Storm Crow MTG Card


Card setsReleased in 17 setsSee all
Mana cost
Converted mana cost2
RarityCommon
TypeCreature — Bird
Abilities Flying
Power 1
Toughness 2

Key Takeaways

  1. Storm Crow’s low cost enables building board presence while reserving mana for other spells or counters.
  2. The card supports strategies incentivizing spell casting and creature arrival on the battlefield.
  3. Despite limitations, it plays a unique role in deck-building and MTG player culture.

Text of card

Flying

"Watch for it! Right on its tailfeathers will be a storm from your nightmares." —Arna Kennerüd, Skycaptain


Card Pros

Card Advantage: While Storm Crow may not directly offer card draw, its low casting cost provides a subtle form of card advantage by letting you deploy more threats or hold up mana for other actions without significant investment.

Resource Acceleration: While Storm Crow doesn’t accelerate resources in the traditional sense, its low mana cost synergizes with cards that reward you for casting multiple spells or having creatures enter the battlefield, thereby indirectly contributing to your resource acceleration strategies.

Instant Speed: As a creature, Storm Crow can’t be cast at instant speed. However, its presence in a deck can support instant-speed plays by applying pressure that may force your opponent to act hastily on their turn, which could be beneficial for your game plan.


Card Cons

Discard Requirement: In building a deck, selecting cards that optimize your hand is essential. Unlike cards with no additional cost, Storm Crow’s discard requirement can be a drawback by depleting your hand faster, especially if the deck relies on card advantage to outpace the opponent.

Specific Mana Cost: Storm Crow demands blue mana for casting, which can be restrictive. Decks not tuned to generate blue mana consistently may find including a Storm Crow impractical, confining its use to mono-blue or blue-centric decks.

Comparatively High Mana Cost: At two mana for a 1/2 flyer, Storm Crow may not be the most mana-efficient creature available. In a game where the early turns can be pivotal, investing in a minimally impactful card could put a player at a disadvantage against faster or more aggressive strategies.


Reasons to Include Storm Crow in Your Collection

Versatility: Despite its simplicity, Storm Crow can be slotted into various blue decks thanks to its flying ability. It’s a classic creature that can serve as an early game blocker or an evasive attacker when needed.

Combo Potential: While not overtly powerful on its own, Storm Crow can be part of combos with cards that benefit from having flying creatures or those that require creatures to be sacrificed for greater effects.

Meta-Relevance: In some casual circles and humorous magic play, Storm Crow garners attention for its notorious reputation. Its presence can be seen as a lighthearted challenge to more serious meta-dominant cards.


How to beat

The iconic Storm Crow may seem like an unassuming card on the surface, yet it’s earned a cult status among Magic: The Gathering players. At first glance, this bird creature card does not present a formidable challenge with its minimal power and toughness stats. However, it has been joked about for its supposedly “overpowered” nature in the MTG community.

That being said, taking down a Storm Crow is as straightforward as comparing its stats to any other creature on the battlefield. Any creature with a power of at least 2 can easily remove Storm Crow in combat. Additionally, because it’s a flying creature, ensuring to have a creature with reach or any spell that can target flying creatures can easily neutralize it. Direct damage spells, such as Shock or Lightning Bolt, are also effective and can dispose of the Storm Crow without much fanfare. Therefore, while Storm Crow holds a special place in the collective MTG lore, practically speaking, it doesn’t pose a significant tactical challenge and can be easily managed during gameplay.

Its legacy aside, when faced against Storm Crow, strategy and a bit of power are all it takes to ensure this bird doesn’t become an unruly animal in your match.


Cards like Storm Crow

In the vast ecosystem of Magic: The Gathering, Storm Crow is often recognized more for its meme status within the community rather than its competitive play. However, examining Storm Crow in comparison with other cards in its realm offers insight into its place in the game. For instance, the Albatross of the MTG world, Ornithopter, boasts a cost of zero mana—a distinct advantage over Storm Crow. Yet, Ornithopter lacks any power, while Storm Crow can at least deal some damage with its 1/2 stat line.

Moving up the power scale, Squadron Hawk is a creature card that closely aligns with Storm Crow’s casting cost and stats. Squadron Hawk, however, offers a slight edge by allowing you to search for additional copies of itself, potentially giving you card advantage. Similarly, Fairy Seer provides added strategic depth with its scry ability, enhancing the player’s control over upcoming draws, something Storm Crow does not provide.

Despite these comparisons, Storm Crow remains a beloved and humorous slice of the MTG universe. While it may not stand out in terms of raw power or unique abilities, its simplicity and the lighthearted banter it inspires ensure its enduring legacy among players.

Ornithopter - MTG Card versions
Squadron Hawk - MTG Card versions
Ornithopter - Antiquities (ATQ)
Squadron Hawk - Magic 2011 (M11)

Cards similar to Storm Crow by color, type and mana cost

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
Aquamoeba - MTG Card versions
Soratami Cloudskater - MTG Card versions
Minamo Sightbender - MTG Card versions
Vodalian Soldiers - Fallen Empires (FEM)
Zephyr Falcon - Fourth Edition (4ED)
Lord of Atlantis - Wizards Play Network 2024 (PW24)
Giant Albatross - Homelands (HML)
Phantasmal Sphere - Alliances (ALL)
Skyshroud Condor - Tempest (TMP)
School of Piranha - Exodus (EXO)
Coral Merfolk - Seventh Edition (7ED)
Wu Light Cavalry - Portal Three Kingdoms (PTK)
Sea Eagle - Starter 1999 (S99)
Overtaker - Mercadian Masques Promos (PMMQ)
Hazy Homunculus - Prophecy (PCY)
Darting Merfolk - World Championship Decks 2001 (WC01)
Thought Eater - Odyssey (ODY)
Spellstutter Sprite - Secret Lair Drop (SLD)
Sneaky Homunculus - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Coral Eel - Eighth Edition (8ED)
Aquamoeba - World Championship Decks 2003 (WC03)
Soratami Cloudskater - Champions of Kamigawa (CHK)
Minamo Sightbender - Betrayers of Kamigawa (BOK)

Where to buy

If you're looking to purchase Storm Crow MTG card by a specific set like Alliances and Alliances, 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 Storm Crow and other MTG cards:

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Printings

The Storm Crow Magic the Gathering card was released in 12 different sets between 1996-06-10 and 2022-10-07. Illustrated by 6 different artists.

#ReleaseNameCodeSymbolNumberFrameLayoutBorderArtist
11996-06-10AlliancesALL 36b1993normalblackSandra Everingham
21996-06-10AlliancesALL 36a1993normalblackSandra Everingham
31997-05-01PortalPOR 69d1997normalblackUna Fricker
41997-05-01PortalPOR 691997normalblackUna Fricker
51999-04-21Classic Sixth Edition6ED 1011997normalwhiteUna Fricker
61999-07-01Starter 1999S99 531997normalwhiteUna Fricker
72001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 1001997normalwhiteJohn Matson
82001-04-11Seventh Edition7ED 100★1997normalblackJohn Matson
92003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 104★2003normalblackJohn Matson
102003-07-28Eighth Edition8ED 1042003normalwhiteJohn Matson
112005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 1002003normalwhiteJohn Matson
122005-07-29Ninth Edition9ED 100★2003normalblackJohn Matson
132017-12-08UnstableUST 52015tokensilverMcLean Kendree
142019-12-02Secret Lair DropSLD 602015normalblackJesper Ejsing
152020-03-08Mystery Booster Retail Edition FoilsFMB1 312003normalblackJohn Matson
162020-09-26The ListPLST 9ED-1002003normalblackJohn Matson
172022-10-07UnfinityUNF 52015tokenblackGreg Staples

Legalities

Magic the Gathering formats where Storm Crow has restrictions

FormatLegality
CommanderLegal
LegacyLegal
PaupercommanderLegal
ModernLegal
OathbreakerLegal
PauperLegal
PremodernLegal
VintageLegal
DuelLegal
PredhLegal

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