Merfolk Falconer MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 5 |
| Rarity | Uncommon |
| Type | Creature — Merfolk Wizard |
| Abilities | Flying,Scry |
| Released | 2020-09-25 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Zendikar Rising |
| Set code | ZNR |
| Power | 4 |
| Toughness | 4 |
| Number | 69 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Brian Valeza |
Key Takeaways
- Merfolk Falconer enhances gameplay by providing card advantage through scry and potential draws.
- It offers a unique combo potential within blue-green decks, elevating strategic plays.
- Despite a high mana cost, its versatility and meta relevance make it a worthy inclusion.
Text of card
Flying Whenever you cast a kicked spell, scry 2.
"For generations, we have bred and trained falcons for expeditions into Emeria. Now more sky ruins open themselves to those with the means to reach the heights!"
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Merfolk Falconer shines by allowing you to scry and potentially draw a card whenever you cast a kicked spell, keeping your hand replenished and enhancing your strategic options.
Resource Acceleration: Among its benefits, Merfolk Falconer offers a form of indirect resource acceleration by potentially filtering the top of your library, ensuring you access higher-quality cards more consistently and maintain a flow of play.
Instant Speed: While not an instant itself, Merfolk Falconer can synergize with instant-speed kicked spells in your deck, giving you the flexibility to make pivotal decisions at a moment’s notice, whether it’s during your turn or in response to your opponent’s actions.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Merfolk Falconer necessitates the shedding of a valuable card to activate its ability. This can create a setback, especially when your hand is brimming with cards crucial for maintaining your board presence or countering your opponent’s moves.
Specific Mana Cost: This aquatic spell-caster requires a mix of generic and specifically blue mana, which can prove challenging if your mana pool is not adequately prepared to accommodate such demands, possibly causing a delay in its deployment.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: Commanding a total of five mana to call upon the Merfolk Falconer, it stands at a higher echelon of cost, potentially slowing your game pace in comparison to other creature cards that could be cast for less and still produce a considerable impact on the battlefield.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Merfolk Falconer stands out for its ability to adapt to various strategies within blue and green-based decks. Its creature type is well-supported within the MTG universe, often serving as an enhancement to Merfolk synergies or as a dependable standalone creature.
Combo Potential: With its inherent Scry ability, Merfolk Falconer synergizes well with spells and creatures that care about the top of your library or pulling off spell-based combos. Each time you cast a kicked spell, it lets you look ahead and plan your moves, giving you a strategic edge over your opponents.
Meta-Relevance: In an environment where knowledge of the next draw is paramount, Merfolk Falconer offers consistent card quality control. Moreover, its flying ability gives it an edge in many matchups, providing both a respectable body in the air and the potential to sway the game’s tide with its spell-focused abilities.
How to beat
Merfolk Falconer stands out in MTG as an intriguing creature that elevates the strategy around casting noncreature spells. Its ability to scry and potentially draw a card can quickly turn the tide of a game in favor of the player controlling it. As such, it is crucial to approach this card with a well-thought-out strategy to mitigate its advantages.
One effective tactic is to preemptively remove the Falconer before it can generate value through its abilities. Instant speed removal spells that can target creatures, such as Fatal Push or Path to Exile, are great options to keep the Falconer from ever taking flight. Counter spells also serve as an excellent line of defense by stopping the Falconer from entering the battlefield in the first place. Additionally, implementing pressure through aggressive creatures can overwhelm your opponent, forcing them to defend rather than utilizing the scry and draw benefits of their Merfolk Falconer.
Ultimately, your aim should be to restrict the card’s impact through timely disruption, keeping a vigilant eye on your opponent’s mana availability and potential countermeasures. By staying one step ahead, you can ensure that Merfolk Falconer’s potential is not fully realized on the battlefield, keeping the game within your grasp.
Cards like Merfolk Falconer
Diving into the deep waters of creature cards within Magic: The Gathering, Merfolk Falconer stands out for its ability to synergize with a player’s strategy of manipulating the top of their library. Comparable cards like Augur of Bolas and Sea Gate Oracle also give a nod towards manipulating or benefiting from the library, yet Merfolk Falconer offers the added advantage of scaling with spells through its Prowess-like ability, allowing you to put +1/+1 counters on it.
Affinity to the high seas and spell-casting is well-represented by cards such as Harbinger of the Tides and Master of the Pearl Trident, which bolster other Merfolk and create tactical advantages. But Merfolk Falconer doesn’t provide such tribal buffs; instead, it grants players the unique boon of scrying and potentially netting free spells. This creates a new layer of depth for deck builders who want to fine-tune the top of their decks and capitalize on the Falconer’s abilities.
Ultimately, when compared to its kin in the realm of MTG card synergies, Merfolk Falconer presents a dual threat, not only with its creature strength but also by becoming a consistent source of library control and potential card advantage, offering a distinct role within the Merfolk suite.
Cards similar to Merfolk Falconer by color, type and mana cost
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Merfolk Falconer MTG card by a specific set like Zendikar Rising, 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 Merfolk Falconer and other MTG cards:
- eBay
- TCG Player
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
See MTG Products
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Merfolk Falconer has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Historicbrawl | Legal |
| Historic | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Restricted |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Gladiator | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Commander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Explorer | Legal |
| Timeless | Legal |
