Gryffwing Cavalry MTG Card


Provides board advantage with extra creatures, optimizing strategic plays and increasing creature count. Summons at instant speed, offering responsive play and maximizing turn efficiency and surprise tactics. Casting requires specific mana, potentially challenging in multicolor decks, and possesses a higher mana cost for its effects.
Card setsReleased in 3 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost4
RarityUncommon
TypeCreature — Human Knight
Abilities Flying,Training
Power 2
Toughness 2

Text of card

Flying Training (Whenever this creature attacks with another creature with greater power, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.) Whenever Gryffwing Cavalry attacks, you may pay . If you do, target attacking creature without flying gains flying until end of turn.


Cards like Gryffwing Cavalry

Gryffwing Cavalry introduces a unique blend of flight and fortitude to the battlefield in Magic: The Gathering. This card is reminiscent of Winged Words with its focus on fliers, yet Gryffwing Cavalry carves out its own niche by bolstering your board presence with additional bodies. Unlike Winged Words, which simply draws cards, Gryffwing Cavalry goes a step beyond, giving players not only card advantage but also tangible in-game assets.

Another card often juxtaposed with Gryffwing Cavalry is Cloudgoat Ranger. Both create a group of creature tokens upon entering the battlefield, granting the power to shift the tides in your favor. However, Cloudgoat Ranger demands a higher mana investment, which can impact its playability in faster paced matches. Also worth mentioning is Skynight Vanguard. While it shares the Cavalry’s proclivity for creating tokens, it only does so when it attacks, making it more situational in comparison.

Assessing Gryffwing Cavalry against its counterparts, we can see that it offers a solid combination of advantage and tempo, potentially making it a staple in decks that value aerial dominance and board control.

Winged Words - MTG Card versions
Cloudgoat Ranger - MTG Card versions
Winged Words - MTG Card versions
Cloudgoat Ranger - MTG Card versions

Cards similar to Gryffwing Cavalry by color, type and mana cost

Northern Paladin - MTG Card versions
Moorish Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Witch Hunter - MTG Card versions
Carrier Pigeons - MTG Card versions
Tormented Angel - MTG Card versions
Seasoned Marshal - MTG Card versions
Coalition Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Mangara, the Diplomat - MTG Card versions
Akroma's Devoted - MTG Card versions
Aven Cloudchaser - MTG Card versions
Seht's Tiger - MTG Card versions
Valor - MTG Card versions
Guardian Seraph - MTG Card versions
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - MTG Card versions
Hero of Bladehold - MTG Card versions
Mausoleum Guard - MTG Card versions
Galepowder Mage - MTG Card versions
Kor Cartographer - MTG Card versions
Sunspire Gatekeepers - MTG Card versions
Akroan Mastiff - MTG Card versions
Northern Paladin - MTG Card versions
Moorish Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Witch Hunter - MTG Card versions
Carrier Pigeons - MTG Card versions
Tormented Angel - MTG Card versions
Seasoned Marshal - MTG Card versions
Coalition Honor Guard - MTG Card versions
Mangara, the Diplomat - MTG Card versions
Akroma's Devoted - MTG Card versions
Aven Cloudchaser - MTG Card versions
Seht's Tiger - MTG Card versions
Valor - MTG Card versions
Guardian Seraph - MTG Card versions
Cho-Manno, Revolutionary - MTG Card versions
Hero of Bladehold - MTG Card versions
Mausoleum Guard - MTG Card versions
Galepowder Mage - MTG Card versions
Kor Cartographer - MTG Card versions
Sunspire Gatekeepers - MTG Card versions
Akroan Mastiff - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Gryffwing Cavalry shines by offering a two-for-one deal on creatures. When played, it not only provides a formidable flyer but also creates a 1/1 white Human creature token, effectively bolstering your board presence and maintaining card advantage.

Resource Acceleration: This card has the potential to accelerate your resource game significantly. By contributing additional creatures, you create more opportunities for strategic sacrifices or powering up effects that rely on the number of creatures you control, elevating your position in the match.

