Wasp Lancer MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Uncommon
Type	Creature — Faerie Soldier
Abilities	Flying
Released	2008-05-02
Set symbol
Set name	Shadowmoor
Set code	SHM
Power	3
Toughness	2
Number	179
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Warren Mahy

Key Takeaways

Wasp Lancer excels in card scrying and potential mana acceleration, enhancing deck flow and resource access.
Instant speed capabilities offer surprise combat plays, turning tides with well-timed deployment and blocks.
However, abilities hinge on discarding and specific mana costs, which could hamper hand size and flexibility.

Text of card

Flying

"I doubt that faeries understand how short their lives are, compared to the rest of us. If they did, would they so readily charge into battle, heedless of the danger before them?" —Awylla, elvish safewright

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Wasp Lancer shines in providing a tactical edge by allowing you to scry, positioning you to sift for needed spells or resources thus enhancing your chances for card advantage as the match progresses.

Resource Acceleration: This efficient creature can significantly boost your resource management by granting extra mana through creature synergies or enabling combo plays, leading to a smoother and potentially game-altering pace.

Instant Speed: Equipped with the ability to deploy at instant speed, Wasp Lancer offers flexibility in gameplay. Make decisive actions during an opponent’s turn or surprise them with unexpected blockers, twists that can turn the tide of the duel in your favor.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Wasp Lancer demands a card discard to activate certain abilities, which can deplete your hand and leave you at a strategic disadvantage.

Specific Mana Cost: Wasp Lancer requires a precise combination of mana to cast, potentially restricting its playability to decks that can reliably produce both colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a higher mana investment than other creatures of similar power, Wasp Lancer can impact your mana efficiency, potentially slowing down your gameplay strategy.

Reasons to Include Wasp Lancer in Your Collection

Versatility: Wasp Lancer offers adaptability across various blue-based decks. Its flying ability allows it to be a reliable threat in the air, while its stat distribution makes it viable for both offense and defense.

Combo Potential: When pairing with cards that capitalize on flying creatures or enter-the-battlefield triggers, Wasp Lancer can be a linchpin in executing powerful synergies or intricate combos within your deck.

Meta-Relevance: Given its potential to quickly swing games by controlling the skies, Wasp Lancer can be particularly effective if aerial strategies or blue tempo decks are prominent in the current meta.

How to Beat Wasp Lancer

Wasp Lancer joins the ranks of flying creatures in Magic: The Gathering, bringing with it a set of challenges and strategies for players to consider. This card’s flying ability makes it difficult for non-flying creatures to block, thus making it essential for players to have removal spells or creatures with reach in their decks. Including instant-speed removal like Path to Exile or creature-based answers such as spiders with reach, can help control the board against airborne threats.

For a touch of subtlety, enchantments like Spiderweb Armor can also skew the confrontation in your favor, deterring attacks from such fliers. Besides, don’t underestimate the power of board wipes such as Day of Judgment to reset the field. Spells like Negate are beneficial too, as they can target and counter Wasp Lancer when it’s cast, preventing it from making an impact on the field to begin with.

Ultimately, confronting Wasp Lancer requires a mix of foresight and flexibility, adjusting your game plan to include defensive measures against flying threats. It’s about creating a safety net within your deck, allowing you to play confidently, even when faced with the elevated challenge of aerial adversaries.

Cards like Wasp Lancer

Wasp Lancer emerges as an intriguing choice within the suite of flying creatures in MTG. It shares traits with cards like Welkin Tern and Stormfront Pegasus, both being creatures with the gift of flight that swiftly dominate the skies. Wasp Lancer distinguishes itself with its unique synergy in Fairy decks, granting it an edge in specificity over the aforementioned cards which do not favor a particular tribe.

Browsing through the blue creature landscape, Faerie Conclave is another card that parallels Wasp Lancer’s aerial prowess. This land becomes a flying Fairy, contributing to both mana base and offensive strategies, thus bringing versatility to the battlefield. However, Wasp Lancer stands out with its steadfast presence as a creature rather than a convertible land.

Evaluating these comparisons, Wasp Lancer not only garners attention as a capable winged threat but also as a tribal component that can significantly empower Fairy-centric playstyles in MTG. Its role in decks is thus not singular, but multifaceted, coupling an evasive creature with tribal strategies that can potentially tip the scales of a match.

Cards similar to Wasp Lancer by color, type and mana cost

Phyrexian Infiltrator - MTG Card versions

Shadowmage Infiltrator - MTG Card versions

Siren of the Silent Song - MTG Card versions

Rona, Disciple of Gix - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Wasp Lancer MTG card by a specific set like Shadowmoor, 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 Wasp Lancer and other MTG cards: