enable players to dig deeper into their deck by allowing them to look at the top two cards and put one of them into their hand, effectively curating their upcoming plays and ensuring a steady stream of options.

Resource Acceleration: By providing the ability to return a land card from the battlefield to its owner’s hand, the card facilitates a form of resource acceleration, offering tactical retreats or reuse of lands with beneficial entering-the-battlefield effects.

Instant Speed: The flexibility of the Benalish Heralds shines at instant speed, allowing strategic players to react to an opponent’s moves, make last-minute decisions, or simply bluff having interactive spells up their sleeves while advancing their own board state.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Benalish Heralds requires a card to be discarded upon activation, which can be a setback when you’re already at a card disadvantage. Ensuring that you have ample cards to sustain its ability is essential but not always feasible, especially during tight gameplay scenarios.

Specific Mana Cost: Deploying Benalish Heralds to the battlefield necessitates a dedicated white mana source. This specialized mana requirement can pose a challenge in multicolored decks or those that struggle with mana consistency, making it a potential liability in diverse deck builds.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Benalish Heralds lands on the higher end of the mana spectrum. When considering its cost-to-benefit ratio, there are other options within the MTG card pool which may offer more immediate board impact or versatility for the same, or lower, mana investment.

Reasons to Include Benalish Heralds in Your Collection

Versatility: Benalish Heralds can seamlessly blend into various deck types, particularly those that capitalize on card synergy and information gathering. Its function as both an attacker and card advantage source makes it a flexible addition to any lineup.

Combo Potential: With the ability to access more of your deck, Benalish Heralds affords players the chance to discover key pieces for potential game-winning combos. Its interaction with other cards can facilitate some powerful plays.

Meta-Relevance: Given that Benalish Heralds offers strategic depth in a fluctuating meta, it can be a strong contender against various popular strategies. Its capability to draw and maintain hand advantage keeps it relevant and useful in numerous competitive scenarios.

How to Beat Benalish Heralds

Benalish Heralds stands out in Magic: The Gathering as a notable card for its card-drawing ability. Its presence on the battlefield can tip the game towards your opponent by providing them with a consistent flow of card advantage. The key to outmaneuvering the Heralds lies in disrupting this card-drawing engine quickly and efficiently.

One effective strategy is to eliminate the Heralds before they become a recurring source of benefit for your opponent. Removal spells that can directly target creatures can sweep the Heralds off the board, halting the card advantage they provide. If direct removal isn’t in your hand, you can employ counterspells to prevent them from hitting the battlefield in the first place. By maintaining board control and keeping your opponent’s side clear, you cut off their access to extra cards and maintain the equilibrium of the game.

Implementing a faster game plan can also overshadow the benefits Benalish Heralds bring. Deploy an aggressive deck that pressures your opponent early on, forcing them to defend rather than build up their hand. Remember, MTG is a game where every card and move can change the outcome, and controlling the pace means controlling the game. By understanding Benalish Heralds’ advantages and preparing your deck with precise responses, you can turn the tides to favor your strategy.

Cards like Benalish Heralds

Benalish Heralds brings a unique presence to the roster of creature cards in MTG by offering card advantage to players in longer games. When drawing parallels, one might consider Sift, another card that helps cycle through the deck. While Sift is an outright card draw spell, Benalish Heralds provides a body on the board in addition to the card draw, making it more versatile in creature-focused decks.

Another card to examine is Mad Prophet. It holds a similarity with the looting ability, allowing you to discard and then draw a card. The Prophet does so at haste but trades the shift in card advantage for real-time deck cycling. Benalish Heralds, in contrast, waits for the right moment, often the endgame where its ability can become a decisive factor.

Assessing the balance between immediate and long-term benefits, Benalish Heralds stands out for players who prefer steadily advancing their position while maintaining board presence. This careful pacing can be pivotal in complex match-ups where every draw counts, highlighting the strategic depth that creature cards like Benalish Heralds bring to the MTG experience.

Cards similar to Benalish Heralds by color, type and mana cost

Kangee, Aerie Keeper - MTG Card versions

Grand Arbiter Augustin IV - MTG Card versions

Swans of Bryn Argoll - MTG Card versions

Ishai, Ojutai Dragonspeaker - MTG Card versions

Taigam, Ojutai Master - MTG Card versions

Raff Capashen, Ship's Mage - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Benalish Heralds MTG card by a specific set like Invasion, 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 Benalish Heralds and other MTG cards: