Augury Owl MTG Card


Augury Owl’s scry ability offers invaluable foresight and game planning upon entry. Despite being a flyer, Augury Owl is a modest 1/1 creature for two mana. Its limited body and specific mana requirement can pose deck integration challenges.
Card setsReleased in 7 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bird
Abilities Flying,Scry
Power 1
Toughness 1

Text of card

Flying When Augury Owl enters the battlefield, scry 3. (To scry 3, look at the top three cards of your library, then put any number of them on the bottom of your library and the rest on top in any order.)


Cards like Augury Owl

Augury Owl holds a unique position in the world of Magic: The Gathering flying creatures. Similar to cards like Omenspeaker, Augury Owl offers players the much-valued scry ability. However, the Owl’s edge comes with its ability to fly, granting it superior battlefield mobility. Omenspeaker lacks this ability but compensates with slightly higher toughness.

Sage Owl is another card mirroring our feathered friend’s focus on rearranging the top of your library. Both creatures share the same casting cost and stats, but the Augury Owl’s scry ability delves deeper, allowing you to look at three cards instead of just two, providing more control over your upcoming draws.

In the realm of aviary utility, Spire Owl also comes to mind. Though it shares the same evasive qualities and a similar scrying function, its scry is less robust than Augury Owl’s, revealing the differences in their strategic applications. Weighing these nuances, Augury Owl emerges as an excellent choice for players seeking aerial reconnaissance alongside deck manipulation capabilities in their gameplay strategy.

Omenspeaker - MTG Card versions
Sage Owl - MTG Card versions
Spire Owl - MTG Card versions
Omenspeaker - MTG Card versions
Sage Owl - MTG Card versions
Spire Owl - MTG Card versions

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Vodalian Soldiers - MTG Card versions
Zephyr Falcon - MTG Card versions
Lord of Atlantis - MTG Card versions
Giant Albatross - MTG Card versions
Phantasmal Sphere - MTG Card versions
Skyshroud Condor - MTG Card versions
School of Piranha - MTG Card versions
Coral Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Wu Light Cavalry - MTG Card versions
Sea Eagle - MTG Card versions
Overtaker - MTG Card versions
Hazy Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Darting Merfolk - MTG Card versions
Thought Eater - MTG Card versions
Spellstutter Sprite - MTG Card versions
Sneaky Homunculus - MTG Card versions
Coral Eel - MTG Card versions
Storm Crow - MTG Card versions
Aquamoeba - MTG Card versions
Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions

Card Pros

Card Advantage: Augury Owl provides a scrying ability upon entering the battlefield, enabling you to look at the top three cards of your library and reorder them as needed. This strategic foresight into upcoming draws can be crucial for getting the right resources at the right time or setting up future plays.

Resource Acceleration: Although Augury Owl itself doesn’t generate additional mana, the ability to scry helps smooth out land drops and increases the likelihood of drawing into ramp spells or mana-efficient cards, ultimately accelerating your in-game resources.

Instant Speed: The Owl’s benefits aren’t tied to instant speed, but scrying sets you up to maximize the value of your instant speed removals, counterspells, or flash creatures, ensuring you are always ready for whatever your opponent might throw at you during their turn.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: While Augury Owl itself does not require discarding, its scry ability is often less beneficial when you’re forced to discard other valuable cards to maintain hand size or due to other cards’ mechanics, diminishing potential strategic setup.

Specific Mana Cost: Augury Owl requires a blue mana to cast, potentially limiting its integration into multi-color decks that may not always have consistent access to blue mana sources or prioritize other colors.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Considering Augury Owl is a 1/1 flyer for two mana, some players may find this a steep cost for its body and effect. Other creatures or spells at similar mana costs can offer greater impact on the game state or more substantial card advantage.


Reasons to Include in Your Collection

Versatility: Augury Owl fits seamlessly into a wide range of decks, excelling in those that capitalize on scry mechanics. Its ability to organize upcoming draws ensures smoother gameplay and strategic planning.

Combo Potential: This card enhances strategies that synergize with the top-deck manipulation or creatures entering the battlefield, and can be a pivotal piece in setting up game-winning combos.

Meta-Relevance: With the constant shift in the meta-game, Augury Owl’s ability to prepare for the future state of play is incredibly beneficial. It can help adapt to various opponent strategies by setting up the right draws.


Understanding Augury Owl’s Role in MTG

In the world of MTG, Augury Owl offers valuable foresight, serving as both an early-game defender and a strategic planner. Boasting the ability to scry 3 upon entering the battlefield, Augury Owl can significantly shape upcoming draws, ensuring that the cards in your hand are the ones you need to navigate the ever-shifting battlefields of MTG. As a flying creature, it also provides a vigilant eye over the board, ready to block menacing opposition or chip away at an opponent’s life total when the skies are clear.

How to beat

Defeating Augury Owl requires disrupting the foresight it provides. Efficient removal spells are the most straightforward method to neutralize it before its controller benefits from the scry effect. Countering the Augury Owl as it’s cast prevents the scry from triggering altogether. Alternatively, consider using it to your advantage. If your opponent has manipulated their deck with the Owl, effects that shuffle the library can undermine their planning. Playing cards like fliers or those with reach can discourage the Owl from attacking and reduce its tactical advantage. Remember, negating the Owl’s influence on the game can be just as important as removing it from the board.

In a strategic game like MTG, foresight is a potent tool. Augury Owl may not be the most imposing creature, but its ability to set the stage for future turns makes it a card worth planning around.


BurnMana Recommendations

If you’re aiming to sharpen your game and gain superior strategic positioning in MTG, Augury Owl is a card to consider for your collection. The insight it brings with its scry ability can make a decisive difference in the flow of your matches. By understanding how to effectively use and counter it, you’ll be better equipped to handle the evolving dynamics of the game. We encourage you to delve further into the strategies that make the most of this card’s potential. Enhance your deck’s performance and broaden your tactical horizon with our comprehensive guides and tips. Your journey to victory is just a scry away.


Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Augury Owl MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2011 and Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth, 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 Augury Owl and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Augury Owl Magic the Gathering card was released in 7 different sets between 2010-07-16 and 2022-12-02. Illustrated by Jim Nelson.

#ReleasedNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
12010-07-16Magic 2011M11 452003NormalBlackJim Nelson
22012-03-30Duel Decks: Venser vs. KothDDI 32003NormalBlackJim Nelson
32012-06-01Planechase 2012PC2 142003NormalBlackJim Nelson
42016-11-25Planechase AnthologyPCA 142015NormalBlackJim Nelson
52019-11-07Mystery BoosterMB1 2932015NormalBlackJim Nelson
62020-09-26The ListPLST PCA-142015NormalBlackJim Nelson
72022-12-02Jumpstart 2022J22 2732015NormalBlackJim Nelson

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Augury Owl has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal
PennyLegal