Instant Speed: One of Gryffwing Cavalry’s greatest strengths is its ability to be conjured at instant speed. This means you can keep mana available to respond to your opponent’s moves and summon Gryffwing Cavalry at the most opportune moment, often at the end of your opponent’s turn or in reaction to their plays, for maximum board impact.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: Gryffwing Cavalry might put a player in a challenging position if they have to discard another valuable card from their hand to make the most of its abilities.

Specific Mana Cost: With a casting cost that requires white mana, Gryffwing Cavalry can be restrictive and is not an ideal choice for multicolor decks that might struggle to produce the necessary mana consistently.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: While Gryffwing Cavalry offers a beneficial effect, its mana value may be steep when comparing it to other creatures within the same cost range, potentially making it less appealing for players looking to optimize their mana curve in their decks.


Reasons to Include Gryffwing Cavalry in Your Collection

Versatility: Gryffwing Cavalry has the potential to adapt to various gameplay styles. Its ability to provide both flying threats and vigilance boosts can be applied across different types of decks that appreciate flexible defensive and offensive options.

Combo Potential: With its inherent synergy with creature tokens and “+1/+1 counters” strategies, Gryffwing Cavalry can act as an integral piece in combos that leverage these elements, enhancing the deck’s overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Meta-Relevance: Considering the frequency of matches that pivot on air superiority, Gryffwing Cavalry’s capacity to influence aerial combat ensures that it remains a pertinent choice in many matchups, adjusting well to the dynamics of the ever-evolving meta.


How to beat

The Gryffwing Cavalry is a notable card in Magic: The Gathering attributed with flying, making it a resilient offensive creature in the sky. Its abilities center around boosting fellow flyers, which can often seem overwhelming if not addressed quickly. One effective strategy to overcome this aerial menace is by utilizing spells that can target flying creatures, such as plummet or other removal that isn’t restricted by a creature’s altitude.

Moreover, incorporating creatures with reach in your deck serves as a strong deterrent against Gryffwing Cavalry, providing a line of defense while you build your strategy. Counterspells also play a critical role against such creatures, stopping them from influencing the battlefield right from their inception. Ensnaring flying creatures in enchantments that neutralize their combat potential is also a sound tactic—cards like Pacifism prevents them from attacking or blocking, effectively grounding the Cavalry without the need for removal.

In summary, by anticipating the presence of Gryffwing Cavalry on the opposing side, a calculated blend of creature control, strategic counterspells, or defensive measures can ensure your strategy remains unhampered, keeping you one step ahead in the game.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Gryffwing Cavalry MTG card by a specific set like Innistrad: Crimson Vow and Crimson Vow Art Series, 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 Gryffwing Cavalry and other MTG cards:

TCGPlayerBUY NOW
BurnMana is an official partner of TCGPlayer
Continue exploring other sealed products in Amazon
See MTG Products

Printings

The Gryffwing Cavalry Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2021-11-19 and 2022-01-28. Illustrated by Steve Prescott.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12021-11-19Innistrad: Crimson VowVOW 162015NormalBlackSteve Prescott
22021-11-19Crimson Vow Art SeriesAVOW 112015Art seriesBorderlessSteve Prescott
32022-01-28Innistrad: Double FeatureDBL 2832015NormalBlackSteve Prescott

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Gryffwing Cavalry has restrictions

FormatLegality
StandardLegal
HistoricbrawlLegal
HistoricLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderRestricted
OathbreakerLegal
GladiatorLegal
PioneerLegal
CommanderLegal
ModernLegal
FutureLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
ExplorerLegal
BrawlLegal
TimelessLegal

Rules and information

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

Date Text
2021-11-19 A creature's training ability triggers only when both that creature and a creature with greater power are declared as attackers. Increasing a creature's power after attackers are declared won't cause a training ability to trigger.
2021-11-19 Once a creature's training ability has triggered, destroying the other attacking creature or reducing its power won't stop the creature with training from getting a +1/+1 counter.
2021-11-19 You must choose a target for Gryffwing Cavalry's last ability before you choose whether or not to pay the cost. If there is no legal target, you won't have the opportunity to pay the cost.