Crossbow Infantry MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Soldier Archer
Power 1
Toughness 1

Key Takeaways

  1. Potential multiple creature removal via its ability can indirectly provide card advantage.
  2. Low casting cost allows for efficient resource utilization, complementing other deck strategies.
  3. The instant-speed activation offers flexibility, disrupting opponents’ plays effectively.

Text of card

oc T: Crossbow Infantry deals 1 damage to target attacking or blocking creature.

The crossbow is the ideal weapon for the lazy Mercadians: just point and shoot.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Crossbow Infantry doesn’t directly offer card draw, but its ability to potentially remove multiple creatures over the course of a game can indirectly lead to card advantage by preserving your own board presence.

Resource Acceleration: While Crossbow Infantry lacks direct mana acceleration, its low casting cost allows for an efficient use of resources, enabling a player to deploy other strategies without significant mana investment.

Instant Speed: The activated ability of Crossbow Infantry can be used at instant speed, giving you flexibility to respond to threats during the combat phase or at the end of your opponent’s turn, potentially disrupting their plans.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Crossbow Infantry necessitates a tap plus another untapped creature to activate its ability. This mandatory requirement can hinder your board presence, particularly when every creature counts during crucial game phases.

Specific Mana Cost: With its white mana cost, Crossbow Infantry is restricted to decks that can produce white mana, potentially limiting its inclusion to mono-white or color-specific strategies rather than a broader range of deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Given its mana cost for a relatively minor ability, Crossbow Infantry may not be the optimal choice when other cards could provide more impactful board control or offensive capabilities for the same or lower mana investment.


Reasons to Include Crossbow Infantry in Your Collection

Versatility: Crossbow Infantry offers flexibility in gameplay, capable of fitting into various white decks focused on control or defense. Its ability to deal direct damage makes it a complement to decks needing to pick off key threat creatures.

Combo Potential: The tap ability of Crossbow Infantry pairs well with cards that untap creatures, multiplying its effectiveness on the battlefield. It synergizes with effects that trigger upon dealing damage or targeting creatures.

Meta-Relevance: Depending on the flow of local games, Crossbow Infantry can emerge as a key player in environments heavy with utility creatures. In a meta where small, impactful creatures are prevalent, Crossbow Infantry can be a worthwhile inclusion.


How to beat Crossbow Infantry

In the scope of Magic: The Gathering, the Crossbow Infantry has long been a classic card from the Tempest set, known for its ability to deal one damage to attacking or blocking creatures. While seemingly minimal, this damage can deter or eliminate weak attackers or blockers paired with incremental damage strategies.

However, overcoming Crossbow Infantry’s ability is straightforward. Cards that bolster your creatures’ toughness can easily negate the damage inflicted by Crossbow Infantry, such as Giant Growth or other toughness-enhancing spells. Additionally, utilizing creatures with abilities like hexproof or shroud will render your opponent’s Crossbow Infantry’s ability useless since it cannot target them. Another strategy is to simply remove the Infantry from play through direct removal spells such as Doom Blade or Path to Exile, thereby eliminating the threat entirely.

Victory against a Crossbow Infantry card depends on managing board state and selecting the right counters. Whether by bolstering your creatures’ defences, using untouchable creatures, or opting for direct removal, there are numerous paths to mitigate the impact of Crossbow Infantry on your path to triumph in the game of Magic: The Gathering.


Cards like Crossbow Infantry

Crossbow Infantry holds a presence amid the vast array of utility creatures in MTG. When examining its potential on the battlefield, one can find several analogs. Like Crossbow Infantry, Samite Healer grants the utility to prevent damage, albeit to creatures rather than dealing it to fliers. Both can be pivotal in stalling enemy advances, but they cater to different strategic needs within a deck’s design.

Moving onto Elvish Archers, we see a definitive offensive counterpart. This card also deals with flying creatures but through actual combat, providing a more proactive form of defense and potential board control. The nuances in their mana costs and abilities suggest specific roles within certain deck archetypes, influencing their inclusion during deck building.

Perhaps the closest relative to Crossbow Infantry is the card Femeref Archers. Similarly costed, it too concerns itself with dispatching flying threats. Yet, Femeref Archers has the added capability of dealing a significant amount of damage, thus positioning it as a more impactful, albeit situational, choice for players who anticipate numerous airborne assaults in their games.

While Crossbow Infantry may not headline the most powerful MTG cards, it finds its niche in the strategic ecosystem, offering a tailored response against decks with flying creatures.

Samite Healer - MTG Card versions
Elvish Archers - MTG Card versions
Femeref Archers - MTG Card versions
Samite Healer - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Elvish Archers - Limited Edition Alpha (LEA)
Femeref Archers - Mirage (MIR)

Cards similar to Crossbow Infantry by color, type and mana cost

White Knight - MTG Card versions
Soul Shepherd - MTG Card versions
Soltari Monk - MTG Card versions
Talon Sliver - MTG Card versions
Keeper of the Light - MTG Card versions
Faith Healer - MTG Card versions
Angelic Page - MTG Card versions
Avenger en-Dal - MTG Card versions
Royal Falcon - MTG Card versions
Spirit Weaver - MTG Card versions
Voice of the Blessed - MTG Card versions
Stoneforge Mystic - MTG Card versions
Drannith Magistrate - MTG Card versions
Leonin Lightscribe - MTG Card versions
Silver Knight - MTG Card versions
Longbow Archer - MTG Card versions
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - MTG Card versions
Flumph - MTG Card versions
Soltari Priest - MTG Card versions
Luminarch Aspirant - MTG Card versions
White Knight - Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (DDG)
Soul Shepherd - Weatherlight (WTH)
Soltari Monk - Tempest (TMP)
Talon Sliver - Tempest (TMP)
Keeper of the Light - Exodus (EXO)
Faith Healer - Urza's Saga (USG)
Angelic Page - Battle Royale Box Set (BRB)
Avenger en-Dal - Nemesis (NEM)
Royal Falcon - Starter 2000 (S00)
Spirit Weaver - Invasion (INV)
Voice of the Blessed - Innistrad: Crimson Vow (VOW)
Stoneforge Mystic - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Drannith Magistrate - Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)
Leonin Lightscribe - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silver Knight - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Longbow Archer - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Silverflame Squire // On Alert - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Flumph - Magic Online Promos (PRM)
Soltari Priest - Tempest Remastered (TPR)
Luminarch Aspirant - Magic Online Promos (PRM)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Crossbow Infantry MTG card by a specific set like Mercadian Masques and Seventh Edition, 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 Crossbow Infantry and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Crossbow Infantry Magic the Gathering card was released in 4 different sets between 1999-10-04 and 2005-07-29. Illustrated by 3 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11999-10-04Mercadian MasquesMMQ 161997normalblackGreg Hildebrandt & Tim Hildebrandt
22001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 12★1997normalblackJames Bernardin
32001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 121997normalwhiteJames Bernardin
42003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 152003normalwhiteJames Bernardin
52003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 15★2003normalblackJames Bernardin
62005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 122003normalwhiteJames Bernardin
72005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 12★2003normalblackJames Bernardin

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Crossbow Infantry has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal

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