Hyrax Tower Scout MTG Card


Hyrax Tower Scout - Theros Beyond Death
Mana cost
Converted mana cost3
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Human Scout
Released2020-01-24
Set symbol
Set nameTheros Beyond Death
Set codeTHB
Power 3
Toughness 3
Number173
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byMicah Epstein

Key Takeaways

  1. Hyrax Tower Scout offers multiple strategic uses, crucial for creature-based game plans.
  2. Especially useful in combos, its untap ability can trigger game-winning interactions.
  3. Vigilance against this card strengthens control and disrupts opponent combos effectively.

Text of card

When Hyrax Tower Scout enters the battlefield, untap target creature.

The scouts of Hyrax Tower keep watch at the edge of Setessan territory, protecting the polis from inhuman monsters and enemy armies.


Card Pros

Card Advantage: Hyrax Tower Scout can untap a creature you control, including itself, when it enters the battlefield. This effect can be essential when you need to reuse a creature’s tap ability for additional effects or to untap a key blocker for unexpected defense, ultimately providing a form of virtual card advantage by optimizing the utility of your creatures.

Resource Acceleration: In decks centered around creatures with potent tap abilities or those that capitalize on convoke and improvise mechanics, this scout contributes to resource acceleration. It enables you to swiftly untap creatures that were used to cast spells, effectively allowing you to maximize your resources for sequential plays within the same turn.

Instant Speed: While Hyrax Tower Scout does not operate at instant speed itself, it synergizes exceptionally well with instant speed interaction. By untapping a creature that has already been used, you have the flexibility to respond to an opponent’s threats or strategies during their turn, maintaining a dynamic and reactive board state.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Although Hyrax Tower Scout itself does not require a discard, it is often paired with cards that facilitate reanimating or recurring creatures from the graveyard, some of which may require discarding as a cost. This can lead to a depletion of valuable hand resources when attempting to optimize the Scout’s enter-the-battlefield ability.

Specific Mana Cost: Hyrax Tower Scout requires one green mana to cast. This cost can restrict the card to green-centric or multicolored decks that can generate green mana, potentially limiting its inclusion in decks that do not focus on green mana production or those that could suffer from color fixing issues.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: With a casting cost of two colorless and one green mana, Hyrax Tower Scout’s mana efficiency is a point of contention. In formats where game tempo is crucial, there are creatures with similar untap abilities or lower mana costs, which might provide more immediate value or better synergy with specific deck strategies.


Reasons to Include Hyrax Tower Scout in Your Collection

Versatility: Hyrax Tower Scout is an adaptable card that can be included in various green decks. Its ability to untap another target creature upon entering the battlefield offers multiple strategic uses, from reactivating tap abilities to enabling surprise blockers.

Combo Potential: This creature card shines in combos, particularly with cards that have powerful tap abilities or with others that take advantage of multiple activations in one turn. Its potential to create infinite loops with certain permanents, like Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, makes it a staple for combo centric players.

Meta-Relevance: In games where establishing board presence and maintaining resource advantage is critical, Hyrax Tower Scout holds its own. It’s especially relevant in metas where creature-based strategies are prominent, offering both an immediate board impact and long-term strategic benefits.


How to beat

Hyrax Tower Scout is a versatile creature card in Magic: The Gathering, known for its ability to untap another target creature. To gain the upper hand against this card, start with understanding its strength in enabling creature-based combos. Removing essential pieces of the combo can disrupt your opponent’s strategy. It’s also important to manage your removal spells efficiently by targeting the scout before it can be utilized for a game-winning play or to extract extra value from other powerful creatures on the board.

Counterspelling Hyrax Tower Scout when it is cast can prevent potential synergy from unfolding. Additionally, cards that restrict creature abilities can be pivotal in stifling the untapping potential of the Hyrax Tower Scout. This would ensure the creature’s ability is rendered moot and its impact on the game is minimized. Consider adding cards to your deck that have abilities or effects that specifically deal with creature abilities, providing you with an enduring answer to the Hyrax Tower Scout and other similar threats.

In essence, being proactive and mindful of your opponent’s creature abilities provides an opportunity to turn the tide against cards like Hyrax Tower Scout. An adept MTG player will always plan ways to mitigate the effects of such utility creatures, maintaining control of the game state and ultimately leading to victory.


BurnMana Recommendations

Understanding the intricacies of cards like Hyrax Tower Scout can pave the way to more nuanced gameplay and diverse deck building for MTG enthusiasts. Whether you’re stirring the pot with combo plays or simply enhancing your creature utility, this card can be a crucial addition to your arsenal. If you’re intrigued by the strategic depth it offers or seeking ways to strengthen your board presence, explore our content further. We provide insights, strategies, and commentary on the ever-evolving MTG landscape to help you refine your playstyle and card choice. Dive in with us to discover how Hyrax Tower Scout and similar cards can transform your next duel into a well-calculated victory.


Cards like Hyrax Tower Scout

Hyrax Tower Scout is an intriguing creature card that offers flexibility and utility in various MTG decks. It has a kinship with another card, Kiora’s Follower, which also serves as a means to untap another permanent. However, Hyrax Tower Scout is exclusively focused on creatures, a slight difference that can be pivotal depending on your deck’s composition and strategy.

Peeking into the realm of untap-synergy cards, we spot Vizier of Tumbling Sands. Like Hyrax Tower Scout, the Vizier offers the untapping ability, but with added versatility since it can target any permanent. Moreover, it has cycling, allowing a player to replace it if a more immediate answer is required.

Another parallel can be drawn with Seeker of Skybreak, a simpler choice when it comes to untapping creatures. Though it does not have the ‘enter-the-battlefield’ advantage of Hyrax Tower Scout, it can be reused multiple times in a turn with the proper setup. Each card carries its value in the intricate eco-system of creature-based strategies that embody the limitless possibilities within MTG.

Kiora's Follower - MTG Card versions
Vizier of Tumbling Sands - MTG Card versions
Seeker of Skybreak - MTG Card versions
Kiora's Follower - MTG Card versions
Vizier of Tumbling Sands - MTG Card versions
Seeker of Skybreak - MTG Card versions

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Hyrax Tower Scout MTG card by a specific set like Theros Beyond Death, 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 Hyrax Tower Scout and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Hyrax Tower Scout has restrictions

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

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2020-01-24 Hyrax Tower Scout’s ability can target an untapped creature, including Hyrax Tower Scout itself, if there are no tapped creatures you wish to untap.

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