Scryb Ranger MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 4 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Faerie Ranger
Abilities Flying,Protection, Flash
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Scryb Ranger offers card advantage through land bounce and creature untapping, boosting both defense and mana access.
  2. Resource acceleration is a standout feature, doubling usage of creatures’ abilities or mana within a turn.
  3. Instant speed play adds surprise and flexibility, making Scryb Ranger a strategic asset in gameplay.
Flash card art

Guide to Flash card ability

Explore the dynamic Flash ability in Magic: The Gathering (MTG), a feature that allows you to cast spells at lightning speed, often leaving your opponents reeling and your strategy several steps ahead. This versatile ability can turn the tide of a game, providing the element of surprise and tactical advantage. It places a premium on timing and foresight, transforming an ordinary deck into a formidable arsenal of instant threats and responses.

Text of card

Flash (You may play this spell any time you could play an instant.) Flying, protection from blue Return a Forest you control to its owner's hand: Untap target creature. Play this ability only once each turn.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Despite not drawing cards directly, Scryb Ranger can return a Forest to your hand, effectively protecting that land from potential removal or using it to replay for an additional landfall trigger. This bounce ability, combined with the Ranger’s flash capability, can create unexpected card advantage as it untaps creatures for more significant block or attack options, or additional mana usage.

Resource Acceleration: Scryb Ranger’s ability to untap a creature, particularly mana dorks or creatures with tap abilities, can lead to profound resource acceleration. This essentially can double the use of your creatures’ abilities or mana production within a turn cycle, efficiently increasing your resources and advancing your board state.

Instant Speed: Scryb Ranger can be played at instant speed, offering you the flexibility to surprise an opponent by either untapping a blocker during their combat phase or unbeknownst to them, increasing your mana availability during their end step. This strategic element makes it a versatile tool, keeping opponents guessing about your available resources and potential plays.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Scryb Ranger does not have a discard requirement, offering a pure advantage in this aspect.

Specific Mana Cost: Scryb Ranger requires both green mana and one other mana, which restricts it primarily to green-containing decks and impacts its flexibility in multi-colored strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although its abilities are useful, Scryb Ranger comes at a mana value that could be seen as high compared to its 1/1 stats. This can make it a less appealing option when deck building in competitive formats where efficiency is key.


Reasons to Include Scryb Ranger in Your Collection

Versatility: Scryb Ranger offers great flexibility in gameplay by allowing you to untap a creature and return a Forest to your hand. This can protect valuable lands from removal or simply enable more complex plays during your turn.

Combo Potential: This card can be a key piece in intricate combos, especially with cards that have tap abilities or those that benefit from landfall triggers. Its ability to repeatedly untap creatures sets the stage for numerous strategic plays.

Meta-Relevance: Given its capacity to interact with other creatures and lands, Scryb Ranger can adapt to various meta environments. Its ability to foil opponent’s plans by providing surprise blockers or extra mana during crucial moments keeps it relevant in many game situations.


How to beat

Scryb Ranger, a versatile green creature in Magic: The Gathering, can present quite the challenge on the battlefield. Its Flying and Flash abilities allow it to swoop in unexpectedly, often disrupting opponent strategies. In addition, Scryb Ranger’s return a forest you control to its owner’s hand ability grants additional land plays, which can lead to significant mana advantage over the course of a game.

However, Scryb Ranger has its vulnerabilities. Primarily, its one toughness makes it susceptible to cards that can deal even a small amount of damage, or state-based actions like those that target flying creatures. Since its strengths lie in its tactical abilities rather than combat prowess, keeping instant-speed removal in your deck can help you respond to Scryb Ranger’s appearance on the battlefield. Cards like Shock or Fatal Push are excellent choices for dealing with the pesky faerie. Alternatively, utilizing effects that deny your opponents the ability to play spells on your turn will also limit Scryb Ranger’s effectiveness, as it relies on the element of surprise. Lastly, leveraging spells that restrict the untapping of creatures will negate one of Scryb Ranger’s key utilities, making it a far less intimidating presence during the game.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’ve been intrigued by the capabilities of Scryb Ranger, understanding its strengths and how to effectively counter it is essential for any MTG player. This card’s versatility and potential for combo plays make it a valuable addition to decks looking to maximize their resources and tactical plays. However, its susceptibility to removal should be taken into account. Whether you aim to harness the power of Scryb Ranger or are developing strategies to mitigate its impact on your matches, exploring more about this card and similar strategies can significantly enhance your play. We encourage you to continue learning and refining your deck with insights like these. Dive deeper into MTG strategy with us and optimize your deck for your next victorious match.


Cards like Scryb Ranger

Scryb Ranger brings a unique twist to creature abilities within Magic: The Gathering. Its parallels can be seen in cards like Quirion Ranger, providing the valuable utility of untapping creatures and returning forests to the owner’s hand. Yet, Scryb Ranger comes with the added flexibility of flash, allowing you to surprise opponents and dodge sorcery-speed removal. Furthermore, its flying trait gives it an evasion capability not present in Quirion Ranger.

Another card that shares some similarities is Wirewood Symbiote. This creature also returns elves and untaps creatures, but lacks the evasion and instant playability that Scryb Ranger offers. In contrast, Scryb Ranger’s versatility in combat and during the opponent’s turns elevates its strategic value in games. However, while Scryb Ranger has multiple abilities, Wirewood Symbiote demands elf synergy to maximize its potential.

Comparatively, the value of Scryb Ranger within its niche is pronounced. It serves as a multifunctional piece in decks that seek to capitalize on untapped creatures and land recursion, making it a card that stands out among its counterparts in MTG for its added combat interactivity and surprise element.

Quirion Ranger - MTG Card versions
Wirewood Symbiote - MTG Card versions
Quirion Ranger - MTG Card versions
Wirewood Symbiote - MTG Card versions

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Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Scryb Ranger MTG card by a specific set like Time Spiral and Mystery Booster Retail Edition Foils, 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 Scryb Ranger and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Scryb Ranger Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 2006-10-06 and 2021-03-19. Illustrated by Rebecca Guay.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12006-10-06Time SpiralTSP 2152003NormalBlackRebecca Guay
22020-03-08Mystery Booster Retail Edition FoilsFMB1 792003NormalBlackRebecca Guay
32020-09-26The ListPLST TSP-2152003NormalBlackRebecca Guay
42021-03-19Time Spiral RemasteredTSR 2272015NormalBlackRebecca Guay

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Scryb Ranger has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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