Farbog Explorer MTG Card

Mana cost
Converted mana cost	3
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Human Scout
Abilities	Swampwalk
Released	2012-05-04
Set symbol
Set name	Avacyn Restored
Set code	AVR
Power	2
Toughness	3
Number	21
Frame	2003
Layout	Normal
Border	Black
Illustred by	Scott Chou

Key Takeaways

Farbog Explorer can improve card advantage and streamline mana utilization in your MTG deck.
Balance its specific mana and discard demands while considering its cost-effectiveness.
Its unblockable trait and versatility can boost your deck’s performance, particularly against black opponents.

Text of card

Swampwalk (This creature is unblockable as long as defending player controls a Swamp.)

"I'd slog through a thousand swamps to help one soul find rest."

Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Farbog Explorer card has the potential to bolster your hand by digging through your deck for essential swamp cards, ensuring you don’t lose pace in the late game.

Resource Acceleration: With its ability to search for a swamp card from your deck, Farbog Explorer helps smooth out your mana curve, enabling you to play your key spells earlier than usual.

Instant Speed: Although Farbog Explorer operates at sorcery speed, its impact on the field can set the stage for you to utilize your instant-speed spells more effectively with adequate mana resources.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Farbog Explorer demands a card to be discarded to activate certain abilities. This can be a tough setback, especially when your hand is nearly empty or if each card is vital to your game plan.

Specific Mana Cost: This card’s cost includes a specific need for white mana, which might restrict its play to decks that strongly feature or can accommodate white mana sources within their strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the utility and stats provided, Farbog Explorer may seem costly. As players often seek out the most cost-effective cards for their decks, the mana investment into Farbog Explorer could be potentially used on cards that offer a higher impact or synergy with the rest of the deck.

Reasons to Include Farbog Explorer in Your Collection

Versatility: Farbog Explorer is adaptable to a variety of deck builds, particularly those that could use an extra edge in mana stability and creature presence. Its ability to navigate both aggro and control environments makes it a solid addition to your collection.

Combo Potential: As a creature with Swampwalk, Farbog Explorer can be an integral part of combos that capitalize on unblockable damage. When combined with cards that turn all lands into Swamps, for example, it can become a relentless source of pressure on your opponent.

Meta-Relevance: With a format that favors strategies reliant on land types or evasive creatures, Farbog Explorer could find a home in decks that aim to outmaneuver opposition through clever board setup and land manipulation.

How to beat

Farbog Explorer is a creature card that can be a subtle yet tough challenge to handle in Magic: The Gathering. It boasts inherent resilience against black creatures due to its protection from black, making it a formidable adversary in specific matchups. When faced with this card, the key is to think outside the color pie—consider using removal spells, direct damage, or combat tricks that aren’t black.

Adept MTG players often rely on flexible removal spells like Oblivion Ring or Cast Out, which can deal with any nonland permanent regardless of its color. Countermagic is another strong option; spells like Negate or Essence Scatter can effectively neutralize Farbog Explorer before it hits the battlefield. For red players, direct damage spells such as Lightning Bolt provide a straightforward solution to eliminate creatures, sidestepping the protection from black entirely.

In conclusion, while Farbog Explorer can be an obstacle if your strategy leans heavily on black creatures or removal, there are numerous strategies across MTG’s vast card pool that offer effective counterplay. Understanding the protection mechanic and having a well-rounded deck with diverse answers is essential in overcoming creatures like Farbog Explorer.

Discovering Farbog Explorer’s Equivalents

Facing the swamps and mires of MTG, Farbog Explorer stands out for those looking for a specialized creature in their White deck builds. It shares kinship with cards like Gallant Cavalry – both creatures present a modest power and toughness boost upon entering the battlefield. However, Farbog Explorer takes an adventurous leap with its ability to be unblockable by black creatures, a boon against decks heavy with darkness.

Similar Cards

On the same expedition for superiority, Veteran Swordsmith sails parallel to Farbog Explorer with its creature-enhancing abilities but diverges in granting power boosts to other soldiers. Then there’s Elite Inquisitor, a card that not only holds its own with defensive prowess but also bears first strike and vigilance. This dual utility can pivot the tide of battle, providing strategic advantages over an unblockable skill against particular colors.

While Farbog Explorer remains distinct with its evasion tactics, creatures like War Falcon also find merit within the ranks of soldier synergy. The Falcon requires other soldiers to achieve its maximum potential of attacking, offering a nuanced choice for deck crafters who value tactical offense over certain evasion.

Assessing Farbog Explorer amid its peers, it becomes clear that its niche unblockable ability can be a tailored tool, especially effective in circumventing the barriers black decks can pose.

Cards similar to Farbog Explorer by color, type and mana cost

Pianna, Nomad Captain - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Farbog Explorer MTG card by a specific set like Avacyn Restored, 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 Farbog Explorer and other MTG cards: