Shoreline Scout MTG Card


Shoreline Scout provides card advantage by transforming excess land into potential threats and strategic opportunities. Its ability to fetch Islands ensures consistent land drops and a slightly thinner deck for advantageous draws. The card’s efficiency shines in blue-centric decks, capitalizing on landfall mechanics and Merfolk synergies.
Shoreline Scout - Jumpstart: Historic Horizons
Mana cost
Converted mana cost1
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Merfolk Scout
Abilities Conjure
Released2021-08-26
Set symbol
Set nameJumpstart: Historic Horizons
Set codeJ21
Power 1
Toughness 1
Number12
Frame2015
LayoutNormal
BorderBlack
Illustred byShreya Shetty

Text of card

When Shoreline Scout enters the battlefield, you may exile a Merfolk card or a land card from your hand. If you do, conjure a card named Tropical Island into your hand. As long as another Merfolk or an Island entered the battlefield under your control this turn, Shoreline Scout gets +1/+0.


Cards like Shoreline Scout

Shoreline Scout emerges as a unique entity in the realm of resource manipulation in Magic: The Gathering. When examined alongside other mana-fixing creatures, its characteristics become more distinct. Take Llanowar Elves, for example, a classic mana dork. While both cards convert to mana, the Elves are restricted to green, whereas Shoreline Scout provides flexibility by fetching land completion of any type from the deck, albeit with a condition to return a land you control to hand.

Merfolk Looter is another creature offering a different utility. It doesn’t directly influence mana, but it sifts through the deck, allowing a player to draw and then discard a card. Here, the Scout is more specialized, focusing only on land interaction, but ensures land drops remain consistent. Further in comparison stands Benthic Biomancer. Like Shoreline Scout, it has a Merfolk lineage. While the Biomancer offers adaptability and card filtering upon receiving a +1/+1 counter, the Scout aids players by smoothly transitioning into the mid-game with its land based ability.

Appraising the overall contribution to gameplay, Shoreline Scout confidently carves its niche in Magic: The Gathering for players seeking to stabilize their mana pool with an additional benefit of integrating with landfall strategies and synergizing within a Merfolk tribal deck.

Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Merfolk Looter - MTG Card versions
Benthic Biomancer - MTG Card versions
Llanowar Elves - MTG Card versions
Merfolk Looter - MTG Card versions
Benthic Biomancer - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Shoreline Scout by color, type and mana cost

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Merfolk of the Pearl Trident - MTG Card versions
Flying Men - MTG Card versions
Shrieking Drake - MTG Card versions
Cloud Pirates - MTG Card versions
Fledgling Osprey - MTG Card versions
Manta Riders - MTG Card versions
Faerie Squadron - MTG Card versions
Faerie Seer - MTG Card versions
Fugitive Wizard - MTG Card versions
Wandering Ones - MTG Card versions
Dreamcatcher - MTG Card versions
Drifter il-Dal - MTG Card versions
Sage of Epityr - MTG Card versions
Screeching Sliver - MTG Card versions
Timebender - MTG Card versions
Cloud Sprite - MTG Card versions
Merrow Witsniper - MTG Card versions
Cursecatcher - MTG Card versions
Martyr of Frost - MTG Card versions
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Decks using this card

MTG decks using Shoreline Scout. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.

#NameFormatArchetypeEvent
Simic TempoSimic Tempo GladiatorSword and Sandals Showdown: AM Week 10 2024
DecklistDecklist Free formWeekday Night Magic

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Shoreline Scout can transform excess land draws into new Merfolk cards, effectively turning potentially dead draws into fresh options and maintaining the flow of valuable resources for the player.

Resource Acceleration: By exchanging a land card from your hand with an Island card from your deck, Shoreline Scout helps ensure land drops and can potentially thin out the deck, slightly increasing the chance to draw non-land cards in subsequent turns.

Instant Speed: Although Shoreline Scout itself is not an instant, the flexibility it offers by being a one-mana creature means you can easily leave mana open for instant-speed interactions and cast the Scout as an efficient play when the moment is right without disrupting the tempo of your game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While the Shoreline Scout does not necessitate discarding as part of its ability, players must keep in mind the importance of card advantage. Expending a card from your hand to merely alter your mana base can be a less than optimal play, especially when alternative cards can provide better utility without sacrifice.

Specific Mana Cost: Shoreline Scout’s utility is predominantly harnessed in decks that utilize Islands. Its ability to swap a land from your hand for an Island specifically can thus be restrictive. This makes the card a less versatile pick when considering inclusion in decks that don’t strongly align with Island-based strategies or those requiring multi-colored mana bases.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: For the effect provided, Shoreline Scout’s mana cost may be perceived as inefficient when contrasted with other one-drop creatures in the game. With numerous options available, some MTG players might prefer creatures that provide instant value upon entering the battlefield or possess more impactful abilities for the same cost.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Shoreline Scout offers flexibility in deck building, capable of sliding into various blue-centric strategies. This card can transform spare lands into potential threats, thereby adjusting your board state to suit the game’s progress.

Combo Potential: With its ability to fetch a Merfolk or put a land card into play, Shoreline Scout synergizes with landfall mechanics or tribal Merfolk decks to foster powerful combinations and interactions.

Meta-Relevance: Given the ever-evolving MTG landscape, cards like Shoreline Scout can become pivotal in countering environment-specific strategies. It serves as an early play that adapts to the shifting demands of competitive gameplay.


How to beat

Shoreline Scout is a versatile card in Magic: The Gathering, offering players land flexibility and mana fixing abilities. To effectively counter this card, it’s crucial to disrupt the player’s mana base or utilize removal spells quickly before its ability can be activated. Since Shoreline Scout’s ability targets itself, it becomes vulnerable to instant speed removal, preventing the land exchange from occurring. Also, because it is often used in decks that focus on landfall abilities or returning specific lands to hand for strategic plays, graveyard disruption can be an effective strategy to hamper those synergies.

Counterspells can also be a good line of defense as they can stop Shoreline Scout before it ever hits the battlefield. Moreover, cards such as Leyline of the Void can neutralize graveyard strategies which Shoreline Scout may be a part of. It is also beneficial to keep board pressure and pace with your deck to surpass the potential value gained from the Scout’s effect. By applying these strategies, you can mitigate the advantages Shoreline Scout provides and maintain control over the match.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Shoreline Scout MTG card by a specific set like Jumpstart: Historic Horizons, 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 Shoreline Scout and other MTG cards:

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Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Shoreline Scout has restrictions

FormatLegality
GladiatorLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
TimelessLegal