Carrion Screecher MTG Card

Offers card advantage with flying capability, providing consistent pressure and evading potential blockers. Fits well in creature-heavy or graveyard-utilizing decks, expanding board presence rapidly with low casting cost. Enhances instant spell play, allowing players to strategically maneuver spells while maintaining aerial threats.

Carrion Screecher - Hour of Devastation (HOU)

Hour of Devastation (HOU)
2017-07-14 - Number 61

Carrion Screecher - Game Night 2019 (GN2)

Game Night 2019 (GN2)
2019-11-15 - Number 27

Card sets	Released in 2 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost	4
Rarity	Common
Type	Creature — Zombie Bird
Abilities	Flying
Power	3
Toughness	1

Text of card

Flying

The banished have come home to roost.

Cards like Carrion Screecher

The Carrion Screecher is a noteworthy creature in Magic: The Gathering, falling into the vast array of flying creatures. It resembles Bloodhunter Bat in some ways, as both share the same mana cost and power, but Bloodhunter Bat boasts an additional ability — when it enters the battlefield, it causes the opponent to lose 2 life and the controller to gain 2 life. The Carrion Screecher, while lacking this life exchange feature, is still a viable option for decks seeking evasive, aerial attackers.

When comparing it to the Vampire Nighthawk, another creature with flying, the disparity in utility is clear. Vampire Nighthawk comes with deathtouch and lifelink, giving it a significant edge in combat. Yet, Carrion Screecher holds its own by being a simpler card, fitting easily into various deck types without focusing on synergies.

Evaluating Carrion Screecher against these similar cards shows its strength as a straightforward flying creature. While it may not have the additional abilities of some counterparts, its ease of use and the strategic advantage of flying still make it a competitive choice for many MTG players looking to maintain aerial supremacy on the battlefield.

Cards similar to Carrion Screecher by color, type and mana cost

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Card Pros

Card Advantage: The Carrion Screecher offers a dual approach to maintaining card superiority on the battlefield. Not only does it serve as a creature to apply pressure, but its flying ability often allows it to evade blockers and provide you with a consistent means of chipping away at your opponent’s life points.

Resource Acceleration: While the Carrion Screecher itself doesn’t generate mana or tokens, it fits neatly into decks that benefit from having a high volume of creatures or those that utilize the graveyard. Its low casting cost facilitates a faster deployment, leading to a quicker buildup of your board presence.

Instant Speed: Although Carrion Screecher is not an instant, having creatures with flying like it can influence how you play your instants. With a flyer ready to attack or block, you can keep mana open to play spells at the end of your opponent’s turn with greater confidence, knowing you’ve got aerial threats on board.

Card Cons

Discard Requirement: To fully leverage the Carrion Screecher’s abilities, you may find yourself having to discard valuable cards, which could set you back, especially when you’re already facing a dwindling hand.

Specific Mana Cost: The Carrion Screecher comes with a black mana demand in its casting cost, which might not seamlessly fit into every deck archetype, potentially restricting its utility in a multicolored strategy.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: Although offering flying capabilities, the Carrion Screecher requires a significant resource commitment. This can be a drawback in fast-paced games where lower-cost creatures could provide quicker board presence and pressure on opponents.

Reasons to Include Carrion Screecher in Your Collection

Versatility: The Carrion Screecher is a nimble addition to any deck that seeks to leverage the skies. Its flying ability ensures that it can remain a consistent threat on the board, able to bypass ground-based defenses with ease.

Combo Potential: This creature can work well with cards that benefit from flying creatures or death triggers. When combined with other cards that capitalize on the number of creatures with flying or cards that require sacrificing creatures for benefit, the Carrion Screecher adds critical value to combo-driven playstyles.

Meta-Relevance: Flying creatures are often sought after in many metagames, making the Carrion Screecher a relevant choice in environments where evasive tactics are rewarded. Moreover, it can be a cost-effective addition that bolsters the strategic depth of one’s deck without compromising overall deck economics.

How to beat

Carrion Screecher appears in the realm of flying creatures within Magic: The Gathering as a card that can potentially disrupt opponents by swooping in with evasion. It’s akin to other four-mana flyers like Vampire Nighthawk but forgoes additional abilities for simplicity. The key to overcoming the Carrion Screecher lies not just in its mechanics but also in anticipating it and efficiently handling flying threats.

Ground-based defenses won’t cut it against this airborne menace. Instead, consider instant-speed removal like Doom Blade or the versatility of Murder to dispatch it before it can cause significant damage. Enchantment-based removal such as Pacifism also renders it harmless without using precious mana at critical moments. For those who prefer a more proactive approach, early deployment of reach creatures or ones with flying themselves—like Serra Angel—can block and remove the Screecher without needing to resort to spells.

Ultimately, ensuring your deck has answers for flying creatures and deploying those solutions at the right time are the strategies that will ensure Carrion Screecher becomes more of a minor nuisance than a major threat.

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Carrion Screecher MTG card by a specific set like Hour of Devastation and Game Night 2019, 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 Screecher and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Carrion Screecher Magic the Gathering card was released in 2 different sets between 2017-07-14 and 2019-11-15. Illustrated by Tomasz Jedruszek.

#	Released	Name	Code	Symbol	Number	Frame	Layout	Border	Artist
1	2017-07-14	Hour of Devastation	HOU		61	2015	Normal	Black	Tomasz Jedruszek
2	2019-11-15	Game Night 2019	GN2		27	2015	Normal	Black	Tomasz Jedruszek

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Carrion Screecher has restrictions

Format	Legality
Commander	Legal
Legacy	Legal
Paupercommander	Legal
Modern	Legal
Oathbreaker	Legal
Pauper	Legal
Vintage	Legal
Duel	Legal
Pioneer	Legal
Penny	Legal