Aerial Predation MTG Card

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Aerial Predation doesn’t just interact with creatures in flight; it also draws you one card upon resolution, ensuring that dealing with a threat doesn’t set you back in hand resources.

Resource Acceleration: While Aerial Predation itself doesn’t directly accelerate resources, the card drawn can potentially land you an extra land or ramp spell, indirectly contributing to your overall mana development in upcoming turns.

Instant Speed: The power of responding at instant speed cannot be overstated. Aerial Predation can be a surprise element during combat or at the end of your opponent’s turn, keeping your mana open to react flexibly to the evolving board state or threats posed by competitors.

Card Cons

Specific Mana Cost: Aerial Predation has a colored mana requirement that dictates its use within green-centered decks, potentially limiting versatility across various deck types.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Costing three mana, including one green, the card might be considered costly when compared to other instant-speed removal options available within MTG which could offer similar or greater value at a lower cost.

Discard Requirement: While Aerial Predation doesn’t have a discard requirement itself, its inclusion in a deck should be evaluated against cards of similar functionality that might not utilize your hand’s resources as heavily, ensuring a more efficient use of your cards in play.

Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Aerial Predation is a utility card that has a place in decks that require an efficient answer to flying creatures. Its ability to destroy a creature with flying and gain you life fits well into green sideboards or main decks seeking to mitigate aerial threats.

Combo Potential: While not a combo enabler itself, Aerial Predation can support decks that focus on life gain as a strategy. Interacting with cards that trigger upon gaining life, this card can become a crucial piece in maintaining your health total while dealing with problematic flyers.

Meta-Relevance: With flying creatures being a common fixture in various MTG formats, having Aerial Predation in your arsenal ensures you’re prepared to handle decks that lean heavily on flying creatures for victory. It’s particularly useful in a meta where decks like Azorius Spirits or Izzet Drakes are prevalent.

How to beat

Aerial Predation is a solid defensive card in Magic: The Gathering, particularly for players contending with fearsome flying creatures. The card offers both creature removal and a modest life gain, making it suitable for disrupting an opponent’s aerial onslaught. To effectively overcome this spell, consider diversifying your threats on the battlefield. Don’t rely solely on creatures with flying. Incorporating a mix of reach, removal, and non-flying creatures can mitigate the potential impact of Aerial Predation. Additionally, spells that grant hexproof or use counter magic can safeguard your valued flyers from being targeted, ensuring your winged warriors continue to dominate the skies unhindered.

Advancing your board with resilient threats that can withstand the green instant’s life-gaining removal or deploying enchantments like Asceticism to protect your creatures will nullify Aerial Predation’s advantage. It’s all about creating a robust board presence that isn’t heavily compromised by a single targeted removal spell. Tailoring your strategy to anticipate and counter defensive measures like Aerial Predation will prove crucial in maintaining aerial supremacy in your matches. Keep this in mind, and your forces will soar high, out of reach from the predatory grasp of green’s creature control methods.