Forerunner of the Heralds MTG Card


Forerunner of the Heralds - Rivals of Ixalan
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Merfolk Scout
Released2018-01-19
Set symbol
Set nameRivals of Ixalan
Set codeRIX
Power 3
Toughness 2
Number129
Frame2015
Layoutnormal
Borderblack
Illustred byChris Seaman

Key Takeaways

  1. Functions as a tutor and empowers Merfolk with +1/+1 counters, enhancing board presence significantly.
  2. Offers strategic flash synergy, potentially altering the pace of play and surprise interactions.
  3. Demands dedicated deck design for optimal use, making it somewhat inflexible in certain builds.

Text of card

When Forerunner of the Heralds enters the battlefield, you may search your library for a Merfolk card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it. Whenever another Merfolk enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on Forerunner of the Heralds.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Forerunner of the Heralds has a built-in mechanic to search your library for a Merfolk card, ensuring you always have a creature ready to play. Each time another Merfolk enters the battlefield under your control, it gets a +1/+1 counter, effectively increasing your field presence without losing hand resources.

Resource Acceleration: Although it doesn’t directly create mana, Forerunner of the Heralds can accelerate your resources by consistently improving your board state, thus freeing up mana typically used for playing other creature spells from your hand.

Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Forerunner of the Heralds can put a Merfolk card with flash onto the top of your library, allowing you to capitalize on instant-speed interactions on your opponent’s turn, should you have such a card ready to reveal.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Forerunner of the Heralds may necessitate the parting of another card to maximize its play value. When hands are running low, this requirement can tilt the balance unfavorably, especially in late-game scenarios where each card holds critical value.

Specific Mana Cost: With a tint of green mana in its casting cost, Forerunner of the Heralds demands a dedicated slot in decks that can consistently produce green mana. This limitation narrows deck-building options and may exclude it from more versatile or color-fluid strategies.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Sitting at four mana, Forerunner of the Heralds competes with other impactful cards in the same mana range. In a pace-driven game where every turn counts, the card’s mana demands could lead to hesitancy over allocating resources for its summoning over potentially more immediate-impact plays.


Reasons to Include Forerunner of the Heralds in Your Collection

Versatility: Forerunner of the Heralds is a flexible creature card that can seamlessly blend into various green deck builds. With its ability to search your library for a key creature card, it can adapt to multiple strategies and situations, enhancing both aggressive and midrange decks.

Combo Potential: The card offers unique synergy opportunities, especially in decks that focus on the Merfolk tribe or those that look to exploit +1/+1 counters. Its ability to scout for a combo piece and boost itself with each creature you play makes it a strategic asset.

Meta-Relevance: In a meta that favors creature-heavy decks, Forerunner of the Heralds becomes invaluable. It allows for consistent deck performance by ensuring you draw into your creatures more reliably, maintaining pressure on your opponents round after round.


How to beat Forerunner of the Heralds

Forerunner of the Heralds is an intriguing card that can pose a challenge on the board due to its ability to grow stronger with each Merfolk or creature entering the battlefield. To counter this growth, consider using removal spells effectively. Targeted removal like Fatal Push or Path to Exile can dispatch Forerunner before it escalates in power. Board wipes such as Wrath of God are also an excellent way to reset the game, wiping the slate clean of all creatures, including any amassed by Forerunner’s ability.

Another stratagem is to limit the Forerunner’s impact by controlling your opponent’s creature count. Utilize cards that restrict creature plays or employ counterspells to prevent your opponent from casting merfolk spells in the first place. This can stifle the synergistic nature of a Merfolk deck. Lastly, remember that Forerunner’s tutor ability is a form of card advantage. Disruption tactics like Thoughtseize or Distress can remove key pieces from your opponent’s hand before they have the chance to establish a board presence with Forerunner’s help.

Overall, staying ahead of the Forerunner’s search and grow mechanics by managing the board and disrupting your opponent’s hand will provide a solid strategy to beat this card in your matches.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the strengths and nuances of Forerunner of the Heralds can make a significant difference in your next match. Whether you’re utilizing its tutoring ability to enhance your Merfolk strategy or employing its synergy with +1/+1 counters, this card can be a game-changer. Ready to harness the potential of Forerunner of the Heralds in your deck? We encourage you to dive deeper into its benefits and strategies to optimize your gameplay. With a well-constructed deck and a good grasp of MTG strategies, Forerunner of the Heralds could be the linchpin to your victory. Let’s explore its full potential together and bring your A-game to the table.


Cards like Forerunner of the Heralds

In Magic: The Gathering, Forerunner of the Heralds distinguishes itself as a unique creature with an ability to scout the top of your library for a Merfolk card and put it on top. This is a specialized version of the tutor mechanic, where cards like Elvish Harbinger perform a similar role for Elves, also including a mana-generating ability. However, what sets Forerunner of the Heralds apart is its interaction with other Merfolk you control, getting +1/+1 counters whenever another Merfolk enters the battlefield under your control.

Similarly, Goblin Matron is a solid comparison for Goblin tribal decks, retrieving a Goblin card from your library just as Forerunner does for Merfolk. It lacks the ongoing board presence enhancement, focusing solely on tutoring. When evaluating tribal support cards, Woodland Bellower also comes to mind; it fetches a nonlegendary green creature with a mana cost of three or less, serving as a broader creature tutor but without the tribal synergy and buff abilities of Forerunner of the Heralds.

While each tutor card offers specific advantages for its particular tribe or deck archetype, Forerunner of the Heralds provides targeted utility and board state growth for Merfolk enthusiasts, ensuring its value in a creature-based strategy within the vast landscape of Magic: The Gathering.

Elvish Harbinger - MTG Card versions
Goblin Matron - MTG Card versions
Woodland Bellower - MTG Card versions
Elvish Harbinger - Lorwyn (LRW)
Goblin Matron - Portal Second Age (P02)
Woodland Bellower - Magic Origins (ORI)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Forerunner of the Heralds MTG card by a specific set like Rivals of Ixalan, 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 Forerunner of the Heralds and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Forerunner of the Heralds has restrictions

FormatLegality
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
PennyLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Forerunner of the Heralds card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.

DateText
2018-01-19 If an effect refers to a “
-ubtype] spell” or “
-ubtype] card,” it refers only to a spell or card that has that subtype. For example, March of the Drowned is a card that benefits Pirates and features Pirates in its illustration, but it isn’t a Pirate card.

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