Carrion Crow MTG Card
| Mana cost | |
| Converted mana cost | 3 |
| Rarity | Common |
| Type | Creature — Zombie Bird |
| Abilities | Flying |
| Released | 2014-07-18 |
| Set symbol | |
| Set name | Magic 2015 |
| Set code | M15 |
| Power | 2 |
| Toughness | 2 |
| Number | 88 |
| Frame | 2015 |
| Layout | Normal |
| Border | Black |
| Illustred by | Aaron Miller |
Text of card
Flying (This creature can't be blocked except by creatures with flying or reach.) Carrion Crow enters the battlefield tapped.
When carrion feeds on carrion, dark days approach.
Cards like Carrion Crow
When pondering the Carrion Crow’s place within the vast array of creatures in Magic: The Gathering, it’s important to consider its counterparts. The Carrion Crow is a straightforward creature card, known for its flying ability, which gives it a slight edge in evading terrestrial blockers. While it’s comparably costed to other three-mana flying creatures, its most direct comparison might be to the likes of the Vampire Nighthawk. The Vampire Nighthawk costs the same amount of mana but brings more to the battlefield with lifelink and deathtouch, enhancing its strategic value significantly.
Moreover, similar creatures like Storm Crow, despite being less potent in stats, offer an advantageous mana cost being cheaper to cast. This makes Storm Crow a potentially better option for early game airborne defense or offense. Another peer to the Carrion Crow is the Towering Indrik, which, while lacking flight, compensates with reach, allowing it to defend against flyers. The Indrik also boasts a stronger presence on the board with greater toughness.
In essence, while Carrion Crow provides a solid flying creature for the cost, it’s clear that in the realm of MTG, numerous creatures offer diverse advantages and may be more synergistic depending on the deck’s strategy and the game’s circumstances.
Cards similar to Carrion Crow by color, type and mana cost
Card Pros
Card Advantage: The Carrion Crow may seem understated at first glance, but given the right circumstances, it can unexpectedly bolster your hand. Flying creatures tend to stay on the board longer, offering a potential repetitive source of damage that can pressure your opponent into making unfavorable trades.
Resource Acceleration: While the bird itself doesn’t provide direct mana acceleration, it synergizes well with cards that benefit from creature deaths or sacrifices. This can lead to an indirect increase in your resources by enabling potent combos or by triggering abilities that give you an advantage on the battlefield.
Instant Speed: Though the Carrion Crow is a creature sorcery speed card, in a deck that’s focused on surprise tactics and instant speed interactions, it can become unexpectedly valuable. Coupled with cards that can flash it onto the battlefield, it can serve as a blocker or an attacker when your opponents least expect it, making it a strategic piece in a reactive gameplay strategy.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Carrion Crow’s gameplay necessitates the sacrifice of another creature or discarding a card to activate certain abilities, potentially depleting your hand or field presence.
Specific Mana Cost: With a need for black mana in its casting cost, Carrion Crow is not always a versatile pick for decks that run multiple colors or lack sufficient mana fixing.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The mana investment for summoning Carrion Crow can be considered steep when compared to other creatures with similar stats or abilities, possibly leading to suboptimal plays.
Reasons to Include in Your Collection
Versatility: Carrion Crow’s ability to fly gives it an edge as a reliable evasive creature, making it a fit for decks that capitalize on attacking from the air.
Combo Potential: This crow is not just another creature with flying. Its presence can strengthen graveyard-based synergies or enable combinations with cards that care about death and creature recycling.
Meta-Relevance: In a meta with fewer aerial blockers, Carrion Crow could consistently chip away at an opponent’s life total, proving its worth even in competitive formats.
How to beat
Carrion Crow can be a tricky card to handle in MTG, with its flying ability allowing it to soar over ground-based defenses. Nevertheless, this creature’s effectiveness hinges on its limited toughness and the timing of its casting, as it can only be played with a time restriction.
To counteract Carrion Crow, focus on spells that can target creatures in the air. Cards like Plummet are specifically designed to bring down flying creatures, offering a simple and efficient removal option. Additionally, utilizing instant-speed removal spells will help manage Carrion Crow when it descends onto the battlefield during your opponent’s turn. Sweepers are another strategic line of defense, clearing multiple threats at once, including the crow, which may be a part of a larger airborne assault.
In essence, the key lies in preparedness and choosing the right moment. Armed with the proper spells and tactics, the challenge posed by Carrion Crow can be mitigated, ensuring your defenses remain steadfast against this avian adversary.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Carrion Crow MTG card by a specific set like Magic 2015, 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 Carrion Crow and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- 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 Carrion Crow has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Paupercommander | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Pauper | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Pioneer | Legal |
| Penny | Legal |